As Day 2 in Edinburgh was spent at my “Memory and Memorialisation in the PRC” conference, I will skip to Days 3 and 4 of my trip, which featured Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh Castle, and the Royal Mile.
On Day 3, after a full day of networking at my conference, I was ready to hit the town and play tourist again. The morning started off wonderfully. My friend Vicky had taken the train up from Oxford to crash with me in the Gil Dun Guest House, and we traipsed down to the dining room for a complimentary Scottish breakfast, complete with a generous portion of haggis.
Haggis is a must-try if you go to Scotland, as it is the national dish. For those eaters who are less adventurous, I will say that it is a type of sausage. Stop reading here. For the more adventurous, I will disclose a full description. Haggis is a type of savory pudding (it is the black sausage disk above) that contains a sheep’s “pluck,” or the sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs. It is traditionally encased in the sheep’s stomach. Another fun trivia fact is that haggis has been banned in the US since the early 1970s due to the sheep’s lung.
So anyway, it was a delicious breakfast. After fueling up for the day, Vicky and I set off to Arthur’s Seat, within convenient walking distance of the guest house. Arthur’s Seat is actually an extinct volcano that sits at the very center of Edinburgh, and forms the majority of Holyrood Park. It is a bit of a hike to reach the top, but provides a stunning vista of the entire city from all angles – the Royal Mile, the Edinburgh Castle, and the sea. The location is the subject of quite a bit of mystery, and it is often mentioned as a possible location for King Arthur’s legendary castle Camelot.
After the breathtaking views from the summit, Vicky and I walked down the path through Holyrood Park to the far end of the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile winds through the center of the Old Town of Edinburgh, with the Palace of Holyrood at one end and the Castle of Edinburgh at the other. The Palace of Holyrood is the official residence of the British monarch and royals, although they rarely stay here. Vicky and I were satisfied with viewing the outside of the palace grounds, as entrance cost a tidy sum. The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland, and thus is included on the Palace of Holyrood’s architecture (the current royal coat of arms for the United Kingdom includes the unicorn for Scotland and the lion for England).
Near the Palace of Holyrood is the Scottish Parliament. Vicky and I perused the exterior, then stopped for lunch at a tasty local fast food joint, Pork, that had excellent barbecue pork sandwiches, perfect for a chilly October day. Then, the Royal Mile pretty much became tourist central, with plenty of cheery vendors. Actually, many of the vendors were exchange students from countries such as Russia and Spain working part-time in the shops. After stocking up on gifts for friends and family, Vicky and I continued up the street towards Edinburgh Castle, only to find that…it would close in half an hour! Rather than panic-buy tickets, we decided to leisurely spend some time snapping photos (Vicky’s main goal) and save the castle for another day (my main goal).
After our photo splurge, we slowly made our way back down the Royal Mile and stopped for coffee. We gradually meandered to a church, where there was a fantastic organ concert we were able to attend. From there, we went to a Scottish pub for dinner with a new friend Vicky had made from the Netherlands.
After several full days, I overslept, so my Day 4 started rather late. After stopping in at Starbucks (it’s a tradition of mine – I visit a Starbucks everywhere I travel when possible to a) view the similarities and differences and b) buy a collector’s mug), I moseyed over to Edinburgh Castle, where I spent the rest of the afternoon. The oldest part of the castle is St. Margaret’s Chapel, built in the 12th century. I also explored the Scottish National War Memorial and the Scottish War Museum located inside, and discovered that a lot of Scottish military organization was inspired by…the Swedish. Apparently, many Scots fought for the Swedes during the Thirty Years’ War. Regarding Scottish royal history…well, I remember embarrassingly little except for Mary Queen of Scots and her son, James – he was James VI of Scotland, and also became King James I of England in 1603 after his cousin Elizabeth died. England and Scotland were still governed separately at this point. James I’s son, King Charles I, was the last monarch to stay in the castle (although he mostly resided in England), and he was faced with civil war in Scotland, etc., etc.
Edinburgh Castle also boasts some absolutely spectacular views of the city, which I was able to witness at dusk. After winding my way back through the Royal Mile, which was also quite spectacular at dusk, I stopped for my last meal of the trip: fish n’chips.
My Eclectic Musings 
Obsessed with this place! Thanks for bringing me back virtually!!
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So glad you enjoyed the blog! 🙂
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