A Date with Charlie and Harry

June 26, 2017 -  My final full day in Scotland. So many things I still want to do but I have a date with Bonnie Prince Charlie and Harry Potter! When I was researching what I wanted to see while in Edinburgh, I learned that there was a new exhibit being displayed at the Museum of Scotland about Prince Charlie and the Jacobites and it was beginning its run while I was here. Then on Facebook, a friend had posted that there would be a Harry Potter one day exhibit honoring the 20th anniversary of  the first book, so I decided to see it also. Parts of Harry Potter were written in downtown Edinburgh and the library is nearby so it is the perfect venue.

I hop on my city bus #24 and head to the city centre where I grab another bus to the museum. I entered the museum, which is a free admittance btw, and immediately see a huge atrium above me with hanging planes four floors up. I rounded the corner and see one of their most famous exhibits, a stuffed sheep named Dolly. Remember Dolly? She was the first mammal to live that was cloned from an adult cell in 1996. The next thing that attracts my attention is an enormous lighthouse light. Such an eclectic gathering of items! But I was here mainly to see Charlie and after a bit more dallying, I head on up to the third floor for the Jacobite exhibit.

This special exhibit is a paid one and I have my ticket already printed and step right in. I started reading placards and looking at items from the 1700's and think of how I have heard some of these items described in the Outlander books and seen them in the series. Occasionally, I snap a picture as there is no sign anywhere saying that no photography is allowed and I wandered leisurely from room to room, following the story.

I see paintings and robes, and silver dinnerware. I see targes and clothing, and armor. It is all very interesting and I sit and listen to a short recorded presentation about Charlie's life. I have been to Culloden so am familiar with it but I listen to information about that battle too. As I am taking a photo a nice woman approaches me quietly and informs me that photography is not allowed. I apologize and put the camera away for the rest of the exhibit.

Soon I reach the end and enter the regular part of the museum again and decide that I am hungry when I see the cafe. I order a toasted chicken club sandwich and lemon poppyseed cake which I enjoy very much. I then wander the museum a bit more and then walk several blocks to the library.

When I arrive at the library there is a queue and I take my place. I see a few people milling about in costume and chat with the lady in front of me. After about 45 minutes I get to the head of the line and see a beautiful owl and take its photo. Then we enter a darkened and hushed room where there are several display cases holding Harry Potter memorabilia. There is a no photo policy here. I walk from case to case seeing the first manuscript, first book, that type of thing and soon am back on the street looking for my next adventure.

It always seems busy here and today especially so with a bunch of street performers plying their trade for a few coins dropped in a hat or tin can. I saw a Star Trek character floating above the platform and wondered how that was done! There were bagpipers filling the air with music. Fancy dressed mimes with big hats were bowing and waving at the crowds. And boy were there crowds today! There was a kind of buzzing, throbbing excitement in the air as I walked from place to place.

I saw vendors selling assorted items such as jewelry and tshirts as well as a whole tent of hats for both men and women. I saw several caricature artists drawing away. There was a young magician and a man snapping a bullwhip. Certainly something for everyone and since I was alone, I meandered slowly from place to place taking it all in.

Soon I came upon a ghost tour kiosk and decided to try out this one. It was led by a young woman in a badly fitting costume and off our group went following her. We stopped at various buildings and she spoke of the "horrendous" things that happened here. Her favorite word was horrendous and I soon tired of hearing it. When we came to a heart made of bricks in the pavement and were told a story of being bad - or good I can't remember - if you spit on it, I bailed. I guess I should have known by the look of the man that sold me the ticket as his wig and costume were really quite moth-eaten and kind of nasty looking. But I gave it a shot! lol

I watched a few more street performers and mimes and then decided to hop on the bus back to my starting place. I was weary of walking up and down the brick sidewalks which are quite uneven and found my mind wandering to the things I needed to do in order to be ready to leave quite early in the morning

While heading to my bus stop I decided to walk through Queen's Park below the Edinburgh Castle as I have not walked this way yet. The first thing I come upon is a beautiful floral clock! It is covered entirely in growing flowers and the clock hands that move are covered too. It is pretty neat and I stand and admire it for a couple of minutes. The gardens are filled with flowers and trees and lawn, and built on slopes. I notice that there are a lot of people sitting in the park on benches and blankets just enjoying the views and company. It appears that the people here enjoy their parks more here than we do at home and maybe it is because we have so much green space at home and they have much less here with many living in flats. At least that is my theory.

