Getting high on Harry Potter!

I arrived into Edinburgh when it was dark. Taking the bus from the airport to the centre of Edinburgh was magical! Edinburgh was beautiful. I was in love already. I had a little look around that evening, but didn't wander too far, as I didn't really have my bearings on the city for late night wandering. So the next morning I rose early, had some breakfast, and had to fit as much into this day as I could. I only had one and a half days to see the city, as I had booked a HAGGiS 'wild and sexy' highland tour of the Isle of Skye. So I got out of the hostel early, and headed to the Royal Mile. There was a walking tour departing at 11, but I still had plenty of time, so I wandered up the Royal Mile towards Edinburgh Castle, and then back down the Royal Mile to the Royal Castle (That's two miles already that I have walked!). Through out the walk, I went into mny tourist shops, and they were all full of tartan of many clans, and colurs and designs, lamswool and cashmere scarves and gloves, Loch Ness monsters and Highland cows and so, so, so much more! I would say that every second shop had at least some form of the above in it. I even found out that I am a descendent of a Scotish clan, the Lindsay clan (I was tempted to buy a kilt... but didn't).

Edinburgh castle- a lovely night view

Edinburgh Castle

The tour took us mainly around Old Town Edinburgh, and we were told of the history of the city, from its foundations 3000 years ago, with the first settlement begining what is now Edinburgh Castle on top of a Volcano, through to the Middle Ages and the plague, which ravaged the townsfolk through lack of hygene and an infestation of rats (there was a lot of other gross stuff here about they way they lived... very unpleasent). We looked at sites of criminal prosecution, for both classes (the high class on the Royal Mile, and the lower class in Grassmarket). We went to Greyfriar's old Kirk (with names of Harry Potter charcters lining headstones in the graveyard), to see Greyfriars Bobby, and also to the George Hariot's school, which a) Possibly inspired J.K Rowling to write Harry Potter, as the school was opened for orphaned children, and it has four tours (four houses), and b) J.K Rowling sends her childen to school there (it's a private school now, not for the orphans). We finished in the New Town Edinburgh, and in Princes Garden, what used to be Nor loch, and that was filled with water, and shit and piss, and dead people, and more shit... nice. but it is pretty now, and not full of shit and piss and dead people.

St Giles Cathedral

where the tax office used to be- people spit on this!

A close

Greyfriars Bobby

Victoria St

George Hariot's School- where J.K Rowling sends her kids!

Scotish houses

After the tour ended, discussing if Scotland would become independant of England (they have been under the same rule for a while now/ and when they were, they were being oppressed by the Brits), I was hungry, and needed Lunch, so I retraced my steps back to George IV bridge, to 'The Elephant House', where J.K Rownling wrote a lot of Harry Potter, before she got famous. the cafe is nice, but it has really relished Jo's success, and is now a tourist hub. The walls are lined with articles and pictures of Elephants, and shelves are line with minature elephants. Further down the wall are the articles about Jo, and photos of her, too. In the toilets, the walls are scrawled with love and devotion to Jo, Harry, and other characters in the books, and the toilet seats have been collaged with magazine cutouts of Harry and his friends... it was interesting. But I did have some lovely food, and got some cute elephant shortbread!

Now, well fed, I went up to Edinburgh Castle. It was £15 to get in and I didn't really enjoy it. But there was a guided tour (free) that I decided to take, becasue I know that things are better when you are educated about them. the tour was great, and I definitely had more interest in the Castle after that. I spent about an hour and a bit exploring the National War Museum, the Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny, and the history of the Scotish royal line. I saw the golden eagle that was taken at the Battle of Waterloo, and how the Scotish army dressed thoughout history; it was pretty fancy.

William Wallace

The Eagle captured from the battle of Waterloo

A dog cemetry for the castle

I then shopped a little, but was getting quite tired. So after buying the things that I needed, and a trek up Calton Hill, I had dinner, and a night in (while the pub crawl invaded the bar)- getting ready for a wild and sexy weekend with HAGGis!

View of Calton Hill

View from Calton Hill

Love, Emma
(But I love Harry Potter more than I'll ever love you!)
xo