We arrived in Edinburgh late Wednesday morning, after a very quick flight (due to the fact that we both slept through it!). We found our hostel, the High Street Hostel, with ease. It was nice enough, we had a private room but still had to share the bathrooms, which wasn't bad as everything was very clean and tidy. Things did get a bit noisy in between though, the Euro Soccer cup was on and every evening we would hear the Italians or the Spanish going off in the common rooms. You should have heard the party on Sunday night! Anyway, when we arrived we weren't allowed to check in until 2pm, but we were allowed to dump our luggage and the guy behind the counter gave us a map of Edinburgh and suggested a free walking tour that started soon. We were a bit hesitant as we were buggered, but it turned out to be the best thing we could have done! It went for THREE hours, and our tour guide was an Irishman (go figure), but was a great way to orientate our way around the city. Our tour guide told us many colourful stories about the bloody and violent history of Edinburgh, and showed us the highlights and some things to do that we hadn't even considered. We saw the cafe where J.K. Rowling wrote the first three Harry Potter books, which looks over a graveyard where a Tom Riddle and several McGonagall's are buried. Ring a bell? The cafe also overlooks a beautiful school in an old medieval building that undoubtedly was her inspiration for Hogwarts. Major highlight for me! Edinburgh itself is a beautiful old city, full of old medieval stone buildings, cobblestoned streets and green parks, and all overlooked by Edinburgh Castle (a highlight for Harry!). In the evening we went out for dinner, and tried to settle down in a pub for some drinks. However, the soccer was on that night, blaring loudly on every television and being cheered in loudly by all, so we bailed early back to the hostel.
In the morning we got up and wandered the tourist shops up and down the Royal Mile (the main street in Old Edinburgh, hundreds of years old- called so because there is Holyrood Palace at one end, and Edinburgh Castle at the other). Full of tartan, kilts, bag pipes, whisky and Harris Tweed. Harry bought himself a fabulous old man tweed hat, keep an eye out for a photo on Facebook! We then went to the castle, which had a terrific view of the city, and was full of great history... That place has changed hands so many times, stolen back and forth from the English and the Scottish and the Jacobites for hundreds of years, it made your head hurt trying to keep the story straight. Not the most ancient castle we've ever visited, but still standing so great to walk around all the buildings. For lunch we visited the Jolly Judge pub (threw this in for you Meli, Harry loved the Belhaven Best too!) and then headed to the national museum. All museums and galleries in Scotland are free, which is nice. Had a lovely time there wandering around the exhibits, then walked back through the drizzle (which appears to be permanent in Scotland) and got some dinner and drinks. To bed fairly early as our highland tour started the next morning!
Got up bright and early on Friday morning and joined our tour at 8am. We had two lovely Scottish blokes running our tour, both cracking jokes as fast as a whip and telling historic stories along the way with plenty of drama and flair. First stop was Loch Lomomd (yes, Harry and I did sing the song, for all you Celtic Festival goers). Glen Coe, Ben Nevis (where I caught sight of the Hogwarts Express, Michaela! It's right near that scene where the train goes over the aquaduct!) and then up to the misty isle, the Isle of Skye... The most magnificent place, known as Jurassic Scotland, as the island is 218 millions years older than the rest of Scotland. Our first nights stay on the tour was in a tiny town called Kyleleakin on Skye at a B&B run by a lovely little Scottish lady, Mrs. McCrae. Up early for a full day driving around Skye, experiencing the Scottish highlands at their best. Not the tallest mountains I've ever seen, but some of the most beautiful. It was so remote (scenes from Skye have been used in Star Wars and Prometheus, Adam!), so rugged and so.... Old. It's barely changed in thousands of years, you could just imagine the Scottish clansmen running around the hills! Can't wait to show you all photos! Spent all day wandering the hills, and then headed off to Eilean Donan Castle. You'd all know pictures of it, one of the most photographed spots in Scotland (google it!). It belongs to the McCrae family, and they rebuilt the castle ruins early last century, and have made it liveable. Not medievally decorated considering how old the original castle was, but still very cool being able to walk through grand halls and banquets halls and bedrooms in a castle. Then onto our second night at Loch Ness! Aside from the tale of the monster, a picturesque place. Had the meal of the trip at a pub called Fiddlers in a little town called Drumnadrochit (say it with me now; drum-na-drock-it). In the morning we had a boat trip out on the loch monster hunting, but then were very quickly hustled back onto the bus. I was a bit disappointed as I wanted more time to look at the museum and walk around the loch, but I guess the one downside of a tour is a tight schedule! Onto Culloden, the last stand of the highlanders against the English, visited some ancient cairns older than Stonehenge and then headed back to Edinburgh. Back to the hostel for another night, then out for our last dinner-- sucked it up and tried Haggis! It was great! Because of food hygiene laws it's no longer able to be made from offal (thank god), but still cooked in the pigs stomach. It was actually delicious, all spicy and served with the traditional neeps and tatties (mashed turnips and potatoes!). Last wander around my beloved streets of Edinburgh in the morning and then back out to the airport. Tear. I think I left my heart behind in Scotland... Missing you all a lot, please email us with your latest news, we want to hear from you! Again, apologies for the lack of photos. Xoxox Liss and Harry
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