Edinburgh.
I am still sorting through photos from my trip to Scotland, but I’m so excited to share some of the sights that I thought I’d just start at the beginning.
We landed in Edinburgh around 10:00 in the morning. After getting my newest passport stamp, I collected my luggage.
Getting to the City Center of Edinburgh from the Airport.
We then made our way to the tram information center. The tram was not running all the way into the city center stop that we would need because of an accident. We were advised to take the bus instead.
We would later find out that there had been a horrific accident involving a bicyclist getting her wheel stuck in a tram track on Princes Street and subsequently being hit by a bus. Unfortunately, she did not survive.
We took the bus to Waverly Bridge and relied on Google and Apple maps (who would prove to be one of the most useful items brought with me). We followed the little blue man walking on my map to Waterloo Street. I did not see an obvious sign of the hotel so I pulled up my reservation. I matched the picture to the building across the street and found that there were signs, just not visible from where I was standing due to the bus stop alcoves.
Princes Street Suites.
To our surprise, our room at Princes Street Suites was ready.
Howie’s.
We dropped off our luggage and went across the street to Howie’s where I had the casserole of the day. We then decided to split a chocolate & beetroot torte served with Mackie’s vanilla ice cream. It was De-Li-Cious! There’s also another Howie’s location on Victoria Street.
From our outdoor table, we could see Calton Hill was a short walk away.
After lunch, we decided to take a stroll there.
Calton Hill.
Calton Hill is marked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There are sweeping views from the Hill as well as some iconic Scottish monuments and buildings.
National Monument.
One of which is the National Monument.
The foundation stone was laid in 1822. It is a national memorial to the fallen Scottish soldiers and sailors who died during the Napoleonic Wars. It was inspired by the Parthenon of Athens. Only half completed due to lack of funds, it has stood as it is, with its 12 Doric columns rising up from its base, for almost 200 years.
I was surprised to read that it is sometimes called “Scotland’s Disgrace” amongst a few other negative names due to its lack of completion.
I guess beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.
Because I found this monument to be an impressive feat of craftsmanship perched high atop the hill with the piercing blue sky shining through its ordered columns.
Nelson Monument.
It was a beautiful day.
Perfect for lying in the grass, face up to the sun.
Which is exactly what I did (after sneaking in a shot of my aunt and mom).
Nelson Monument is the building rising to the right of the National Monument.
My mother and I climbed to the top for a 360˚ view of Edinburgh.
And even though that is a photo story for a different day, you can sneak a peek through the window in this post.
update: I’ve shared many more posts from my time in Scotland. They can be found in the UK category under Destinations, but here are a few from Edinburgh to get you started:
Prisons of War Exhibit at Edinburgh Castle
Views from the top of Princes Street Suites
The Millenium Clock at the National Museum of Scotland
Let your light shine!
Amy