Day 16, Edinburgh Castle, Scottish Honours

I have decided I don’t really like driving in Edinburgh. Road closures, detours and construction really mess up the plans. The GPS doesn’t know this of course and the city is not laid out in a grid so “going around the block” doesn’t always work. Eventually we did find the castle and parking.

A wetter day than we’ve had yet so I’m glad we switched up the days. But we have GoreTex and a little rain won’t stop us. Just make post card photos harder to get. Edinburgh Castle sits atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Habitation of this site dates back to the 9th century. There has been a royal castle here since the reign of David I in the 12th century. Its function was mostly military by the 17th Century. Few of the buildings predate a series of sieges in the 16th. St. Margaret’s Chapel dates to the 12th and is said to be the oldest building in Edinburgh. I can believe it. It’s quite small and plain compared to more modern structures. We did see/hear the one o’clock gun and for us that signalled lunch 😉

After lunch it was time to go see the new parliament buildings. I gotta say I don’t really like them. They are just… weird. Architecture can be pretty and/or striking but sometimes different is just weird

Holyrood House is the Queen’s place while here on business. We looked from the outside. Very royal.

Up another hill is the Nelson Monument and the National Monument of Scotland, it looks like the unfinished Parthenon. It is a Memorial to the Scottish soldiers and sailors who died fighting the Napoleonic wars. Begun in 1826.They ran out of money and never did get more. Getting here was another “unintended tour” of the city. We could see it but not find a gate to access. Eventually we did but they don’t make it easy.

Last stop of the day was diesel for the car. It goes back tomorrow when we fly to Heathrow. And as all rental cars need a full tank we needed more fuel. Great, the GPS knows where stations are right? Yes she does. But not that they are closed 🙁 3rd time lucky we found one. Did I say I didn’t like driving in this city? 😉

One of our new favourite restaurant’s at home is “That Place”  Today we found “The Other Place”

Dinner was yet more Italian. They do do that well here. Tomorrow is an early start. We fly back to London and because we have the time, are off to see Stonehenge. We’ve seen lots of standing stones but these are the “big deal” ones.