Scotland

Happy Belated Fourth of July!!!

It’s slight anticlimactic here. Given we woke up in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the Radisson Blu and spent a few hours traveling back to London, there wasn’t much opportunity for burgers on the Barbie. Experiencing the fireworks vicariously.
Suffice it to say we had a great day, though! Anytime you can wake up in on vacation Scotland and the weather is warm, it’s a happy time.

The girls and I left London Thursday morning via the fine East Coast trainline. Shortly before 2 we were checking into our hotel (8 minutes late due to a freight train in front of us. We were reminded of this apparent infraction several times en route. Hence I’ll pass on the 8 minute debacle. X%@ freight train!

Joe rolled in shortly thereafter; actually we ran into him by the bus mecca as we were gathering our tickets for sight seeing. He was on the airport charter (doesn’t that sound more glamorous than bus), having just landed from London. Prior to that Charlotte. Long day for the J-O-E.

Once settled into the Radisson we headed for the Castle. It’s on one end of Edinbrough’s Royal Mile, the palace is at the other. Lovely walk up to the Castle as the weather was warm, breezy and sunny. (I expected chilly wind and rain; what a pleasant surprise.)

About the castle…

Edinburgh’s Castle rock has been a stronghold for over 3000 years.

Archaeologists found evidence for human occupation of the Castle Rock reaching back to 900 BC, the late Bronze Age. During the Roman occupation of Scotland in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, it was a thriving settlement. In those far-off days they called the place Din Eidyn, ‘the stronghold of Eidyn’. Then came the invading Angles, around AD 638, and ever since then the rock has been known by its English name - Edinburgh.

In the Middle Ages Edinburgh became Scotland’s chief royal castle - seat of royalty, headquarters of the sheriff of Edinburgh, military garrison and storehouse of the royal gun train, and repository of the nation’s crown jewels and state records.
Impressive buildings were constructed, including the 12th-century St Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh, David’s Tower, built for David II, Robert the Bruce’s son, in the 1370s, and the monumental great hall of James IV, opened in 1511. But the long and bitter Wars of Independence with the ‘auld enemy’, England, took their toll, and the castle endured siege upon siege; Edward I, Edward III and Henry VIII all did their utmost to batter down the walls.

In 1566 Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI in the royal palace within the castle. The tiny bed-closet still survives, a room that has a special significance for Great Britain, for in 1603 James VI became also James I of England - the ‘Union of the Crowns’. The departure of the Scottish court for London saw much of the royal ‘glitter’ go from the castle. Thereafter the stronghold became little more than a garrison fortress and arsenal. The last sovereign to sleep there was Charles I in 1633, prior to his coronation as king of Scots.

The Jacobite siege of 1745, during which Bonnie Prince Charlie held court at Holyrood Palace but could not wrest the castle from the Hanoverian King George II, proved to be the last. Since that time, the ancient fortress has continued to serve as an active army base, but has since found new roles - as a major visitor attraction, as home of the Scottish National War Memorial and two proud Scottish regiments (the Royal Scots and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards), and as host of the world-famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

In 1996 the Stone of Destiny, Scotland’s coronation stone, was placed in the Crown Room alongside the nation’s Crown Jewels (the Honours of Scotland), following its return from Westminster after a space of 800 years. In 1995 the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh were inscribed as a World Heritage Site, and the castle remains its most important building.

The most laughable part of our castle tour was when one of the guards blew into the 12th century chapel with a big bright red umbrella, plonked it down on the altar and poked through a nearby closet.

Following our two-hour audio-led guide through the castle, we meandered through town, regrouped a bit and headed off to dinner. Destination: La Favorita. One of those restaurants that looked pretty close on the map…anyway, after a good long walk we found ourselves at a bustling Italian restaurant with friendly staff and AMAZING pizza. AMAZING. The kids of course signed up for pasta. We all highly recommend La Favorita. With a cab back.

Friday

I started the day out with a walk around town, managed to get lost and found. Great town to wander as the architecture is very stately, bridges and green spaces abound, lots of viewpoints of the surrounding hills and waterways.