I make my way to the landmark that I have been using all week - a statue on top of a large boulder of a man riding a horse wearing a big fuzzy hat like you think of the Queen's guards wearing. This tells me that I am at Fredrick Street and where I need to grab my bus back "home." I board the bus and take one more look around knowing that I may never be in this spot in the world ever again and am a bit sad but home and family await me tomorrow and I have packing to do!

Dolly the first cloned sheep

Such a pretty view in this museum

Bonnie Prince Charlie - Looks a lot like Gin! lol

Princely robes

Princely dinnerware

A baby prince

My lunch

A wizard walking by

Owl and its handler

I loved this floral clock

It keeps correct time too!

Looking down into the Queen's garden

My landmark statue the last many days

A Day With Grant

June 25, 2017 – Today dawned bright and beautiful once again (but rain is in the forecast). I have truly been blessed with good weather this trip, only needing rain gear once for a short time. My plan for today is to spend some time with Grant O’Rourke and his family. Grant was one of my celebrity guests at the last TTS convention, and I am looking forward to seeing him again! He is funny and smart and reminds me of Eric and Greg – especially Greg.  He is handsome with a Scottish accent, and because I spent a fair amount of time with him last December, he feels like he could be one of the family and I am looking forward to seeing his hometown through his eyes. Grant wrote to me that he knew I would be seeing the usual tourist spots and he would show me some more obscure Edinburgh sights.

Because we are meeting for lunch there is no need for me to get up early and I stretch out in bed and enjoy this time just a bit longer. Soon I am at the computer checking Facebook and seeing what the rest of my friends and family are doing. Next I check the bus schedules and consult a map to know where to meet Grant. As it turns out, it was very easy to find and soon I was sitting at our meeting place at Usher Hall.

Shortly, I see Grant and his wife and wee man walking down the sidewalk towards me. I am greeted with warm hellos and big hugs and it seems that we have always been friends. His son (who I will not be naming or showing to protect his privacy) and Grant and his wife and I walk a short distance to one of their favorite neighborhood restaurants. I learn it is a favorite and their son has a rewards card there and after enough punches he will receive a prize and we surely must not forget to have it punched today! It was a very nice restaurant, not specifically a kiddie place, and I enjoy a delicious Goat Cheese Salad, Grant’s wife ate Peri Peri Chicken, their son ate cheese pizza, and Grant enjoyed BBQ’d ribs. I comment after he ordered how he must really like ribs because that is what he told Eric he wanted to eat while in the Quad Cities and Eric had made sure to get him to Jimmy’s Rib Haven for real Midwestern Ribs. Grant said that they Jimmy’s ribs were some of the best that he has eaten.

We spend lunch reminiscing some about the convention and the snow storm that followed. I asked Grant to autograph the first page of his speech that he had left on the podium at the convention and he did joking that it really was a shame to deface such a fine piece of literary writing! We talked about his recent visit to New York and Boston and other Outlander events that he has attended and what he has coming up. I asked him if he thought that Outlander had boosted his career prospects and he replied that possibly in the US so he has retained a US agent, but that in the UK, Outlander had not aired on public tv yet and would not until next week. Maybe after it catches on in the UK he will see more job offers and currently is preparing for a one-man play next month. I sure wish he had been doing one while I was here because I would have made it a point to see it.

We talk about our families and what I have currently seen in the area and it is a very pleasant lunch. We enjoy discussing world politics as well as the politics of our own countries. I will not share the details here because I believe that a person’s political opinions are private unless that person chooses to make it public, so I will not elaborate on these comments but it was fun and interesting conversation to compare our likes and differences.

We talked of zombies. Yes, zombies intrigue the six year old at the table and I am even given a demonstration of how zombies look when they walk. He is adorable and I wonder if he has inherited the acting bug from his dad as he is outgoing, a good conversationalist, and did a mean impression of the walking dead.

The wee man and Grant’s wife share a yummy-looking ice cream sundae but I pass on dessert for this meal. Grant said he has thought about where to take me and had decided on a walking tour in some of the old town. We get their meal card punched and walk to our first stop…a graveyard.

Saint Cuthbert’s church and graveyard is just down the way from the restaurant. It is below street level – because much of Edinburgh has been built upon itself over the years – and we descend the stairs to a shadowy, green-filled space with trees towering above all of it. Much of the area and monuments are covered with moss and it is a lovely, quiet place to wander. I take photos of the leaning, some broken, and many unreadable due to age, stones. The work that would have gone into these beautiful stones is a testament to the stonecutter’s skills. Here is a place of quiet and peace and I enjoy walking through this old churchyard and cemetery.

