Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Edinburgh

After settling in to my room at the B&B, I felt hungry and wandered out towards Hanover Street a few blocks away looking for Cafe Jules, a little French bistro that had been recommended to me. 


I found it easily and went in. An hour later I left, my hunger sated quite nicely! I had enjoyed a nice flat steak with a sumptuous gravy and blue cheese crumbles, potato gratin, a big salad and a nice glass of wine. 


I walked around a little bit up towards the castle in order to get my bearings for the next day, as I had a ticket to visit the castle then and had been told to get there as early as possible, as the place gets really crowded as the day goes on. 


Back to the B&B and to bed. Oh, forgot to mention that the debit and credit cards that Sam had sent had arrived safely and John, the owner, handed the envelopes to me when I checked in. Never so happy to see a credit card!


Next morning it was grey and cloudy and threatening to rain. Well, what's a little rain when you're in Scotland and visiting an older-than-dirt castle?  Well. I'll tell ya. It's WET!!!  No sooner had I arrived at the castle, paid for my audio guide headset, then the rain started. It didn't just rain, it poured. With wind. Oh joy. My "rain resistant" windbreaker was completely soaked through. My umbrella was not willing to cooperate in the wind. I ran for cover with about 500 others inside a small covered archway. That worked out well. Not. 


After a bit the rain slowed to a steady drizzle and I continued the tour. I'd been to the castle years ago so I don't feel like I was shortchanged by having awful weather. I got a few nice pictures and enjoyed the visit. And I bought a poncho for $5. That would prove to be a very wise purchase. 


After the castle I walked over to the Scott Monument.  It is a Victorian Gothic style and is dedicated to the Scottish author Sir Walter Scott. It's over 200 feet high and guess what?! You can climb it! Why you ask? Well. The view from the top is amazing. That is, if you survive the climb. It's 200 feet of twisty swirly tiny spiral stairs. If you meet someone coming the opposite direction you will get to know them quite intimately as you pass. Because really, there's only room for one person moving in one direction at a time. 


Well. I did it. I met about six people on my way up and it was dicey. But the views were worth it and I have the pictures to prove it. And the good news is I had the stairs all to myself on the way back down. 


Having survived the Scott, I ambled a block or so and picked up a 24 hour ticket for the hop on hop off bus. My plan was to use it to see some of the sights this afternoon and also to get off at the Holyrood Palace and take the tour there. Then use it the next morning for the museum and other stops. 


Holyrood is the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland. It's at the bottom of the Royal Mile at the opposite end from the Edinburgh Castle. The gardens are really lovely and the Palace is quite a sight to see. The Queen spends about a week there every year in June and carries out stately business. You can tour some of the rooms there including the 15th Century apartments of Mary Queen of Scots. 


By the time this tour ended and I had walked around the gardens it was late afternoon and I was about pooped out. I got back on the bus and rode it to the stop closest to my hotel. It was also starting to rain again. I would save the other places on the route for tomorrow. 


After a bit of a rest at Robert's house, I toddled off in search of The Mussel Inn, a seafood restaurant known for their - yes, you guessed it - mussels. According to my google maps it was a 12 minute walk and located on Rose Street, the pedestrian walkway full of restaurants and shops. Well. Somehow, and this seems to be a new pattern with me, I got turned around and went left when I should have gone right and then made matters worse by going the wrong way a few more times. I was so annoyed with myself. I turned on the GPS directions but couldn't hear the damn woman's voice directing me. She kept wanting me to reverse my trip.  Gawd!!! In desperation and sensing impending doom and failure, I stopped a man on a corner and asked for help. I was but two blocks away. He pointed, I listened. Success! Old style directioning works!!!


I plopped down at a nice table on the sidewalk at the restaurant and enjoyed a very yummy meal of mussels steamed in a garlicky and buttery broth. That and a small loaf of fresh French bread, glass of dry Chardonnay and a garden salad made for a very satisfying dinner. I forgot all about getting lost. 


Once again, as I was walking home, the rain began again. It was a light rain and it felt good to walk in it. For me, a perfect day's end. 



























































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