We then hit the fine Radisson breakfast buffet, well liked by all. Hashbrowns and bacon: right up Claire’s alley. Very good sausages, I must say.
From the Rad we headed off to catch the first tour bus out to the Royal Yacht Brittania:

Plans to build a new Royal Yacht to replace Victoria and Albert III began during the reign of King George VI. But The King died in 1952, four months before the keel of the Yacht was laid. His daughter, Princess Elizabeth succeeded him to the throne and the new Queen together with her husband, Prince Philip, took a guiding hand in the design of the Yacht, personally approving plans prepared by Sir Hugh Casson, Consultant Architect, and selecting furniture, fabrics and paintings.

No matter where Britannia was in the world, however exotic or remote a location, stepping on to the deck of the Royal Yacht was always a home-coming for The Queen. Furnished to her personal taste, each room was filled with photographs of her children, treasured family heirlooms, much-loved personal possessions and gifts from across the globe. This was the ship that, even with its full complement of around 300 Royal Yachtsmen and Royal Household staff, The Queen named as the one place where she could truly relax.
AN AMBASSADOR ABROAD
The Royal Yacht Britannia has helped to make The Queen the most travelled monarch the world has ever known. Not only has The Queen and her family travelled the world on Britannia, the world - its statesmen and leaders - has visited them on board. From Sydney to Samoa, The Queen's guests have been entertained just as they would be at a royal palace on British soil.
For a state visit some five tonnes of luggage, including everything from The Queen's jewels to the famous bottles of Malvern water for Her Majesty's tea, would be brought on board. With The Queen came up to 45 members of the Royal Household, who together with Britannia's Officers and Yachtsmen ensured that each visit ran like clockwork and that no detail was overlooked.
As well as hosting royal banquets and receptions, Britannia was an ambassador for British business, promoting trade and industry around the globe. Indeed the Overseas Trade Board estimates that £3 billion has been made for the Exchequer as a result of commercial days on Britannia between 1991 and 1995.
A ROMANTIC RETREAT
For four royal couples, Britannia was to provide a honeymoon sanctuary before the onset of married life in the world's most photographed family. Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones were the first royal honeymooners to enjoy Britannia's inimitable star treatment when, in 1960, the Yacht took them on a 6,000 mile voyage to the Caribbean. Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips were next to honeymoon on Britannia cruising the West Indies in 1973. In 1981 the Prince and Princess of Wales flew to Gibraltar to meet Britannia at the start of their sixteen-day honeymoon voyage in the Mediterranean. Five years later Britannia hosted her final honeymoon for the Duke and Duchess of York who spent five days aboard the Yacht cruising around the Azores.

We had a very cool audio guide tour (is there a theme here) of the yacht, parked alongside a mall (auspicious to be nestled up next to Debenham’s). From there we trooped through said Debenham’s and back to the double decker tour bus. Great day for that (the bus) I might add – we got some sun, wind and a little Scottish humor on the tour round the city.

Back in town we opted for a quick pasta lunch at a local joint; kids got the royal pasta w/ cheese sauce treatment from the chef/owner and we then made our way to Camera Obscura, a very cool 5-level attraction.

The Camera Obscura show is a fascinating and highly amusing way to see the city and learn about its history. This unique experience has delighted and intrigued people for over 150 years. From inside this mysterious Victorian rooftop chamber, you see live moving images of Edinburgh projected onto a viewing table through a giant periscope. Pick people up on your hands, squash them to a pulp and even make the traffic climb over paper bridges.

Our friendly guide will entertain you while telling stories of Edinburgh, past and present, in an engaging and informative way. Our visitors are truly amazed at how, in this age of high technology, a simple array of mirror, lenses and daylight can produce this incredible panorama.

The kids loved the place, particularly the “photo” shadows they made on the wall. Oh and superimposing their eyes and smiles on a monkey, a baby, etc.

From Camera Obscura we were off to the other end of the Royal Mile and the Palace. Another lovely site, complete w/ audio guide.

Founded in 1498 by James IV, Holyrood Palace has witnessed some of the most dramatic episodes in Scottish History. One famous face linked to Holyrood Palace is that of Mary Queen of Scots.

Mary Queen of Scots married the Dauphin of France (heir to the throne) at 15 and became a widow at 19. She returned to Scotland and was crowned at Holyrood Palace as the Queen of Scots. Dramatic events unfolded within the walls of Holyrood including the stabbing of her Italian secretary David Rizzio.

The apartments of Mary Queen of Scots at Holyrood, including the spot where Rizzio was stabbed 57 times, are open to visitors. The Palace at Holyrood is of elegant design. In the main court there is a copy of the ornamental stone fountain in Linlithgow Palace.