A plaque tells me that Christian worship has been practiced on this spot for the last thirteen centuries. The steeple I saw was built in 1789 and the newest part of the church was built in 1894. The history here is amazing! The plaque also noted that the inventor of logarithms is buried here. Do you know his name? It is John Napier, 1550 - 1617.

We continue our walk and find ourselves next to a children’s play area and the wee man asks if he can play a bit. Of course, we let him and the three adults watch from a park bench as the six year old makes new friends and plays on the equipment with them. Grant tells me that wherever they go, his son makes friends immediately and I believe it as he is a lovely and outgoing child.

We continue our walk and cross an expensive part of town. We see where the prime minister or mayor or something like that - somebody important - lives and continue on over a rock bridge and looks down into a small river. I looked it up later and I think it was the Water of Leith and flows into the sea at the Firth of Forth. It is really more of a large stream and flows in and around and through Edinburgh.

We follow the walkway along the river for a good distance passing through areas of woodland and see a vintage millstone no longer in use as well as a stone well-building that is padlocked shut. In places the water tumbles over large rocks and makes a most pleasant sound. Grant and the wee man sometimes dally behind and sometimes surge ahead. We two ladies wander slowly talking of family and life. She tells me that she went to college near here and this was a popular place for students to hang out. She is a writer and I hope to read some of her work someday and she shared with me the main theme of the novel she is working on. She tells me that she and Grant have known each other most of their lives, having met and attended school together.

The rock-walled pathway and stone, moss covered bridges where the wee man drops rocks into the water, soon leads to a gravel path where we can get down to the water. Of course, the wee man wants to get in and we happily sit down on a big rock to take off his shoes and socks and roll up his jeans. Here he plays happily in the shallow water and we adults simply talk quietly and enjoy each other’s company.

All too soon it is time to leave on as big dark clouds are starting to move in and we start along the path again as Grant and his son skip rocks into the water. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon that at the water’s edge with friends skipping rocks? As we continue down the river path often there is something interesting to take a photo of and I continue to collect photos of statues, and ivy covered trees, and other things that strike my fancy.

We climb to the top of the hill and hail a taxi to take us all back home. We say our good byes in front of my flat and take a few more pictures. I was sad that it all went by soooo fast as good times do! I assure them that when they want to come back to the states that I will have a place for them to stay and personal tour guides! I encourage them to come and explore the west with my family as that is my favorite direction to travel and I would love to show them some wonderful parts of America. So, until we see each other again Grant and family, thank you for your hospitality and many hugs to you!

A very old cemetery in the heart of Edinburgh

Fallen stones in the graveyard

In the cemetery

I love old stones

Looking down at the small river

Perfect for wading

Not sure what it is but it's pretty!

An abandoned millstone

A view up the path

An abandoned well house

Here is where we sat and played in the water

A cool monument along the way

Grant and I in front of the flat where I was staying

Fair Air

June 24, 2017 - What a great day I had today at the Royal Highland Show that is celebrating its 177th year this year! When I was planning my trip and what to see while in Scotland, I saw the this four day show would be in Edinburgh while I was there and I knew that I had to see it! From what I could tell by reading online it basically looked like a state fair with which I am very familiar!

The dawn comes early here and I got up and got moving. I packed my brolly in my bag just in case and headed to the bus stop. Once in the city centre I had to figure out how to catch the bus out to the show and after a couple of inquiries and walking a few extra blocks I figured it out and boarded the correct bus and headed to the outskirts of Edinburgh and enjoyed the sights out the window along the way.

When we arrived 25 minutes later I was able to move quickly and head straight to a special line for those who had pre-printed tickets that they simply scanned. Easy Peasy! One note: The entry fee for this show was about $35, not a cheap price to get into a fair. Those who crab about the $10 to get into the Illinois State Fair need to reconsider and think about how much overhead there is to put on an event such as this.

