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Dinner Monday night was at the Craster Seafood Restaurant with Geoff and Dorothy. They have been coming to Craster for holidays for 25 years and are well known in the restaurant. We met them two years ago, and Elaine and Dorothy have become fast friends. Dinner was grand. Elaine had salmon. I enjoyed kedgeree with smoked haddock. Delicious.
On Tuesday we did something a little different under rainy skies: a 20 minute drive to Almouth where we caught the express train to Edinburgh in Scotland. It’s about an hour drive, and in first class we enjoyed a nice breakfast snack: bacon sandwich for both of us. Elaine had hot chocolate and I had tea. (The English love their cuppa!
Well, Edinburgh was hopping! I can’t imagine what it might like on the weekend or next weeks’s school break week. We had pre-booked tickets for entry to Edinburgh Castle, just a 15 minute walk from Waverley Station. We arrived just as the Changing of the Guard was happening. Good pictures were impossible because of the throngs of people.
We had a good walk about the castle grounds, visiting the Great Hall, the prisons, the regimental museum of Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, the Scottish National War Memorial (no pictures allowed), and Mons Meg. Capable of blasting a 150kg gunstone for two miles, Mons Meg was at the cutting edge of military technology in the 1500’s. We skipped visiting the crown jewels (long lines!) as we have seen the even larger collection at Buckingham Palace in London.
After the castle, we wandered down the Royal Mile. We stopped for a nice lunch of draft beer and pies: I had steak and ale pie, Elaine had chicken, leek, and bacon pie. I tried a lager beer that I had never heard of – Innis and Gunn – it was excellent.
After lunch we had a look around St Giles Cathedral. Pictures with no captions.:
Then we went to the Real Mary King’s Close where was had tickets for the 2:45 tour. No pictures allowed in here. Mary King’s Close is a historic close located under buildings on the Royal Mile, in the historic Old Town area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It took its name from one Mary King, a merchant burgess who resided on the Close in the 17th century. (A close is a residential street without through access; basically it’s an alley – there are bunches along the Royal Mile..) The guide we had through the close was excellent and it was interesting hour.
Then it was back to Waverley Station for the ride home. We had a home cooked fish stew from Sainsbury’s for dinner. Oh, the rain had stopped by the time we reached Edinburgh, and the sun was shining brightly when we left Edinburgh. Back in Craster it was overcast and quite cool.
Some Shots from Elaine’s New Camera
Surprised to see the title of your blog this morning….we love Edinburgh, excited to go back again this summer. And your throngs of people look like the summer crowds, just withoutnthe winter coats! We have tix to the Military Tattoo, not excited about the people crowd issue, but love that city! What fabulous pictures, did Elaine buy the new camera at Costco?
Cheers, why does every bar in Europe look like a winner??
No, she bought it at Best Buy. And every bar isn’t, just the ones we frequent. 🙂 The crowds were unbelievable for a Wednesday in May.
Mirabile Dictu, having finally subscribed, I am now receiving these every other day in my mailbox, yay! Before I was forced to go to the blog site and read backwards to catch up. This way we are with you every day and I will encourage Wilhelm to subscribe also. Looks like you are having good weather and that Is always a plus. Carry-on! 😎👍🥃🍺🍹🍾
We are enjoying!! Good job subscribing!
Great trip on the train, much better than driving at times, I’m sure. Looks like you covered alot of sights. The food always sounds great. Keep walking it off!
We are having a blast!