Our first full day in Edinburgh was a complete "walk-about" (see "Royal 10 Mile" slide show above) -- We started from 19 Royal Circus and found our way to Princes Street up the Mound -- to the Royal Mile. Once on the Mile, we meandered through the centuries old streets up to "Camera Obscura", which gave us a unique insight into optical illusions and a panoramic "vue" of Edinburgh, through a camera that was built in 1850.
After the Obscura, we briefly visited the Scottish Distilleries tour, to only decide it was too early for a "wee bit", so we headed to lunch at a Cathedral that had been made over into a Festival Cafe. We supped on local Scottish fare - Tweed Kettle, Guinness (an Irish Obsession) and beautiful sunshine. We then decided to go see Tara's dorm at the University, so we hailed a taxi and off we went.
At Pollock Hall at the University of Edinburgh, we met up with Tara and her friends from around the globe (Australia, India, Gettysburg, PA and Ireland). She gave us a tour of the campus, including the "BAR" -- which was very different from what I remembered in College -- of course that was in the "Dark Ages".
After we left Tara, we went back to the "Mile" and flowed through the festival crowds, seeing an array of performers tempting us to come "see" their acts. We visited Giles Cathedral, built over 800 years ago, that was still very much operational.
We then boarded a "open air" double decker bus to see Old Town and New Town. We saw the several restaurants that claimed to be the "place JK Rowling started her writings", the place where Sean Connery worked as a "live model" for aspiring painters then down to HolyRood Palace (the Queen's residence when she visits Scotland), the "Mother Earth" exhibition and finally through the financial district -- Royal Bank of Scoland, Barclays, etc. At 5:00 PM we decided to "take a break" and go back to No 19.
At 9:00 PM we headed out for a "wee bit" of Thailand at the Ruan Siam -- a quaint Thai bistro "round the corner" near No. 19. Food was good. Service was slow.
Onward, the journey continues....
