A Little Fairy Tale City, Edinburgh - Pt 2

Wandering through the city of Edinburgh is definitely the way to go. So many hidden gems, and cute little shops with punny names: "Thistle Do Nicely", "Procaffeination", etc.  

We came upon this cemetery called Greyfriar’s Kirkyard, which was visually stunning and weirdly warm and welcoming.   Love this skull and cross bones tombstone.

Walking from Old Town to New Town, we saw this local band playing near the Scottish National Gallery.  #bagpipes

Uploaded by ItsMattSherwood on 2016-08-11.

My last night in Edinburgh, I was walking home and heard some soulful music coming out of this pub called the Royal Oak.  And, I was drawn in to hear this incredible song by Martin Bowland and company.  I don't know the name of it, and I wish I started recording from the beginning.  But, I'm glad I was able to capture at least the latter part.  Love the women dancing so merrily!

My last night in Edinburgh, I was walking home and heard some soulful music coming out of this pub called the Royal Oak. This song was so beautiful. I don't know the name of it, and I wish I started recording from the beginning.

We spent some time at the National Museum of Scotland, which features art, history, science and technology.  They had a special exhibit on Celtic art, that was well worth the special ticket price but there was no photography allowed inside.  You'll just have to trust me---Celtic art is cool.

And, no visit to Edinburgh is complete without a trip to the Edinburgh Castle.

The line to get in was about 40 minutes long and £16.50, (aka $21.50 USD) may be a touch steep, but then again, I did not take advantage of all the Castle had to offer.  

I didn't have enough time to see the Stone of Destiny, or the Renaissance Ladies, or the Great Hall.  But, the National War Memorial was amazingly impressive.  

The National War Memorial houses some of the best stained glass artwork I have ever seen!  No photography allowed inside though.  

This pic is from the Edinburgh Castle Website.  STUNNING STAINED GLASS!

The rounded triangular patch (pictured below) was a dog cemetery for the highest ranking regimental officers.  So cute that they gave their K-9s such a ceremonial spot!

The views from the Castle are just incredible.

3 days had me hooked.  Edinburgh IS a gorgeous little fairy tale city.  

Multiple times during the weekend, I got soaking wet walking around in the rain...but I didn't even mind.  Because the city is just charming.

And they have some of the classiest toilets I've seen.  I think we need to bring wood back.

The last thing I’ll mention about Edinburgh is that there is a really strong pub culture.  If you like drinking pints, and tasting fine whiskey, this is the place for you.  

Just don’t end up like this guy.

Bye bye, Edinburgh.  Back to London on the train...beautiful Scottish countryside!

A Little Fairy Tale City, Edinburgh - Pt 1

I was seeing London for a month, but totally cheating on her.  I couldn’t resist the Sloandog Millionaire challenge in Wales, and Paris was peacocking across the pond.  Then, I found out that Jim and Shauna Finn were going to Edinburgh, Scotland and once again, I was leaving London for another city.  

Remote Year Heleri told me that “Edinburgh is a magical, fairy tale little city.”  The art and architecture is medieval & charming and the sound of bagpipes mixed with seagulls is omnipresent.  

Did you know that Scotland’s national animal is the unicorn, since the late 1300s?  They believed that the unicorn was the natural enemy of the lion, and had the strength to defeat lions, and even elephants.  The Scots love myths, legends and lore!  

Also, did you know that much of the Harry Potter books were written by JK Rowling in Edinburgh?  Jim and Shauna are huge fans and visited the Elephant Cafe.

Edinburgh is a coastal city with a maritime climate.  Grey skies are par for the course.  (Get it, golf reference?  ~Golf was invented in Scotland)  

But, the cloudy grey backdrop compliments the faded stone buildings that are covered by a layer of bright green moss.

One of the first things we did when we arrived, was wander up to Calton Hill, which is the headquarters of the Scottish Government, and features several impressive monuments and structures that shine bright in front of the gorgeous cityscape backdrop.  Another amazing photo spot.

We also hiked Sir Arthur’s Seat, the main mountain near the city center that provides panoramic views of the entire city. (Including Calton Hill)  

This is a short hike (~45-60 mins to the peak), and a must-do for any tourist.  It's a pretty easy hike, with only a little rockiness near the top.  

Shauna and Jim

We timed our hike to culminate with sunset at the peak, but the fog and rain rolled in and killed my photo game.  Or, it made the photos more ominous and therefore better?  Still a sweet trek.  

David McLaughlin, loungin' at the top.

David McLaughlin, peakin'.  The other people were trying to get out of my photo opp...I told them not to worry, but they insisted on trying to duck.

A Little Fairy Tale City, Edinburgh - Part 2 features the National Gallery of Scotland, Greyfriars Kirkland Cemetary and the famous Edinburgh Castle.  Stay tuned...

If you'd like to see my favorite snaps from the trip, check them out on Facebook.