Scotland! First Stop, Edinburgh

There are no words that even come close to describing how it felt for me (Nancy) to cross the border from England into Scotland. It was the culmination of a lifelong dream. I know my love for Scotland comes from my dad, but nothing entirely explains that love...it goes beyond me, beyond my life, beyond what I know. It's in my blood. Crossing the border, my heart gave a leap. From the window, the contrast in landscape was immediate. The coastline was rugged, the vistas vast in scale, and punctuating the countryside were ancient grey stone castles--castles surrounded by rolling, sheep-dotted hills and low stone walls. And always in the distance, the sea. As we came out of the Waverly train station in Edinburgh, there was an immediate realization that we were "somewhere else!" The rain was torrential, so we quickly hailed a cab to get to our B and B, Glenalmond House, which is a few miles south of Old Town Edinburgh. We settled in, studied the maps and bus schedules, then did some unpacking, marking a bit of time hoping that the heavy rain would let up. But alas, it was not to be. (With few exceptions over the next week, we saw Scotland in the rain.) It didn't hold us back or dampen (excuse the pun) our enthusiasm, however, and we were soon piled in a car with some newly-met friends who, like us, were heading out for their first night of Edinburgh adventures. It took a few blocks of wide-eyed strolling, dashing into every open door on the Royal Mile, for me to realize that I didn't need to rush in like a desperate, starving person at every single Scottish shop as I have done my entire life in the U.S. There was no lack of shops filled with every imaginable Scottish-themed attire, décor and souvenir trinkets for folks like me who could not get their fill of all things Scottish. Here are some scenes from our first couple of days in Edinburgh. 

Scott Monument: A Victorian gothic monument to Scottish author, Sir Walter Scott

Looking back at Old Town from above Princes Street Gardens

Jenners Department Store in New Town

Beautiful Princes Street Gardens

Famous (and fabulous) restaurant on the Royal Mile adjoining the Castle

Approaching the Castle

Looking North to New Town and the Firth of Forth from the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle

Entrance to the very impressive Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh Castle

Looking out from the battlements of Edinburgh Castle. On the castle esplanade are the grandstands for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo performances and in the background is the Scott Memorial.

Great picture, but I don't even remember seeing this! However, it is safe to say the Scotch Whisky Experience IS Scotland.

The Writer's Museum on the Royal Mile. Housed in "Lady Stair's House" (aptly named), this museum celebrates three famous Scottish writers: Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson