We started our adventure at around eight this morning and had been planning to eat a large Sunday breakfast at a nearby restaurant; our plans were quickly changed when we discovered that the restaurant wasn’t open yet. We decided to wait until we could find a decent place to eat.
Our first stop was Calton Hill. It has a partially-completed replica of the Acropolis and some other interesting structures. The climb up to the hill was short and we didn’t spend much time looking around.
We then wandered around the buildings close to Holyroodhouse (the Queen’s residence in Scotland) and found a fun place to eat a meal. Jean-Jacques and I both ordered the full breakfast (it contained eggs, toast, bacon, two sausages, beans, a fried tomato, and came with a large pot of breakfast tea). After we finished, we toured the palace and throughly enjoyed the visit. We’re both happy that the US doesn’t have a monarch, but it was certainly fascinating to learn more about the UK’s government.
Following our trip to Holyroodhouse, we hiked up Arthur’s Seat. The weather was nasty -- windy with occasional snow flakes -- but we enjoyed the climb and view of the city once we arrived at the top. Once we had summated the “peak”, we climbed down the opposite side of the hill to visit a six-hundred-year-old pub. Jean-Jacques and I both ordered beverages and we enjoyed observing the atmosphere of the place as we consumed our drinks.
Since we were far away from our hotel, it took us about an hour and a half to walk back from the pub. Along the way, we found and ate lunch at a Pakistani restaurant that Jean-Jacques had discovered while doing research about the trip. We ordered two lamb dishes, some naan, and a side of rice; the food was delicious and helped warm us up.
We arrived back at the hotel at around four thirty and have spent the rest of the day regrouping, relaxing, and getting warm again.
I’m a bit behind on the photo processing (I’m one day behind, sorry), but here are some pictures from our trip to Edinburgh Castle and the farmer’s market yesterday.
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| Castle time! |
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| More castle! |
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| View of Edinburgh from castle |
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| An "artsy" shot |
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| Farmer's market; the stall on the left is where we bought some tasty venison haggis |
