Edinburgh was the far point of the tour where we were to spend two nights with a side tour to the Troussachs/Braveheart Country. Our first outing we up the steep hill behind our hotel where we got a panoramic 360-degree view of the city.
My most salient impression of Edinburgh (pronounced with a very guttural "rgh" that makes it sound almost like "borough") is that it is "heavy". The architecture seems severe and the buildings weighty and grounded, like mountains. Not like buildings whose architecture make them soar and lifts your gaze upwards.
The saying "You can't get there from here" is the proverbial Vermont response to a lowlander's request for directions, but in Edinburgh, we found you really can't get there form here, at least not in any direct way. What seems a couple of blocks away often requires a circuitous route involving up, down and around hills, steps, or steep walkways. City residents must get a good workout everyday as they go about their business.
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| This walkway is much steeper than it looks |
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| There was eye-candy all over the UK |
Some photos of Edinburgh Castle, a somewhat "newer" castle as castles go. Only the chapel dates from the 12th Century, with other structures from the 16th century and later.
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| Edinburgh Castle |
Police box - kind of like the one Doctor Who traveled in
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| A Summer Place for Royalty |
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Just dusting the furniture is probably a full-time job.
And Leon could make a good living doing the windows
once or twice a year |
The gardens outside our hotel in Edinburgh made me want to get home and get busy outside
Just an oddity - a place in the Mall to have little fishies eat at your toes. I guess you pay for time to put your bare feet into fish tanks where the hungry swimmers nibble at your skin and bacteria or whatever.
Some photos of the side tour to Troussachs and Braveheart Country.
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| Robert the Bruce |
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| Weaving Exhibit |
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| Samples of Clan Patterns |
Leon was looking for a plaid to match the interior of his '75 Chrysler Newport that he got from his grandparents. If he were to buy a Kilt to drive around in, it could cost up to $1,000 or more for a good authentic one - and I doubt he'd wear it. Unfortunately they don't sell them at KMart.
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| Eight Yards of Fabric to Make a Kilt |
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| A Hint of A Rainbow |
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| Scene/Seen from the Bus |
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| Another Castle on a Hill |
Next leg of the trip will be to York and on to London.
4 comments:
What? no pictures of you guys wearing a kilt? commando?
I am glad you are enjoying your trip
keep us posted
saludos,
raulito
A thousand dollars for a kilt? For real? Yikes.
I was kind of surprised at the size of the hills/mountains in your pics. For some reason I had always thought of Britain as very flat.
Great pics! I've heard it said that Edinburgh was much nicer than London.
Not necessarily nicer, but a different ambiance for sure.
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