Edinburgh with Friends, Is There Any Better Way?

We met up with Tom here at the Scott Monument,
which is just outside of the train station. It's in honor
of Sir Walter Scott, a Scottish novelist, playwright, and poet.
He's also the one who found the crown jewels!

They say the grass is always greener on the other side,
but I don't think so...

Ollie checking out the to-scale model of Edinburgh. He's perched over the
Castle Rock, where Edinburgh Castle is built. To the far left is Arthur's Seat.

Tom shows Merrit where we'll be going today. What a treat to have our own
personal (local!) tour guide. And a friend from home. :)

At some point in the city's history, they filled in the loch that used to be
here. Now it's one big public garden.

Outside the National Galleries of Scotland.
We didn't go in. Next time...

Edinburgh has some beautiful buildings!

After we left the castle, we walked back down the
Royal Mile. Tom had a pub in mind. The boys
found these fun-house mirrors on the side of a building.

Ollie danced in front of the mirrors to the music
on the street.

Wacky family portrait. Merrit said, "Dad,
you're so short!"

We passed lots of street performers, but this
guy really captured Merrit's attention. He
wanted to go give him money, but he was
really uneasy about standing next to him
(or her?) for a photo. You can see it in his
body language!

Just outside St. Giles Cathedral.
Is he on lunch break? Would you wear this
to work? He's got a briefcase. I dunno...

We went into St. Giles Cathedral, which was stunning.
Not to mention, there was an organ concert being held,
which was free to the public. We wandered through,
admiring the music (Merrit couldn't believe it
when I told him that there was no electricity, speakers,
or amplifiers making the music that loud), and so many
artistic and skilled works. Merrit and I tried to name all the
different craftsmen/skills we saw: Carved wood,
detailed metal work, paintings, mosaics, carved stone,
carved marble, embroidery, calligraphy, woven fabrics,
even fresh flower arrangements. We weren't allowed
to take any photos in the cathedral.

The sound of bagpipes are everywhere on the streets. It's really powerful.

Thought it was cool how the patina was all rubbed off of this statue's toe...
the only part of him you could reach up and touch. Must be a good luck charm
for locals?

The best part about having a tour guide is restaurant recommendations!
Tom's wife, Catherine, met us for lunch and we went to a place called
The Mitre. Delicious!

Ah, a moment of peace and quiet while Ollie rests and
Merrit zones out.

We're in a pub...IN SCOTLAND!

Catherine and Tom.

We ordered the haggis with nips and tatties starter.
Contrary to popular belief, haggis doesn't always come in a casing. Nips are
turnips and tatties are potatoes. The gravy was delicious. We passed it
around and everyone had a bite or two.

Haggis! Mike was nervous about the first bite but ended up polishing it off.

Mike and I shared a steak and ale pie for our main.

Even now the Scottish are still rebellious and proud. 

This guy was entertaining a very large crowd. He expected tips and even
chased somebody down to get one!

Look...it's a clock. Made out of flowers.

See a close-up of the inscription below.

Our boys love to roll down grassy hills whenever they get a chance!

Ice cream with flake.

Emmie playing at a little park that Tom and Catherine took us to.

This park was AMAZING because it was in the shadow
of Castle Rock. What a view from below!

Ollie on the slide. Castle in the distance.
Wow.

Some passersby offered to take our picture. We're getting ready to head
back to the train, and then, back to Newcastle.

The Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and the Castle Rock

After we got off the train, we met up with a friend of Jer's named Tom (our most awesome tour guide for the day!), grabbed breakfast at McDonald's, and followed Tom as he took us through the city and up the Royal Mile, the road that leads up to Edinburgh Castle.

Here's Tom. Mike, Jer, and Tom all played in the same pool league a few years
back. Tom and his wife Catherine moved to Edinburgh about 8 months ago.

The Royal Mile is a succession of streets that form
the main thoroughfare of Edinburgh's Old Town.  The Royal Mile
is almost a mile long and runs from Holyrood Abbey to
the top of the Castle Rock, at the entrance of the castle.
The streets that make up the Royal Mile are (west to east)
Castle Esplanade, Castlehill, Lawnmarket, High Street,
Canongate and Abbey Strand. This is the Old Town's
busiest tourist street. (thanks, Wikipedia)

Walking up the steady incline to the castle.