After entering I consult my map to get a feel for where I wanted to start out. I breathe deeply and take in the smell of fair - the wonderful Fair Air! Cooking smells and a faint hint of cattle and horses and straw greets me. I am pretty tickled! I decided instead of going right as I usually do, I would go left and start in the vendor area. To get there I first pass an area of several semis that are beautifully painted advertising their companies and one that makes me smile reads, "Livestock Haulage." This is not a typo. There are huge white tents erected and are filled with vendors selling everything from the usual jewelry and children's bibs and clothing to the more unusual to me, Highland cow footstools and felted chairs, Some of these works of art are truly quite magnificent and I marvel at the artisan's work.

I see gorgeous stuffed sheep made with tartan plaid in every color, Fuzzy Highland Coos, plaid clothing of every description, beautiful eclectic necklaces made with recycled old jewelry, some felted designs that are so wonderful I asked if I could take photos and they graciously agreed, (it seems felting is a popular craft here) many beautiful paintings of animals and scenery from the area, carved wooden sculptures, brooches and hat pins made from feathers, framed photography, jigsawed wooden pieces, and lots and lots of woolen clothing. Most of what I am seeing I would not find at the Orion Fall Festival craft show and I take great delight in taking my time and examining the wares. I decide on an item to purchase and select a slate heart (slate is big here as it is mined in the area) with purple thistles. The thistles are molded from clay then hardened and then painted and attached to the slate. Something completely new and different than I would find at home and since the thistle is the national flower of Scotland and my living room is done in purple, it is the perfect souvenir!

After all this looking it is time for something to eat! I have many choices from Aberdeen Angus beef to Scottish seafood, Highland hog roast, Water Buffalo and jumbo sausages, fish and chips and always tea, and I finally decide on "The Goatee." It is a baked potato (tattie) covered with goat cheese, roasted red grapes, and a drizzle of honey. It was delicious eaten at a picnic table with a local older man and his wife. You know, I have to talk with everyone! He was wearing a a tweed plaid jacket and classic wool tartan cap and was sporting a carved walking stick. I loved talking with them and they seemed to enjoy the conversation also. I asked if they had ever visited America and they had not and now the woman is unable to fly due to health reasons. After our meal we said good bye and went our own ways to further explore the show. Interspersed throughout the show are stages where entertainment is taking place, accordion players, singers, a band, so much to see and watch. On note about the way people dress here, it appears that the younger people dress casually in comfortable clothes, jeans and such, but many of the older gentlemen get dressed up in fine wool jackets and caps. It was very interesting to see.

Next I walked through farm equipment. Lots and lots of farm equipment! More types than I imagined there were and finally towards the end of the selection I found the John Deere section. The had displayed several tractors and some other equipment used here. No big harvesters though like Eric works on because corn and beans are not grown here.

There is a huge section of cars on display but not a Chevy or Ford to be found among them! I have seen a few while here in Scotland but there are very few American cars. I see displays of wind turbines, and an area a local funeral director showed off his Range Rover hearse and a vintage Mercedes hearse. Also displayed was an antique hand bier - a wheeled cart on which the coffin would ride. In addition to the vintage items they also had on display modern options such as a wicker coffin and a coffin made of wool. They also had woolen boxes for the ashes of your loved ones to be placed into as well as jewelry that can contain some of the cremains. It was fascinating and I took many photos for Mariah to enjoy.

I saw so much more than can be described here...playground equipment, outdoor furniture, giant metal sculptures and fancy metal gates for your home. The list goes on and on all set on this acreage with rock wall borders and a castle presiding over all of it! It was awesome! Soon I came upon another large tent and it was filled with food vendors. One was making giant pans of paella, another selling a large variety of olives, another baklava, one guy making crepes as fast as his partner could fill and sell them, and a huge variety of nuts. Of course there was plenty of beer to go around too! It was fascinating and I walked slowly drinking in all the wonderful cooking smells and enjoying the sights. Interesting note: not one corn dog or funnel cake to be seen. I did see one lemonade stand but it wasn't all that popular since it was cool.  Several ice cream stands but no food on a stick! I found that in Germany a few years ago also and wondered what they would think of how many foods are served on sticks at our local fairs! Or deep fried items! No deep fried Snickers here!

More tents follow with huge storefronts of woolen clothing, jackets, boots, and more crafts. Some animal mounts caught my attention because they were as large as the actual animal but were made from woolen fabric, were colorful, and quite attractive. They had a small midway with a couple of rides but nothing like our carnivals. A few games where you could throw a ball and knock over stuffed animals to win that animal but not much more than that. I saw a Harry Potter store whose sign read "Maker of Fine Wands since 302 BC and a huge display of artificial flowers. Not the cheap kind but the $10 or $15 a stem kind. Beautiful! One vendor was selling bulbs and blooming plants in pots. Calla Lilies, Allium that were covered in bumblebees and more plus a lot of herbs and hanging baskets of annuals.

