The Edinburgh adventures, part 1 (Days 1,2,3)

Day 1: Arrival & Initial Explorations

We made our landing in Edinburgh on August 30, and we were greeted by an atmosphere suffused with sunlight. Prepared for the notorious Scottish drizzle, we were instead treated to a climate more akin to New Mexico or Arizona, albeit with a much cooler temperature.

Navigational mishaps began upon our arrival as my iPhone refused to perform its intended duties. Turns out, in my pre-travel digital housekeeping, I had neglected to activate voice services. After a labyrinthine exploration of Edinburgh’s airport parking lot, we found Nikola, our pre-arranged taxi driver. He spirited us away to the New Town — “new” in this case tracing its lineage back to the 19th century. Comprised of symmetrical stone buildings and broad avenues, New Town revealed its old-world charm through wide cobblestone streets.

Our lodging was a subterranean AirBnB apartment with an endearing quirk: a bathroom light motion sensor with a miserly three-second timer. It rendered showers an ordeal of darkness, prompting me to send a perturbed note to our host

Our first lesson on the steepness of Edinburgh’s streets advised us to opt for motorized transport to reach the famed Royal Mile, with castles at both ends. An Uber hiccup—exorbitant cancellation fees included—led us to the magnificent St. Giles Cathedral. Here, stained glass and intricate stonework momentarily shielded us from the tumultuous streets outside.

The Royal Mile was a bustling tapestry of humanity, an observation that Omi echoed repeatedly. Our aim to enter the Edinburgh castle was thwarted by a vigilant Scottish gatekeeper. “Sold out,” she informed us, her brogue soothing the sting of rejection. She enlightened us with a capsule history of the place, involving Mary, Queen of Scots, and her ill-fated adventures.

We trudged along to Holyrood Palace, only to find it closed as well. Thus began our initiation into the Scottish pub culture—our dinner that night a blend of fish and chips and my first encounter with haggis, a local delicacy worth a search on Google.

Above: Decorated inside of St. Giles. Yes one of those flags has an oil drilling rig on it.

Below: As Omi remarked, crowds of people jostled every which way as we walked up the street in the direction of the castle.

Above: The Royal Mile near St. Giles cathedral

Omi very much liked the castle employee’s Scottish accent. The young woman replied that some people said she didn’t sound Scottish (since she didn’t have a Glasgow accent). But her voice was charming, and Omi could understand her, a major plus. 

Later, a tour guide pronounced Edinburgh as a growly “Embrah,” and Omi said she couldn’t understand a word he was saying. 

Below: The bartender at the pub found us a good table by the window.

In the Pub.

Apparently during tourist season, if you plan to eat, you need to call and make reservations a day or more in advance. The places that would take us served fish and chips, which suited Omi just fine.

The Castle. 

Entrance to Edinburgh castle

Despite its natural defenses and fortifications, it had been attacked and its walls breached by invaders 17 times. 

Chapel inside Edinburgh castle

Below: Violent looking gate. Woe to the unwary invader who might get trapped underneath it. 

****

Our taxi driver took us to see Craigmillar – an imposing mostly roofless castle in the countryside:

On day 3 we explored the ruined but historically fascinating Craigmillar Castle. Mary, Queen of Scots seemed to follow us, her history entwined with these walls as well. We took an extended foot journey through an idyllic setting, replete with community gardens and ponds abuzz with avian life.

The right to roam—Scotland’s ancestral gift to its people—was a concept we delved into during a conversation with a local gardener. The idea that the land belongs to all, even if the walls around estates tell a different story, is a notion rooted deeply in Scottish ethos. We enjoyed the garden’s plums, although an attempt at apples ran afoul of some posted regulations.

Omi and I continued our hiking adventure in Holyrood Park. Though royal in ownership, the park is democratically accessible, aligning with Scotland’s right-to-roam tradition.

Our day concluded with yet another Uber misadventure. Our seemingly lost car eventually picked us up, ending this chapter of our sojourn. As we retreated to our basement dwelling, the stone walls seemed to whisper stories of centuries past, promising more historical wonders in the days to come.

Above: The walk to Duddingston village took us through woods and fields and finally to a community garden overlooking a loch with herons and gulls.

Below: The “Posh” garden 

Above: Omi wearing her Omi hat in Dr. Neils Garden –  Duddingston village

Below: Meeting one of the many “good dogs of Scotland.” 

This little Scotty dog was well mannered and charming. We honestly didn’t see as many Scottish terriers as one might expect during our trip.

There were far more Westies and sheepdogs, retrievers, and spaniels, and they were welcomed everywhere:

Sheep Heid is the oldest pub (public house) in Scotland, dating to the 1300s. Luckily we got a table without a reservation:

 At Sheep Heid we both had fish along with English breakfast tea (Omi) and a local ale (me).

Entering the community garden at Duddingston where we were met by an extremely friendly creature, who brought a small stick that it deposited at our feet. We did not disappoint it.

Above: Friendly creature

To her credit, Omi made her way up the steepish slope, albeit at her own pace. She reappeared a bit later with forbidden fruit:

No apple picking!

I reassured Omi that the trail would soon level out (I was not at all certain that it would.)

Holyrood park with the Firth of Forth in the background.

End Part One. Stay tuned for our next escapade, which will unravel the mysteries of Stirling Castle.