Hello Friends and Family: Edinburgh

I arrived in Edinburgh on Monday, following a train ride north from York. The train was running about half an hour late, but I got to my hostel without any problems. My room is on the top floor (it’s annoying that there’s no lifts for the luggage) and I’m in a bed called “James Bond.”

That evening, the hostel had a group going to a local pub for a pub quiz (apparently this happens every Monday). It was loud and rude and really not my thing but I’m glad I went; if nothing else, it was good to meet new people and socialise a bit.

I met a couple of the girls that had also been at the pub quiz at breakfast the next day. They were going to Dean Village so I joined them. It was pretty and peaceful enough, but would hardly be worth the walk if I was by myself. From there, one of the girls wanted to go to Linlithgow, so I went with her. We went around the palace but didn’t go in; I spent the next couple of days wishing I’d paid to enter and had a bit more time in the town.

On Wednesday, I went to the National Museum of Scotland. The museum was really good; I particularly enjoyed (and spent most of my time in) the Scottish History galleries. That evening, the hostel was taking a group to a ceilidh at a local bar, and I was planning to go, but both pairs of shoes were too wet to go out in.

I went around the museums on Thursday. I had only meant to go to the Writers’ Museum, the Museum on the Mound, and maybe St Giles Cathedral (if I had time). However, they didn’t take as long as I had thought, and by the end of the day I had been to the Museum of Childhood, John Knox House, Museum of Edinburgh, and the People’s Story.

On my way to finish off the museums on Friday, I spotted the Scottish National Gallery so took a look. I couldn’t find the Physicians’ Gallery but carried on to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. How many pictures of Bonnie Prince Charlie does one gallery need? I didn’t feel like going to the Surgeon’s Hall Museum, so went back to the National Museum for the rest of the afternoon.

On Saturday I did a little day trip to Linlithgow. I started with St Michael’s Parish Church; it’s a lovely building, very much like other churches from this period (it’s a shame so many of them in London burnt down). St Michael’s is next to Linlithgow Palace, the ruins of a palace lived in by several generations of Scottish kings and the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. I enjoyed exploring all the nooks and crannies inside.

My final day in Edinburgh was spent on Calton Hill. I really liked the view of Arthur’s Seat and the Salisbury Crags. On the way back to the hostel, I came across a man with an owl. The owl’s name was Hazel, and I took the opportunity to hold her (such a sweet bird).