Edinburgh - Day 1

I think I'm in love...

With Edinburgh! If our remaining days here are anything like today then this amazing city just might supplant London in my affections!

We arrived in Edinburgh safe and sound... And completely exhausted after traveling for almost 18 hours! Then, being the newbies that we are we got off the wrong station which meant the trek to our hotel was much longer... pulling 50 pound suitcases over cobbled streets :) lovely! But at least we weren't the only ones!

But I must say the location of our hotel is perfect! Great neighborhood and only a 10-12 minute walk to the city center where you can find absolutely everything to see and do :)

And eat ;)

After checking in early and freshening up a bit we were off! But before I go into detail there remains one thing to comment on - the weather! When the weather channel says its low 60's and raining it does NOT mean the equivalent of CA. It was warm! It turns out I won't need my jacket after all. A light sweater and shoes that are water proof is all you need (and an umbrella just in case it rains but even when it does it's still really muggy and warm). My kind of weather!

First stop - Edinburgh Castle.

As we made our way to the castle we came across this handsome lad playing forlorn Scottish melodies. Quite the mood setter!

However, while there were many well dressed men in kilts not all had such good fashion sense: example A below!

We did notice some amazing churches being used as cafes and hostels. It was very sad! Our hearts went out to the Scottish people and I found myself praying for an awakening.

We arrived at the castle in the early afternoon and after purchasing tickets and an audio tour we headed out to explore. This castle has breathtaking views and so much rich history. We even met a local guy, Eaun, who worked at the castle. He definitely had that Scottish dry sense of humor we've come to expect from our beloved Pastor Briggs! And yes, Pastor Briggs, we got to hear the cannon!

One thing that never seizes to amaze me is Anna's uncanny ability to take photos when one should not! Hence we now have an image of the royal crown jewels. My apologies to the Scottish people ;)

(Anna remains unrepentant)

After spending a few hours exploring the castle we headed to St. Giles cathedral where we saw a life size statue of the Scottish Reformer John Knox. (More on him in the coming days!)

Where to next? Ah, how about the giant Gothic statue in the middle of the city (aka the Scott Monument). Of course when Anna found out that for a measly £3 we could climbs the 287 steps to the top she immediately purchased a ticket (there is something about stairs with this girl!). Anyhow, we made it! And the views were spectacular! The monument is built in honor of Sir Walter Scott - famous writer and politician (he wrote the novel Ivanhoe).

After such strenuous exercise we were famished! Where better to refresh ourselves then at the Sir Walter Scott Tea Room? Located on the third floor with views of the park and castle this hidden gem was worth every penny (what's the British equivalent? Oh, never mind). We got to enjoy delicious tea (I had thistle tea), sandwiches, and dessert. Not to mention a wonderful time of fellowship :) I cannot think of a better traveling companion!

A bit of shopping and a stop by Saint Mary's rounded off the day. We headed back to the hotel to catch up on much needed sleep and plan for tomorrow. With only a few days in the city we need make sure we don't waste any precious time :)

Stay tuned for more updates and photos!

xoxo,

Natalie