My next stop is the horse arena where small Shetland ponies and Highland ponies were competing. They were fun to see prancing around the ring being judged and many of then are not and many of them are not any bigger than a large dog. But the best was coming up! The Grand Cattle Parade!

Let me set the scene...there is a quite large grandstand filled to capacity with people overlooking a huge freshly mowed grass arena! It really was huge and I am not good at estimating size but it was big! Being a single I was able to find a spot to sit a few rows up a lo and behold, I was next to a couple from Indiana! We had a lot in common being from farm families and their last child had just completed his final 4-H year. But the parade was about to begin and the announcer began his bit.

From out of the staging area, led by a kilted man, came a child carrying a sign reading the name of the breed of cattle. Following the sign would be the cattle let by their owners or trainers and all of these people were dressed in sparkling white coats. Every type of cattle I have ever heard about were there including many I had not and were representing both beef and dairy breeds. You could tell the cattle and calves were quite used to being led around and behaved nicely including the giant bulls. I tried to count how many were there and I think there were about 150 in the show ring all at one time! It was incredible to watch them follow each other in nice straight lines and when at the end of the arena make a turn and begin another line. By the time they were done the cattle were back and forth the entire arena ribbon fashion and it was quite a sight! By the time they were done parading I was itching to get a closer look.

Heading to the huge cattle barn, much bigger than those I have been in at the state fair, the air was smelling like part of my childhood. Fresh golden straw was bedding the cattle, families were putting their tack away, cattle were munching their feed, it was wonderful! I wandered up and down the lines admiring these show cattle and missing the pleasure I once knew caring for a large animal such as these. The only thing I missed at that point was Sandy and Gin to share this experience with because they were there in my childhood and knew these feelings and experiences too. I wanted to note also that this barn even held a small milking parlor that was being cleaned as I passed by.

Next on the list to see was the horse barn. These gorgeous creatures were just hanging out in their stalls, some munching on hay, and some hanging their heads out to beg for a scratch. I only saw working horses today. I don't know if pleasure horses were ever at this show. But there were a lot of the Clydesdales that we at home are familiar with because of the Budweiser team. I spent plenty of time greeting those who wanted to be petted and enjoyed every minute of it. The tiny horses were in the next barn and I more quickly walked through it to get to the noise I was hearing down the way.

The noise was a horseshoeing competition. There were five competitors and one of them was a woman. They all had a helper to man the forge and keep the shoes in and out the right temperature for hammering. They all had a horse that needed shoeing to start and had to clean the hoof and trim it and get it ready for shoes. Then while they were hammering away on the hot shoe on their anvil, two judges in white coats inspected the horses feet, feeling the hoof with their fingertips and making notes on their judging papers. As the farriers were continuing to bang away on the metal shoes I took my leave and moved on but I am sure it would have been fun to sit there for another hour and see the outcome of the event.

I saw a fun thing next...it was a plastic bubble that little kids would climb into and then roll around inside. This bubble was sitting in a pool of water so they could roll pretty freely although it was tethered by rope with a person holding the end to get them moving again if they got stuck. There was a big line of kids waiting to do it and they looked like they were having a ball!

The final display building held the Open class Arts and Crafts. This was fun to look through and I was especially interested in the classes that we do not have at home. I asked if I could have a listing of the classes for Gin and they gladly gave me a book to take home. You just never know when an idea will strike from reading another fair book!

I wanted to eat again by this time before I went back home so looked over the selections in this area and decided on shrimp and chips - which are not chips as we know them but fries. It was yummy and I was full and ready to get back to my flat. I still had to ride the bus back into the city and then get the second bus to where I am staying but it went very smoothly and I am really starting to get the hang of the bus system here. It was another beautiful day although a bit cooler and some wind but no raid and I am happy since I expected to be rained on at least once this trip! Talk later!

This felted chair was absolutely awesome! A true work of art!

This wooly sheep footstool was pretty neat too!

Felted piece that looks like something Sandy would bring home!

Lunch of tattie, got cheese, roasted grapes, drizzled with honey. Yum!

Cute as can be - would be a great flower delivery truck!

Paella by the bucket!

