Edinburgh

Edinburgh (that's pronounced Eddin-burra) is a great city, with wide, elegant streets, cobbled alleys, and numerous squares and crescents. We spent most of our two days walking in the Old and New Towns (declared a World Heritage Site in 1995).

We spent the good part of a day touring Edinburgh Castle which has plenty to offer: tiny St. Margaret's Chapel, dating from the 12th century, the State Apartments, Crown Chamber, and the French prisons, not to mention Mons Meg, a 15th century cannon weighing more than five tons. Afterwards John and Kassie visited the nearby Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, where Kassie believes she sampled her first draught of whisky (actually glorified orange juice), while I set out to walk the Royal Mile, which stretches from the Castle all the way to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Along the way I passed by the High Kirk of St. Giles, as well as historic turrets, gables and towering chimneys characteristic of the Old Town, and more tourist shops than I care to mention, some of which I searched in the (high) hopes of finding for Kassie a Clan Chisholm kilt (my paternal grandmother's line). Alas, to no avail.

We spent our evenings exploring the New Town, particularly Princes Street, George Street and Rose Street, the latter with apparently more pubs per square block than any other place in Scotland. (Nantwich has to come close to holding that same title in England, or so we imagine.)

We'll definitely be back!

Date of Our Last Visit: August 2002