Holyrood Palace has known some distressful times after the Union of England and Scotland. Reconstruction had to be carried out several times and court hadn't been held at the Palace by a monarch for some 170 years before George IV had finally done so.

Holyrood Abbey

Holyrood Abbey is now a ruin with a history that spans 800 years. The Abbey witnessed many royal events -- weddings, births, crown ceremonies and funerals. Restored in 1758, Holyrood Abbey became a ruin once more when the stone roof collapsed due to a hurricane and has been like that ever since.

Palaced out, we then meandered back to the Radisson for a quick dip and were soon off to dinner, this time at Creeler’s. Just around the corner. Phew.

Very nice, quiet candlelit space with an amazing crayfish appetizer that all four of us enjoyed. I had a delicious scallop/smoked fish entrée that makes my mouth water as I think about it.

Claire did a great job on her halibut and I think Joe and Ava enjoyed the Aberdeen angus beef. Fish and angus in Scotland. Pass on the haggis. Oh and the warm chocolate cake dessert was to die for.

Saturday

This morning we moved a little faster after another round at the Rad buffet. Off to catch a small coach to St. Andrews. And en route: a stop at the Forth bridge, a railway bridge that crosses the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh. Say that five times fast. The Firth of Forth.

Then at Falkland, a quaint little village w/ another palace that was used by the Mary Queen of Scots royalty and others. Apparently when each palace got a little too tainted by lack of hygiene the royal party just up and moved to a different palace to let the smells diffuse. Of note: the Palace has the world’s oldest tennis court still in use.

On to St. Andrews, where we had time to explore, have lunch etc. About the town:
St. Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle and has a population of 16,596 making it the fifth largest settlement in Fife.
There has been an important church in St Andrews since at least the 8th century, and a bishopric since at least the 11th century. The burgh became the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland, a position which was held until the Scottish Reformation. The famous cathedral, the largest in Scotland, now lies in ruins.

Today St Andrews is known worldwide as the "home of golf". This is in part because the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, founded in 1754, exercises legislative authority over the game worldwide (except in the United States and Mexico), and also because the famous links (acquired by the town in 1894) is the most frequent venue for The Open Championship, the oldest of golf's four major championships.

The town is also home to the University of St Andrews, the third oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of the UK's most prestigious. The University is an integral part of the burgh, and during term time students make up approximately one third of the town's population.

We checked out the course, which was being readied for the upcoming Open and of course wandered down to the water, where Ava plucked her toes into the North Sea. We also wandered through the university, cathedral ruins and cemetery and downtown area. Lovely little city.

After hopping back on our bus (and sitting behind two very loaded Asian people who looked to be in their late 50’s/early 60’s), we motored on to a quick stop at a pagan temple. Whenever I hear the word “pagan” I think of that silly American comedy about the police guy saving the virgin from sacrifice. Name escapes me.

Anyway, this “temple” was a hole in the ground w/ a footprint nearby, overlooking a cliff and in the vicinity of a church. Apparently a common feature: Christianity plopping itself in place of paganism.

Our last stop of the day was East Neuk, a fishing village with lovely views of the sea. And reputedly the best fish and chips in the world. Given we’d had lunch we opted for Anstruther’s homemade ice cream instead, which was fabulous.

Upon return Claire and I hiked the 120 steps up to the High Street (same road as our hotel and yes, there is a more gradual way up but we were on a mission to Camera Obscura for the infamous souvenir). Ava found hers – a lovely jeweled ring – at a shop in Falkland.

With invisible ink pens in hand we were then off to the hotel for another quick swim; this time even I got in and was pleasantly surprised: it was warm. My kind of pool.

We then mobilized and headed to Bijou, a French bistro, for dinner. In another part of town, we cabbed it there and were thrilled with the food in this little restaurant, worked by a two-man band: chef and waiter.

Great food, service and prices…I had a delightful asparagus/huloumi salad, Joe had tomato chili soup, the olives alone were amazing.

The kids shared fish and chips, I had lamb chops with amazing potato wedges and Joe had a pork dish.

For dessert he and I shared a rhubarb pudding that was delicious. Kids got some more ice cream. Think of the calcium benefits.

Sunday

And this morning we rolled out slowly, rolled down to breakfast slowly and hit the pool. And then made off like bandits for our train. What a great first experience in Scotland!