Edinburgh

So we decided to head out this weekend and go for a little trip.  Our destination was Edinburgh...

It is a really pretty city, very green and full of amazing architecture.  We arrived on Friday, and after a pretty harrowing drive (it was very windy and very rainy and pitch black at 4:00pm) we headed out on the town to find some dinner.  We ended up at a small Greek place not too far from the hotel.  The tzatziki was delicious.  

We then wandered out into Edinburgh and quickly stumbled upon a Christmas street market.  They had all sort of booths selling toys, food and drinks.  We had to get some gluhwein.  It had quite a kick, so I think something extra had been added.  Beyond the fair was a carnival that lit up the street.  They had a ferris wheel, merry-go-round and swings.  It was a cool atmosphere, with lots of fashionable people wandering about.  Wed did our best to blend in.

We woke up the next morning and wandered on up to Edinburgh castle.  Edinburgh seems to be all about the statues, as we passed many on the way.  And not just for famous politicians or military heroes.  Sir Walter Scott has several, and we saw ones for James Clerk Maxwell (bonus nerd points if you can tell me what he is famous for without consulting Wikipedia) and Adam Smith.  Poor Mr. Smith has apparently borne the brunt of some people's frustrations with the credit crisis.

The castle is truly spectacular.  Situated on the hill above Edinburgh, it gives great views of the surrounding city and into the firth.  It has been well-kept and the facilities within are well worth viewing.  We particularly liked the Scottish Crown jewels, the great hall, the dungeons and especially the National War Memorial.  The Memorial is an example of what memorials should be.

We then went out for a short but delicious lunch at the Witchery.  Next came the Royal Mile, with a piper on the corner near St Giles Cathedral.  We went in and toured around.  It was very impressive, showcasing a lot of Scottish history from around the time of the Reformation.  The best part was easily the Thistle Chapel.  The carving is incredibly ornate.

We had a great dinner out - Fiona had Scottish lamb and I had a great salmon starter.  We're really starting to appreciate Scottish cuisine.

Sunday morning we made our way to the Palace at Holyrood house, the Queen's residence when she's in Scotland.  The tour was great and the grounds are suitably grand.  They had several displays and rooms set with the possessions of Mary, Queen of Scots.  All very well done and conveniently wrapped in an audio tour. 

Across from the Palace was the new Scottish Parliament Building.  While Holyrood house was classic and grand, the new architecture of the Parliament was not.  Someone needs to describe the art nouveau thing that they have done there, because I don't get it.

Anyway, we'll be back to Edinburgh soon, I think.  There seemed to be so much that we didn't get a chance to do.