The Grand Cattle Parade

Highland Coos

A friendly horse

Edinburgh City, A Boat Ride, and New Friends

June 23, 2017 - Waking up today I saw storm clouds outside and thought we were going to start paying for all the beautiful weather we have been having. I headed out the door to the bus stop and rode downtown to where I would be meeting Thru The Stones friends who happen to be in Edinburgh now also! Golly, social media is a wonderful thing!

Passing by a store I popped in and bought a small red plaid umbrella (brolly here) just in case. I travel lightly without a backpack and hated to carry it but it sure looked like rain. Walking to the appointed meeting place I soon see my companions for today as we had messaged each other what we were wearing so as to find each other. A lovely lady, Kathy and her daughter Heather attended TTS 2016 and with them was another daughter Stephanie and Heather's son. I needed to buy my ticket for this tour and I was able to do so right at the bus stop. there are several young people there to help with this and they take your money or credit card and print the ticket on the spot from a handheld credit card processor and printer! Quite efficient! The five of us boarded a tour bus for our morning's adventure.

We were going on a tour called the Three Bridges tour. As the giant tour bus winds its way through narrow streets I marvel at the bravery of these bus drivers. I would never want to maneuver these huge vehicles around town and these streets are so narrow that when two buses meet and there is any road construction going on, the bus on the left takes to the sidewalk to pass by. As we drive to the docks at the Firth of Forth in the North Sea and see the rain falling on the giant bus windows and I am glad that I bought the brelly. But in about 20 minutes, the skies are clearing and sun is peeking through the clouds. I guess the weather here is like Illinois weather and you can experience all four seasons in a day! The time passes quickly as these five traveling companions get to know each other by swapping stories and some Outlander talk!

When we arrive at the docks we see the beautiful spans of the bridges and boats moored seaside. Getting out of the bus we also notice the strong winds and see white caps on the water. Boarding a boat is a test of balance and soon we are chugging out to sea bobbing up and down on the rough waters. I am grateful that I don't usually have motion sickness trouble and enjoy the ride as we pass by other boats big and small. I see a big ship loaded with cargo containers pass by and there is an oil rig out here sucking up the earth's blood.

We pass by beautiful islands as the loudspeakers tell us about the area and the wildlife here. There are puffins and many sea creatures in these waters and at one point everyone excitedly points out porpoises bobbing in and out of the water. What fun to see! We pass by an ancient Abbey and I find myself wondering about the people who worshiped at this far away place and how they got there and how challenging life must have been for them as I eat a scone with strawberry jam from the on board kitchen. What a contrast!

We pass by more beautiful islands covered in sea gulls and one island inhabited by colorful cement gnomes! It was quite funny to boat past and see all different sizes and colorfully dressed gnomes standing on the rocks looking back at us! When we turn to go back we are warned that the waters will get even rougher as we are now fighting the current and the waves are quite large and the boat is lunging up and down. A crew member points out a boat up ahead that is spewing water high into the air as the wind grabs it a flings it away. He told us it was testing its water hoses so it must have been a fire boat. Not sure on that but it sure could spew water! I moved to the inside because it was so very windy and I was getting cold and I was glad I did when I saw waves splashing up and over the rails and soaking passengers who stayed outside who then quickly scurried in. That crew member was right when he said it would get rougher!

All too soon we were back on dry ground and boarding a bus to go back to central Edinburgh. We need a little information so we go to the tourist information center in the middle of town. It is quite large with four people working the desks with room for at least that many more. They are constantly busy and we stand in line to get to talk with them. People here are all quite kind and patient as I ask questions about buses and trams to the fair I plan to attend tomorrow - where to pick it up - which mode of transport is better - those kind of things that I am sure they have answered a hundred times before. I want to say that almost without exception, everyone here has been very kind. All but one young lady I saw yesterday at the Holyrood House who was quite impatient when people were stepping out of line to read signs up above and were told to "Get back, Get back!" I guess she was having a tough day.

We had discussed what to do for the afternoon and had decided that we wanted to do a proper Scottish Tea. I wasn't exactly sure what that was but agreed it sounded like fun and learned that one was available on the top floor of the Edinburgh Museum so we boarded another Hop On, Hop Off buses and went there. These tour buses are great. You buy a ticket for 24 or 48 hours and can get on and get off as many time as you wish anywhere along the routes. It is really quite handy and they had this system in London also. Bagpipe music plays in the background as live performers stand at the corner and play for coins dropped in a little container by passersby.

