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I returned to London Tuesday morning after four fabulous days in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe: Edinburgh, Scotland.There were so many breathtaking views that I just couldn't seem to stop taking photos (which is why I decided to post them in two albums).There was no way my camera could do the city justice, but no one can say I didn't try!
A bit of background:Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and is divided into the Old Town and New Town.The Old Town was squeezed between the North Loch on the north and the city walls to the south and east and became quite overcrowded until the mid-18th century when New Town was built to the north.The North Loch was drained and is now occupied by Princes Street Gardens.The Royal Mile is the main street in the Old Town and stretches from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the base of Arthur's Seat.My main reason for going to Edinburgh was to see Julie run in her first marathon there on Sunday.My flatmate Yiota was going to make the trip with me but had been ill and thought it best not to go.So, on Thursday evening I set off for Victoria Coach Station in London for my overnight bus to Edinburgh.
Day 1:I arrived in Edinburgh around 7:30 Friday morning.After breakfast and a stop at the Visitor's Information Centre, my first order of business was hiking up Arthur's Seat.Located in Holyrood Park, Arthur's Seat rises 251m and is a deeply eroded remnant of a long-extinct volcano.It turned out to be a bit more of a hike than I anticipated and at one point I was wishing that I had eaten my Wheaties for breakfast instead of a bagel!My determination to reach the top was rewarded with a spectacular 360-degree view of the city.Brilliant!After a bit of a rest, I made my way back down by a different route (I think I had unknowingly taken the long way up!) and enjoyed the warm sunshine and fresh air.In the afternoon I toured Edinburgh Castle located at the other end of the Royal Mile.I decided to take one of the free tours (well, not exactly free since it had cost me an outrageous 11 pounds admission!) and had a very knowledgeable guide named Nigel.There was a lot to see in the castle grounds including St Margaret's Chapel (the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh), the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish Crown Jewels) and more lovely views of the city.I finished up my day with a walk up Calton Hill to experience a stunning panorama that took in the castle, Arthur's Seat, the Firth of Forth and New Town.There were also several monuments on the hill including the National Monument, Nelson Monument and City Observatory.
Day 2:I began my second day in Scotland with breakfast at The Elephant House, the café where JK Rowling wrote her first Harry Potter novel.I then met up with Julie, Tim and Tim's parents outside the train station.We caught a bus to Leith, Edinburgh's seaport, and got off at Ocean Terminal where Julie had to pick up her marathon information.She got her goodie bag and checked in with her charity in preparation for the big day.Tim's parents then treated us to a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia.The yacht was the British royal family's floating home during their foreign travels between 1953 and 1997.It was decommissioned in 1997 due to financial reasons and is now permanently moored in front of Ocean Terminal.Our audio guides took us through the yacht's five decks, and we got to see the Queen's bedroom, State Dining Room, State Drawing Room, Sun Lounge, Crew's Quarters and Engine Room among others.We all enjoyed roaming around the yacht and walking where the royal family had walked before.After a quick lunch, Julie, Tim and I headed back into the city centre to visit St Giles Cathedral.Dating from the 15th century, the cathedral was at the heart of the Scottish Reformation.Julie and I spent some time walking around and identifying the biblical stories depicted in the stained glass windows.Now that she is working for a Christian publisher she needs to brush up on her Bible stories!We met up with Tim's parents for a delicious dinner of pasta dishes before it was time for Julie to head back to their B&B to rest up for the big race.
Day 3:Marathon day arrived as a cold, rainy Sunday morning.This was a bummer after the pleasant and sunny weather of the two previous days.I met up with Julie near the starting line to wish her luck and see her off.A bit later I took a bus out along the course and met up with Tim.Luckily the rain had stopped although it was very windy.We headed to the finish line and were joined by Tim's parents to see Julie complete the race.I am pleased to report that Julie finished the 2007 Edinburgh Marathon with an official time of 3 hours 37 minutes 13 seconds putting her in the top 100 female racers!I'm so glad I was there to see all of her hard work pay off and her reach her goal.Well done, Julie!After the race the Guards headed to a small Scottish town for a few more days of rest and relaxation and I caught a bus back into the city centre.I decided to pop into the Museum of Childhood.They had quite a large collection of toys, games, dolls and books on display.I was a little disappointed by the rather dirty display cases and the couple children who were running around without adult supervision and making it difficult to enjoy the museum.
Day 4:I kicked off my fourth and final day in Edinburgh with breakfast at a cute café called Always Sunday located right on the Royal Mile.I then walked around a bit and saw a few more sights, Palace of Holyroodhouse (it was closed) and Scottish Parliament Building (a modern building that looks ridiculously out of place in the Old Town), before checking out of my hostel and leaving my bag in a locker at the bus station.My plan was to spend most of the day at the Royal Botanic Garden located just a mile outside of the city centre.The Garden covers 28 hectares and has free admission.I leisurely strolled (emphasis on leisurely) through the beautifully landscaped gardens including the Chinese hillside, rock garden and palm house taking lots of photos (enjoy Mom!) and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.Unfortunately it was a bit too chilly to find a bench to enjoy my book and the flowers so I decided to head back into the city.Since the weather wasn't cooperating with my outdoor plans, I went into the National Gallery of Scotland to take in a bit of art.I stayed until the gallery closed at 5:00 and then emerged into a stream of sunshine.So I crossed the road to the Princes Street Gardens, found a bench and spent some time reading until I had to grab dinner and head back to the station for my bus back to London.
I arrived in Edinburgh with high expectations and the city did not disappoint!Although the 9 ½ hour bus trip was not my favorite part, it was worth the cheap price (train travel can be ridiculously expensive in the UK).I was also lucky to have stayed in a decent hostel (Brodies) conveniently located on the Royal Mile.It was nice to spend some time with Julie and Tim and meet Tim's parents who are both very lovely people.I can also now say that I have been at the start and the finish of a marathon (no need for the 26.2 miles between!).Edinburgh is absolutely a city that I would love to have the chance to visit again some day.Two thumbs up!
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