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Mark & Robyn's Travels
This morning we took the Virgin East Coast train to Edinburgh. We decided to take the train because flying was really not much faster and is definitely a bigger hassle. Another reason to take the train is that the views of the coast north of Newcastle are supposed to be spectacular. They would be if it wasn't raining. The rain started half way through our trip and continued all the way into Edinburgh and all day and night in Edinburgh.
While on the train I did find out something that is going to impact are trip. I was reading the London Times and saw a small article at the bottom of the inside page "Flights halted as French air strikes start". It appears the air traffic controllers have gone on strike for one day to disrupt French air travel as a punishment to the government wanting institute more stringent work rules. The article stated that the next strike was scheduled for June 3rd for 3 days, we are scheduled to fly from Florence to Paris on Air France and then catch a train to Lyon. We can't take a chance on the flight being cancelled most likely it will be, so we are now trying to figure out the best train. All I can say is thanks a lot France.
We are staying at the Sheraton which is in the heart of the financial district, across from the performance hall Usher Hall, and underneath the castle. The castle dominates the city, so Robyn booked a room that has a castle view, we paid extra. This is our castle view:
This is not bad but as the day went on the fog, mist, and rain increased and the castle disappeared from our view, good call on paying extra for the view.
We had ordered tickets for tour hop-on-ho-off buses that go around the city and get you close to major sites, such as the castle, Holyrood Palace, and the HMS Britannia. We also paid for tickets to get in to all three sites. When I picked up the tickets at the tour office they said that Holyrood Palace was closed for the next two days because a representative of the Queen was there preparing the palace for the Queens visit in June. One down and wasted. I really wanted to tour Holyrood because that is where Mary Queen of Scots spent most of her time as Queen of Scotland and I had very interesting stories to tell. I was bummed. Robyn's plan was to see the castle today and then the HMS Britannia, Holyrood, and the Scottish National Museum tomorrow. She had made reservations at a restaurant called Wild Fire for 6:30, she called them to move it to 7:30 so we would have time to visit the castle. The restaurant did not have it on the books even thought she had a confirmation, however they said there was no problem coming at 7:30. I then pointed out to her that she had booked the restaurant for June 26th. We headed to catch the tour bus, it was raining, I was getting wet. We caught the bus, but it was so slow going through the city that by the time it got to the castle we did not have time to go through the castle, we headed back to the hotel. The only half decent pictures Robyn got from the tour bus was of a barber shop call Three Stooges Barbers and a hostel called the Kick-Ass Hostel. I have attached those pictures.
When we got back to the hotel Robyn called the restaurant back and asked to move the reservation back to 6:30 which they did. Then Robyn admitted that she had accidently made the reservation for June 26th and it was her fault. We at least make people feel good about themselves.
The restaurant was really good if you are ever in Edinburgh I highly recommend it. When we got back to the hotel there was no castle in sight oh well. Maybe tomorrow will be much better.
While on the train I did find out something that is going to impact are trip. I was reading the London Times and saw a small article at the bottom of the inside page "Flights halted as French air strikes start". It appears the air traffic controllers have gone on strike for one day to disrupt French air travel as a punishment to the government wanting institute more stringent work rules. The article stated that the next strike was scheduled for June 3rd for 3 days, we are scheduled to fly from Florence to Paris on Air France and then catch a train to Lyon. We can't take a chance on the flight being cancelled most likely it will be, so we are now trying to figure out the best train. All I can say is thanks a lot France.
We are staying at the Sheraton which is in the heart of the financial district, across from the performance hall Usher Hall, and underneath the castle. The castle dominates the city, so Robyn booked a room that has a castle view, we paid extra. This is our castle view:
This is not bad but as the day went on the fog, mist, and rain increased and the castle disappeared from our view, good call on paying extra for the view.
We had ordered tickets for tour hop-on-ho-off buses that go around the city and get you close to major sites, such as the castle, Holyrood Palace, and the HMS Britannia. We also paid for tickets to get in to all three sites. When I picked up the tickets at the tour office they said that Holyrood Palace was closed for the next two days because a representative of the Queen was there preparing the palace for the Queens visit in June. One down and wasted. I really wanted to tour Holyrood because that is where Mary Queen of Scots spent most of her time as Queen of Scotland and I had very interesting stories to tell. I was bummed. Robyn's plan was to see the castle today and then the HMS Britannia, Holyrood, and the Scottish National Museum tomorrow. She had made reservations at a restaurant called Wild Fire for 6:30, she called them to move it to 7:30 so we would have time to visit the castle. The restaurant did not have it on the books even thought she had a confirmation, however they said there was no problem coming at 7:30. I then pointed out to her that she had booked the restaurant for June 26th. We headed to catch the tour bus, it was raining, I was getting wet. We caught the bus, but it was so slow going through the city that by the time it got to the castle we did not have time to go through the castle, we headed back to the hotel. The only half decent pictures Robyn got from the tour bus was of a barber shop call Three Stooges Barbers and a hostel called the Kick-Ass Hostel. I have attached those pictures.
When we got back to the hotel Robyn called the restaurant back and asked to move the reservation back to 6:30 which they did. Then Robyn admitted that she had accidently made the reservation for June 26th and it was her fault. We at least make people feel good about themselves.
The restaurant was really good if you are ever in Edinburgh I highly recommend it. When we got back to the hotel there was no castle in sight oh well. Maybe tomorrow will be much better.
- comments
Melanie Those might be the two best pictures taken so far this trip! 3 stooges and kick ass hostel! Haha