Edinburgh

Visiting Edinburgh is number 3 in our Thirty in Thirty.  On our first full day in Scotland, we hopped onto a bus and headed into the city for a day of sightseeing.

Our first glimpse of the castle.

We walked (climbed!) up to the castle to take in the city views.

Arthur's Seat and the Old Town.

Views of the New Town.

There are several war memorials in front of the castle.

We decided not to go in that day,

but to continue our tour of the city.

The Writers' Museum

St Giles' Cathedral

So much history around every corner!

We walked nearly 7 miles that day!

Fuel was needed for the rest of the day.  I had a much needed pot of tea and S opted for hot chocolate. 

My eggs Florentine

and we both had cake.  Well we were on holiday! :)

We headed to Calton Hill, first stopping off at the old cemetery on the opposite side of the road.

Next we walked up Calton Hill.

Hume Monument

Views over the city,

out over the Firth of Forth,

of Arthur's Seat,

Holyrood Palace,

Nelson Monument

Love token attached to the railings.

National Monument

Portuguese canon.

Next we took a detour to a yarn shop!  I bought a bag here and S said I needed to fill it!  Don't think he thought that one through! :)

Then we walked to the Scottish Parliament building and went inside.  The building is full of symbolism.  The shapes on the front of the building represent the famous painting of a skating minister and suggest movement and the wooden poles an agora/gathering place.

  The ground floor with Twisted Saltires in the ceiling.

This drawing of the building shows the vesica shape for a leaf or boat.

The debating chamber upstairs.  The "bottle" shapes in the walls and lights represent the human figure.

On an exterior side wall are lots of verse.

Walking back into the centre.

Robert Fergusson, Scots poet.

We rubbed Greyfriars Bobby's nose 

and visited his grave.

Walking past the cafe made famous by J K Rowling, we headed to the bus stop.

Of course no visit to Edinburgh would be complete without admiring some tartan

and listening to a bagpiper!

Back to our Airbnb for the night.