At the Museum we take the lift to the top floor and enter a beautiful room done in purple tones. Velvet circular benches and tufted chairs circle around tables and we are escorted to one. This place is pretty fancy. It looks out over the city and if it weren't so windy we could sit on the terrace and take in the views. You know, the kind of place where the waiter places your perfectly pressed white linen napkin on your lap for you. Yes, he really did that! Then another server whisks away extra knives and forks from our place setting as we need fewer for tea, and perfectly places a small plate in front of us with a certain flair that is reserved for times such as these.

We choose our tea and are given the afternoon tea menu to look at but the food will be the same for all, just the teas are different. I choose an Earl Grey with citrus notes and it soon arrives piping hot and I add a bit of milk to cool it and take my first sip. Still too hot to drink but it is quickly followed by a beautiful selection of various goodies perfectly placed on a three tiered stand in front of us. We are given instructions as to how to eat it - (as if I need instructions! lol) - but apparently I do as we are told to eat it from the bottom up.

Perfectly cut dill and cucumber sandwich triangles, ham and cheese, egg salad, beet puree with salmon, and a tiny vegetable quiche are on the bottom level with the sandwiches perfectly cut and the crusts removed. Wouldn't want those nasty crusts to spoil the beauty of this presentation! The second layer is made up of small scones with strawberry jelly, a luscious chocolate trifle, and a lemon cake square topped with whipped cream and a perfect red raspberry. As I rearrange my sitting position to make room in my stomach for the top layer we laugh at how we didn't think when it arrived that we would have enough food, but there really is plenty and we are getting full. The top layer was a perfect looking meringue tart that surprised me with a lemon curd layer that was absolutely delicious and also a chocolate cream puff. What decadence! We ate till we were stuffed and sipped our tea - not sure if anyone stuck out their little finger or not - and enjoyed each other's company talking about our lives and interests. It was a delightful afternoon tea!

After we were finished and the servers had whisked away our plates we went out on the terrace for pictures with the Edinburgh skyline in the background. It was the perfect ending! We take the lift downstairs to ground level and step across the street to Grayfriars Bobby.  Bobby was a Skye Terrier in 19th-century Edinburgh for supposedly spending 14 years guarding the grave of its owner, a police nightwatchman, until he died himself in 1872.  A prominent commemorative statue is a tourist attraction and we stop by for a photo.

Now it was time to board the tour bus and head back through the city, while listening to a live tour guide talk about the sites we pass along the way, and head back to the Waverly stop which is the first as well as well as the final destination because the buses make various loops around the city and different buses bake different loops depending on what you want to see. I have taken them all by this time and seen a good bit of the city - some of it several times - and yet I continue to marvel. One thing that saddens me is that I see a few homeless along the streets sitting on a blanket, some with their dog and a bowl for coins to be dropped into. This is a sad thing that I am seeing in the large cities that we visit and so different from Orion.  Oh, I forgot to tell you that the buses that do not have live guides have a system where you plug in ear buds and listen to a recorded message. This method is quite clever and I learn a lot this way.

We take our leave of each other and as we say goodbye I marvel at the new friends I have made - all because a woman wrote a book and I decided to host a convention! What a world we live in! I grab the number 24 bus back to where I am staying, stop by the little market for a couple of snack for the evening and head home. I am really beginning to feel comfortable navigating this part of the city by bus and feel rather accomplished. As I ride home it is Friday evening and I see multiple people with flower bouquets from the markets in their arms presumable heading home to decorate their homes for the weekend. One lady had a huge bouquet of lilies and I thought how wonderful her home would smell over the next days.

At "home" (which I found on Airbnb), is a welcome sight after being away all day and I gratefully climb the three floors of steps to my flat. A short time later the lady that lives here, Danielle arrives home and I hear her doing laundry and putzing around in the kitchen. I pop out and we have a chat while her frozen pizza cooks and learn that she is 25, studied art, walks 25 minutes to work each day never taking the bus even in the rain, and is going to visit her mother in Glasgow in the morning and is taking the train because she does not drive. Such a nice young lady and I am happy to get to know my house mate just a bit.

Alas, I have a big day planned for tomorrow and I better get some sleep! Good night for now and tomorrow we will continue with more Edinburgh adventures.

Arriving at the dock 

Beautiful bridge architecture

A couple of ships in the  Firth of Forth in the North Sea

An Abbey we see as we pass by on the boat

A darling little island inhabited by gnomes

A boat testing its water guns

A proper afternoon tea in Edinburgh

My traveling companions for the day

Edinburgh Castle towers above us and the whole city

Today was about Royalty!

