HJ, Queen of Scots
Hello again! It is spring break and I am currently adventuring through France. Okay, so it has been a while since I've posted. My mother called and chewed me out, so here I am! Also, it was time to write. I went to Scotland last weekend, which was amazing. Currently looking up grad school in Edinburgh because thats my new life plan.
Anyway, I'll try to point out the highlights of Edinburgh:
Mountain conqueror
Arthurs Seat: The number one item on TripAdvisor is the hike up to Arthur's seat. From the top, you get a gorgeous view of Edinburgh. We went when it was rather snowy, but I would definitely recommend the park it is located in Holyrood park. It was the perfect start to our trip!
The Return of Sandemans: Yes, another European city with my favorite tour company! I should just plan trips around this group. We originally came into Edinburgh that day for the Sandeman's Harry Potter tour. Edinburgh is where JK Rowling lived when she was writing the first Harry Potter book and the tour was meant to highlight where she wrote and the many inspirations she took from the city. Unfortunately, due to weather, the tour was canceled. However, Sandeman's has a list of the places online and using the internet we were able to hit most of the important spots. The free walking tour was still going on at specific times, so obviously we did that. Have I mentioned you should always do the free walking tour? Not only did we get to see some of the best parts of Edinburgh, but we also got to learn about the fascinating history of Scotland. Love Sandeman's.
George Heriot's School served as the inspiration for Hogwarts
The Elephant House: I'm fangirling as I write this, just so you know. The Elephant House is the famous cafe where JK Rowling would come to write. We had lunch here and wrote our postcards to friends and family (hi mom). While the lunch and hot chocolate being served was great, the fact that we were sitting in the same spot where the story had begun was magical.
Loyal Boy
Greyfriars Cemetery: Greyfriars cemetery is said to be one of the most haunted cemeteries in Europe. It was also right across the street from our hostel. Around it there are about 400 gravestones visible, but around 20,000 bodies are said to be buried there. I went on a graveyard tour of this cemetery and it was probably my favorite thing I did on this trip. Edinburgh is full of ghost stories and a lot of them are connected to Greyfriars. There are other ghosty tours in the city, we even did the Ghost Bus Tour (lol), but this one with City of the Dead was my favorite. If you're thinking about doing one, don't hesitate. Walking through the graveyard, you may also find some familiar names, like Mcgonagall or Tom Riddle.
Greyfriars Bobby: Bobby is the most loyal dog on earth, according to the famous Edinburgh legend. You can find Bobby's grave inside the cemetery and his statue outside, nearby the gates. The nose on the statue of Greyfriars Bobby has been rubbed gold. Fun Fact: this little guy is the most photographed statue in all of Scotland.
Edinburgh Castle: This is probably the one thing everyone told us to do while in Edinburgh. The castle was built in the 12th century and is amazing. They do little events, like shooting canons at 1pm or dancing with Mary Queen of Scots every half hour. You can see the royal jewels and the stone of destiny. We toured the castle on our last day, just before heading off to the airport. Seeing the castle is worth the money, if not just for the view you get on top of the castle walls.
Can I live in the Cat Cafe please?
Some other highlights include the legend of Maggie Dickson, the Cat Cafe and the National Museum of Scotland. Everything thing that we did was wonderful. I enjoyed Scotland and my only complaint is that I wish that I had more time to explore. I'll be posting about Spring Break soon! Ciao Ciao
