Edinburgh, Scotland History at it's Finest
One of my favorite cities, so far. I always take the train into Edinburgh. It is nostalgic, romantic and much easier than driving on the wrong side of the road! Waverly Station is a busy depot and situated in the center of Edinburgh. As you walk up to the street level, the first thing you see is Edinburgh Castle, standing guard over the city like a stone sentinel.
You will be greeted by several double decker tour buses that
give an excellent tour of the city for a reasonable fee. You can jump on and
off all day for one small fare and the bus stops at all of the tourist
attractions and historical sites. On your right, Princes Street and all of the
modern shops and restaurants, on your left is the Royal Mile and the ‘Auld’
town. This is my preferred destination. A short climb and you reach the Royal
Mile. Today, the Royal Mile is an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, pubs and
historic buildings. During the annual Edinburgh Festival, the High Street
becomes crowded with tourists, entertainers and buskers. Royal Mile Backpackers
is a centrally located hostel for those of you that like to hike and backpack.
For those less ambitious, Edinburgh boost many luxury hotels.
Edinburgh Castle is well worth the visit. The Castle Esplanade is the site of the annual
Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a much loved festival of Pipe and Drum bands from
all over the world. I found the tattoo to be a very emotionally moving
experience, especially the lone piper that closes the ceremony from high atop
the castle.
After your tour of the castle, you begin your stroll down
the Royal Mile. Buildings that are
centuries old, cradle the cobblestoned street and one can almost hear the clip
clop of the horse’s hooves as they pulled the carriages of old. Every corner
has a pub, filled with friendly locals and travellers and a fine pint of Tartan
Ale or my favorite, Guinness can be enjoyed.
St. Giles Cathedral, with its famed crown spire, stands on
the Royal Mile between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. St Giles' contains almost two hundred
memorials honouring distinguished Scots and remembering Scottish soldiers. Most
of these memorials date from the 19th century and early 20th century. It was
built in the Gothic style, also has a notable collection of stained glass
windows dating from the 1870s onwards.
By the West Door of St Giles' is the Heart of Midlothian, a
heart-shaped pattern built into the road, marking the site of the Old Tolbooth,
a prison, formerly the centre of administration, taxation and justice in the
burgh. The prison had been described by Sir Walter Scott as the "Heart of
Midlothian", and soon after demolition it occurred to the city fathers to
place a heart on the site. Locals still spit on the Heart (aiming very
specifically for the centre). The legend has been "cleaned up" by
tourist guides who claim the spitting is for good luck, but it is really the
same as it was, a good old-fashioned disrespect for authority. On the left,
opposite St Giles', is Edinburgh City Chambers, where the City of Edinburgh
Council meets. On the right, just past the High Kirk, is the Mercat Cross from
which royal proclamations are read, and the summoning of Parliament is
announced.
The central focus of the Royal Mile is a major intersection
with The Bridges. North Bridge runs left (north) to the New Town's Princes
Street across Waverley station. To the right South Bridge, which appears at
street level to be simply a road with shops on either side and even from below,
only one arch is visible. But is in fact, a bridge that spans across the
Cowgate, a street many storeys below, and continues as Nicolson Street past the
Old College building of the University of Edinburgh.
John Knox House is
one of the only remaining buildings on the Royal Mile that is still used for
the same purpose for which it was built - Carrubbers Christian Centre. Built in
1883 to house the Carrubbers Close Mission, the building at the heart of the
Royal Mile is home to a lively church.
Beyond the crossroads, the Royal Mile continues on the
Canongate. It continues downhill past Moray House ,the main academic offices of
Moray House School of Education of the University of Edinburgh, the old
Canongate Tolbooth, now a museum of social history called The People's Story,
the Kirk of the Canongate and the new Scottish Parliament Building to Holyrood
Palace. A tour of the Holyrood Palace,
the queen’s Scotland residence and the Queen’s Gallery is a must.
After all of your touring, you can sit and relax in the
beautiful Princes Street gardens. This popular city centre garden is surrounded
by the beautiful cityscape of Edinburgh and home to some of the city’s most
attractive landmarks, including the towering Scott Monument and the gloriously
ornate Ross Fountain. In the weeks leading up to Christmas the gardens are
transformed into a Winter Wonderland complete with German market, ice rink and
the 108 ft Edinburgh Wheel.
A beautiful, cosmopolitan and wonderfully historical city
that offers something for everyone, I am fortunate to visit it every year and
each time is a new and unique experience.
Shirley A. Roe, author, reviewer and traveller.
Rating *****
Packing Tips
Roll don't fold. Rolled clothes take up less room and arrive with less wrinkles.
Wear the heaviest clothes on the plane. Jeans, sweaters and sweatshirts take up room in the suitcase and add to the weight. You can always change into shorts at the airport.
Buy an ereader and save weight. The average book weighs two pounds.
Make sure all carry on liquids are under 100ml. and in a clear plastic bag for inspection.
See my reviews on TripAdvisor.
Purchase my historical fiction novels in print or ebook on Amazon.
My Trip Advisor reviews
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g580450-d2534610-r147384678-Memories_Flamenco_Beach_Resort-Cayo_Coco_Ciego_de_Avila_Province_Cuba.html
No comments:
Post a Comment