Wanderers : United Kingdom - Scotland

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and is a treasure trove of iconic landmarks and fascinating history. We got to spend our first full day with Will and Tracy!! Who is that!?! Tracy is Sharon's cousin and Will is Tracy's husband -- who happens to be Scottish and doubled as a tour guide. Both have visited Scotland countless times. They were the first family (or friend) we've seen since Hawaii last October!

What did we do?

Scotch Whisky Experience: Within seconds of meeting up with Will and Tracy at the Witches Well, Will suggested we start with The Scotch Whisky Experience. Hell... it was 1100 and you know the saying... you can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning! The Scotch Whisky Experience offers guided tours that delve into the history and craftsmanship behind Scotland's most famous export. And then there was Will who educated me on whisky that no tour guide could ever come close to! The best part... the world's largest/priceless whisky collection and of course, a nice tasting session. (Note: there is no "e" in whisky).

We were handed a postcard
to choose our tasting. The cool
thing was it was scratch
& sniff, you could smell the
taste of your whisky

Sharon chose the Lowland

The Vault Doors to The Diageo
Claive Vidiz Whisky Collection

Will and I booked the Gold Tour

We enjoyed an additional tasting tray
of 4 single malts

Time to shop!

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo: Every August, Edinburgh hosts the world-renowned Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. And we timed our travels to attend it! This spectacular event, held on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, showcases a dazzling display of military bands, precision drill teams, and cultural performances from around the world. It was a truly unforgettable experience. We saw the early show and it was spectacular. If we go again, we will do the later show.

US Air Force Band

Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra.

Video

Finale!

Edinburgh Castle: Perched majestically atop Castle Rock (an extinct volcano), Edinburgh Castle is an emblematic symbol of the city's rich history. It dates back to the 12th century and is an historic fortress that has witnessed centuries of battles and royal events. Exploring the castle is an exercise in patience! It was so crowded with tourists even though they limit the number of visitors. Inside are the Crown Jewels (we opted not to stand in the long line since we saw the Crown Jewels in London), the Stone of Destiny, and panoramic views of the city from the castle's ramparts.

Portcullis Gate

Lang Stairs

The main access to the Castle of
the Summit Rock

Dog Cemetery

St. Margaret's Chapel
The oldest surviving building in
Edinburgh circa 1130

At the end of that long
line are the Crown Jewels.

Great Hall

Remnants of the Tower House
built in the late 14th Century
for King David II, Son of
Robert the Bruce

Mostly destroyed by cannon fire

Pictures

Prison of Wars

Jewelery Box made by a prisoner

Military Prison

Views of the castle from the Vennel Viewpoint.

St Cuthbert Kirkyard and Princes Street Gardens

St. Cuthbert's Church

Body Snatcher Watchtower

Statue of Bum the Dog
Bum was a stray dog in San Deigo in 1890's

Statue of Sir James Young Simpson

The Royal Scots Greys Monument

Ross Fountain

Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial

The Monument of the Royal Scots

Gardener's Cottage

Floral Clock

Scott Monument

Royal Mile: The Royal Mile is Edinburgh's historic heart, a cobbled street that runs from the castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. There is no shortage of shops, restaurants, attractions and street performers.

David Hume Statue.
No respect for the poor guy.

St. Giles' Cathedral: A stunning example of Scottish Gothic architecture. And it's free!

Jenny Geddes Stool 1637
Apparently the stool was thrown at the
Dean because he started reading from a
new prayer book. The Scottish people felt
it was being forced on them by England.
So Jenny picked up the stool she was sitting
on and threw it at his head.

Palace of Holyroodhouse: At the opposite end of the Royal Mile, is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. We did not go in but saw it from the outside.

Saint Anthony's Chapel: This was a nice hike with a beautiful view of the city and harbor. There isn't much left of the church. Another attraction on the trail is Arthur's Seat. We did not make it there since we had tickets to visit the castle and time was getting a little tight.

The hike did her in

Dynamic Earth: Dynamic Earth is an interactive science museum that takes visitors on a journey through the history of our planet. We did not go inside but walked around the grounds.

The Heart of Midlothian a mosaic heart located outside St Giles' Cathedral. The heart marks the location of the entrance to Edinburgh's Old Tolbooth which was demolished in 1817. Locals used to spit on it because of the executions that took place. It was considered a sign of good luck. Spitting stopped in 2020.

Greyfriars Bobby spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he died in 1872.

A statue was erected to commemorate this heart-warming story of canine loyalty. I was told you are to rub his nose for good luck. As I am rubbing his nose, a gentleman nearby informs us the locals have never believed this and they actually get frustrated with people doing it because they’re wearing down the bronze of the statue. Doh!