June 22, 2017 - This morning I woke up and had a whole day to decide what to do! No one had made a schedule for me and I was on my own! I worked on my blog a bit and decided to head downtown to the city centre where it appeared lots of things are going on. First I have to figure out how to get there and I consult a map, read the bus schedules, and figure out that just at the end of the block is my bus stop to get into town. Pretty handy. I walk down to the stop, consult the map there, dig out the correct money (1 pound 60 pence) and I wait a few minutes. Sure enough there's my bus number 24 that I need and I get on. Whew! First hurdle accomplished!

When I arrive downtown I immediately hear bagpipes being played across the square and one of the first things I see and take photos of it the Walter Scott Monument. It is the largest monument in the world dedicated to an author and its elaborate gothic architecture rises over 200 feet in the air and people can go up into it by climbing 287 steps. I could have climbed the steps but the coming down would have been hard on me so I just admired it from ground level. But it is awesome!

Next I walk to the end of the block where I see a ticket stand for the hop on and hop off buses. I had used them in London and they are great - you buy a ticket for 24 or 48 hours and then go wherever you want as many times as you want in the time period. I decide to take the route that takes me to the Royal Yacht Britannia because it is rather far away and I will be able to get a feel for the city this way and also, I had planned to visit this site.

We wind around the city and I listen to the commentary that goes along the route. We arrive at the sea and leave the bus to enter a three story mall. Some of you would be in shopping heaven! I follow the directions and go up to the entryway to board the ship that is moored right next to the mall. This ship has been decommissioned and is strictly used now as a museum. I have ear phones giving me details as I pass through the various rooms of the ship and it really is quite interesting. They even took their own car with them when they sailed! The royal sunroom looks like a comfortable place to relax and are decorated quite simply. The bedrooms are decorated in what I would say is a 1960 - 1970 look and quite simple for being royal. One interesting thing is that all the beds on the ship are singles. That is except for one. When Prince Charles and Princess Diana got married he ordered one of the rooms be fitted with a double bed for the honeymoon. But apparently the Queen and her husband do not share a room. Perhaps he snores horribly!

It is time for lunch so I decide to eat here. They have a beautiful dining room with real lilies on each table overlooking the sea. My sandwich and lemon cake were good. Not great, but filled me up and I moved outside to catch the hop on - hop off bus again.

The next stop for me is the Holyrood House. This is the royal residence of the Queen when she is in Scotland. The iron gates are gorgeous and the palace is huge! In the center courtyard there is a big fountain but it was not running. I heard that it only is flowing when the Queen is there. I must do some research to see it that is true or if it is just broken! lol Also, I was here on a good day because the Queen is coming next week and they will be closing the house to tours soon to prepare it for her arrival. Honestly, it is quite beautiful but does look a bit moth eaten and the drapes are faded and it is kind of dusty. Of course, with hundred of people traipsing through each day, I can see why it would need some work before her arrival. Holyrood is a working palace and there are meetings there often.

We were not allowed to take photos inside the rooms but we are allowed to walk through at our leisure admiring the paintings, tapestries, and antiques that are everywhere. When we emerge out he back there is an Abbey that was founded in the 1100's. It has been in disrepair since the 18th century but it is still quite fabulous. From the Abbey I enter the Queen's gardens and stroll the pathways where she may have walked and admire many beautiful statues. It was pretty but I was disappointed in the lack of color in the garden and I honestly expected it to be more grand. Ah well, budget cuts are everywhere. If you are ever in Edinburgh though, I would highly recommend that you see it once.

Back on the bus I take photos from the open air top level and the sun is shining and all is good with the world! I have been blessed to be here during possible the best weather possible and I am grateful. I also must tell you... the people are so very kind. None of the clerks snap at you and everyone is quite eager to help you with anything you may need and are quite polite while doing so. I am pretty impressed and look forward to more adventures tomorrow.

I find the correct city bus to take back to my flat and grab a sandwich at the little neighborhood store for supper. For now, I am tucked safely in my flat for the night and happy to be here. Good night all!

Monument honoring Walter Scott

Street bagpiper

Model of the Britannia

The Queen's bedroom

Fountain at Holyrood Palace

Ruins of the Abbey at Holyrood Palace

Statue in the Queen's garden

Interesting building photo taken from the bus