edinburgh

I stayed at nice modern hotel (Ten Hill Place)only one block from Nicolson St and not far from High Street. That evening I walked up to High Street and the Royal Mile, lots of shops, people, and bagpipers. You can get a complete highland outfit custom fitted or off the rack kilt jacket socks and everything. After dinner I dropped in at the Royal Oak Pub which is know for its occasional folk music (just missed some pickers) and for being a favorite haunt of Rebus. I brought a Rebus with me to Scotland read on the plane and get in the mood.

In Question of Blood Ian Rankin's story takes you the high and lows classes of Edinburgh and political and personal cross issues.

I returned to the Royal Oak the next day to take a Rebus tour that started from their after you had your pint. A fascinating walk with a great guide through the highs and lows of Edinburgh and Rebus's stories including the city morgue, Fleshmarket Close, and an ancient cemetery and discourses on poets, history, Jekyll and Hyde and that damned new parliament building which isn't really a parliament it more... well don't get your tour guide started - or maybe you should :)
Well worth the time.

Edinburgh's Nicolson St

Edinburgh Piper

More Edinburgh Pipes

Edinburgh church

Edinburgh Red Telephone

Edinburgh Castle

The Edinburgh castle castle is large and well maintained a big tourist stop and bit more warlike than the more statesmen like Stirling castle.

King Robert

This is the place where the Kings were crowned and I saw the Scottish Honors (crown jewels) - the crown, the royal scepter, and the sword of state.

A good visit to history.

St Giles

St. Giles Cathedral is a very large space and impressive but the interior is ornate than others but but it has very nice and large stained glass windows.

It's been said that for the better part of a thousand years St Giles' has been at the physical and spiritual heart of Scotland's capital city. It still stands out on the Royal Mile.

Calton Hill

The Royal Mile is part of the old city I went down hill to new city and then climbed up Calton Hill for an excellent views of the Firth of Forth, old city, new city, Arthur's seat, and you can just barely see one of the famous Forth bridges.

On top of the hill is Nelson's Tower built like a telescope, a couple of observatories, and the forever unfinished copy of the acropolis

I went underground on a tour beneath High Street and St Mary's close, it was disappointing but I did learn about plaque and the close (alley) was a sewer that drained down the hill to a cesspool until they cleaned it up and changed it to the Princes Street Gardens.

Edinburgh has cleaned up a lot since then (and since Rebus started) I wish I had more time.

Next stop Melrose Abbey

Or return to UK