Greyfriars Kirkyard is where John Gray's (master of Greyfriars Bobby) grave lies. I'm sure he had no clue his dog would make him famous. The cemetary is also where J K Rowling found the names for many of her Harry Potter characters.

Thomas Riddell
Harry Potter's Lord Voltmort

Mrs. Elizabeth Moodie
Harry Potter's Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody

Flodden Wall
16th Century City Wall embedded
with tombstones

The Flodden Wall was erected in 1560 after
the 1513 defeat by the English

Tomb of John Bayne of Pitcarlie

John Gray
Constable Edinburgh City Police

Victoria Street is supposedly one of the most photographed streets in the city and also served as the inspiration for Harry Potter's magical Diagon Alley.

Bakehouse Close IYKYK if not it is the A Malcolm Outlander Print Shop from Outlanders

Paisley Close

Above the alley there is a lintel showing the face of a young boy along with the words, “Heave awa’ chaps, I’m no deid yet!” It's from the tragic collapse of 1861. The pictured boy was named Joseph McIvor, 12 years old at the time. When the rescuers looking for survivors under the rubble, they were almost ready to give up. They suddenly heard him shouting the now iconic words.

The Witches Well a memorial fountain that marks the area where people were executed/burned at the stake for witchcraft in the 1500 and 1600's.

Union Canal and Lochrin Basin

Why Knot

We tried enriching our lives by visiting the National Galleries of Scotland.

Three Legends of St Nicholas

Sir John Halkett of Pitfirrane, Baronet,
Mary Hamilton, their 13 children, and
Sir John's daughter Elizabeth

Edinburgh Farmer's Market

Pub Crawl!

The Last Drop pub according to rumor is where men who had been sentenced were taken for their last meal while the gallows across the road were prepared for them. As they left the pub, they were given one last whisky, referred to as ‘one for the road’. Last hanging held in the Grassmarket in 1864.

Between this sign and the nooses,
it was time to move on

The Fiddlers Arm

Two seats at the bar

Live music

The White Hart Inn one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh, founded in 1516. The White Hart is named after the rarest of all highland creatures, which can be spotted sometimes no more than once in a century. It was used as a heraldic symbol in the 14th century by King Richard II, and for almost five hundred years has welcomed travellers through these doors.

Wetherspoon The Standing Order -- We really liked the Standing Order in South Hampton and discovered Wetherspoon normally has lower prices than the touristy spots.

Pub food Wings

Burger

The Caley Picture House another Wetherspoon location.

Where did we eat?

Our first night we celebrated Heather's (Sharon's daughter) birthday. Sharon actually made reservations (which we have not been doing) at L’Artigiano Edinburgh. Good thing she did as the place was small and filled up quickly. We had a great little spot and we went all out for Heather: a bottle of wine, appetizer, entrees and even a dessert. We hope she enjoyed her birthday as much as we did. Happy birthday Heather! 🎉🎈🎈🎉

Burratta E Bresaola
Burratta Cheese from Puglia served with
cured Bresaola, rockets, a drizzle of EVOO

Spaghetti Carbonara
Spaghetti tossed with Eggs,
Guanciale, Black Pepper &
Parmesan Cheese

Paccheri all’Amatriciana
Paccheri Pasta served in a Sauce of
Onions, Pancetta, Tomato Sauce
& Parmesan Cheese.

Tiramasu

Lunch at The Black Bull with Will and Tracy. We tried several other spots that had no tables available. Food was good but a little bland.

Steak & Ale Pie

Macaroni & Cheese

Tolbooth Tavern suggested by our tour guides for a refreshing beverage 🍸🍺 and the best sticky toffee pudding ever. If you are ever in Edinburgh you have to try.

Sticky toffee pudding served
with vanilla ice cream.

Masti Indian Restaurant

Chicken Jalfrezi

Chicken Tikka

The staff was staring at Sharon wondering
what the hell she was doing taking a
picture of the clock.

We walked past Rapid Rolls sandwich shop daily and they always had a line so we decided we should give it a try.

Tuna

Maki and Ramen was close to our room and we were in the mood for sushi 🍣. They did not have a huge selection and the food was a bit bland.

KimChi

Salmon Ramen

Hell Ramen

Rainbow 🌈 Roll

Home

We stopped at I. J. Mellis Cheesemonger on Victoria Street in the heart of the tourist area and did not feel very welcomed so we decided to walk to the other location. So glad we did!hTe young man that waited on us was very helpful along with his colleague who was from the US.

Grazing Board
Hebridean Blue, Smoked Gouda,
Baron Bigod Brie, & Isle of Mull Cheddar

Breakfast

Bagel, egg & cheese

Where did we stay? An AirBnB: Cosy, Central West End Residence hosted by Valentina. The apartment was nice enough but it was right on a busy street and the windows were not at all sound proof. We could even hear when it was safe to cross the street --- every two minutes.