Ollie's tuckered out and it's not even 11:00am yet. This does not bode well for
the long day ahead! :)

The gatehouse, built in 1888 with the sole purpose of making the castle look
more imposing. It replaced a much simpler 17th-century gate. 

This is a bronze statue of Sir William Wallace, added in
1929. (Also known as "Braveheart," played by Mel Gibson.)
There is no record that Wallace ever visited the castle, though.
(details about the castle in this post are taken from the guidebook
we bought that day)

The castle's Porticullis Gate, built in 1573. It originally
had four barriers--an iron porticullis and three pairs
of wooden doors. The doors are gone now.

The iron porticullis.

We lost Merrit for a minute, then we realized
that the hoodie he was wearing is like
castle camouflage!

Once  you get through the gatehouse, you realize that this isn't one building,
but really a small city. At right, old cartsheds that have been converted into
a cafe and gift shop. Straight ahead, the governor's house, built in 1742.
And behind that, the barracks, built in 1799 to house 600 soldiers and still
a working barracks. (Believe it or not, the castle is a working
military base to this day!)

Walking up the cobblestone street, the governor's house on our right and
Foog's Gate on our left.

Foog's Gate, which was added in the 17th century to refortify the castle.

It's a big hill for a little kid.

The city of Edinburgh in the distance, with the Firth of Forth in the far distance.

We hooked up with a guided tour already in session. In the background,
the Scottish National War Memorial.

We're standing in Crown Square, at the heart of the castle. This courtyard was
built in the late 15th century. The Crown Square had four important buildings
surrounding it: The Crown Palace, the Great Hall, the Royal Gunhouse,
and St. Mary's, the castle church. The gunhouse and the church have long been
destroyed, and have been replaced by the Queen Anne building and the
Scottish National War Memorial. 

The Crown Palace, where the royal family used to live.
Now it houses the crown jewels of Scotland, which we saw!
But we weren't allowed to photograph them.

Emmie made a little friend! (The Queen Anne building in the background.)

It was blessedly protected from the wind in the Crown Square. Behind us, the
Royal Palace. At left, the Scottish National War Memorial.

Emmie learns about Papal Dispensations, on our way into
the vaulted, guarded room where Scotland's crown jewels
are kept. Actually, it's called the Honors of Scotland--the crown,
the sceptre, and the sword of state.

Just before we go into the room where the Honors of Scotland
are on display. There are bronze reproductions, true to size, on
display that you can see and touch (and photograph).

Interesting story: The jewels were hidden away in a secret
crown room behind a brick wall in 1707. Sir Walter Scott, in 1818,
on a hunch, requested and was granted royal approval to break
down the wall in search of the crown, sceptre, and sword. He
was right, and the Honors of Scotland were found after 111
years in hiding.

Found this picture online.


Also in the room is what's known as the Stone of Destiny.
It has been used, for centuries, as the seat on which the Scottish
kings were enthroned at Scone, near Perth. Then in 1296 it was
taken forcibly by the English and kept in Westminster Abbey,
where it was used in the coronation ceremonies of most of the
monarchs of England, and from 1714, all the sovereigns of Great
Britain. It's now back in Scotland.

Found this picture online.

Inside the Great Hall, which was built in 1511. This
medieval roof is one of the most important in Britain.

The Great Hall was used for ceremonies of all sorts. Now lots of arms are on
display here.

Back outside, in the Crown Square, Ollie poses on a lion sculpture.

Then they all pose with the unicorn sculpture. The lion and the unicorn
stand on either side of the door to the Scottish National War Memorial.

These empty guard rooms that flank the door
to the Scottish National War Memorial represent
and honor the dead. The boys just thought it
was fun to get inside them.

The Scottish are famous for their love of dogs, as evidenced by this little
dog cemetery, which is built into part of the castle wall. Regimental
mascots and officers' pets are buried here.

Inside St. Margaret's Chapel. This can still be rented out for weddings, if you
can believe it, though it only holds about 24 guests. A pretty penny, I bet!

The view from the courtyard outside St. Margaret's Chapel, which is the
oldest building in the castle and in Edinburgh.

Another stunning view.

Arthur's Seat, about a miles east of Edinburgh Castle.

Goodbye, Edinburgh Castle. And now...off to find some lunch!