We decided to swap London for Edinburgh for Christmas this year. We had 5 great days there and both enjoyed our first taste of Scotland. Will definitely want to go back again next year and see the Highlands.
To work up a Christmas lunch appetite, we went for a walk up Arthur's Seat, an extinct volcano which has good views of the city. As usual, John insisted we take a 'shortcut' on the way down as he preferred to scramble down the rocks rather than take the pathway. It wasn't till he got down to the bottom that he noticed the stairs to the right of the photo and stood laughing watching MC struggling down the cliff-face!
Holyrood Palace (where the Queen stays when she's in town) from Arthur's Seat.
John getting into the festive spirit. We had Christmas dinner in a cosy pub on the Royal Mile.
It's Oor Wullie! (That's for Jonny...)
Bahaha. At the Royal Museum.
Stirling Castle. Pretty impressive castle an hour or two out of Edinburgh, and the scene of lots of Scottish history (Robert the Bruce and William Wallace etc) which we learnt all about!
John attempting to climb up Arthur's Seat.
And again.
The view of Edinburgh from Arthur's Seat.
John on top of Arthur's Seat.
The bonny bonny banks of Loch Lomond.
Loch Lomond
Aberfoyle, a sleepy wee town out of Edinburgh.
Dramatic cliffs below Stirling Castle.
John and the walls of Stirling Castle.
View of Edinburgh from another cool castle - Edinburgh Castle.
MC and Edinburgh Castle, sitting on another extinct volcano.
St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile (series of ancient streets which lead from The Palace of Holyroodhouse to the castle).
John and Loch Lomond.
Loch Lomond.
Festive Edinburgh by night. Ferris wheel and ice skating surrounded by a Christmas Market.
The Broons! Was funny as MC was regaling John with stories of reading the Broons and Oor Wullie comics at Grandma and Grandpa's house, and then the next day we saw them in all the bookshops!
John on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, where they hold the military tattoo.
View of Edinburgh from the castle.
More views of Edinburgh from the castle.
John looking out onto Princes St and the Winter Wonderland they set up at Christmas time. We had fun seeing all the street names that are the same as in Dunedin (Princes, Great King, George, Dundas, Forth, Albany, Moray Place, the list goes on...)
Gluhwein at the Christmas Market. MC was disappointed not to be able to make it back to Germany for the Christmas Markets, but happily we found a little Scottish replica here.
Those funny wooden German men that smoke incense.
John and the Christmas carnival.
MC in front of the gothic Scott monument.
To work up a Christmas lunch appetite, we went for a walk up Arthur's Seat, an extinct volcano which has good views of the city. As usual, John insisted we take a 'shortcut' on the way down as he preferred to scramble down the rocks rather than take the pathway. It wasn't till he got down to the bottom that he noticed the stairs to the right of the photo and stood laughing watching MC struggling down the cliff-face!
Holyrood Palace (where the Queen stays when she's in town) from Arthur's Seat.
John getting into the festive spirit. We had Christmas dinner in a cosy pub on the Royal Mile.
It's Oor Wullie! (That's for Jonny...)
Bahaha. At the Royal Museum.
Stirling Castle. Pretty impressive castle an hour or two out of Edinburgh, and the scene of lots of Scottish history (Robert the Bruce and William Wallace etc) which we learnt all about!
John attempting to climb up Arthur's Seat.
And again.
The view of Edinburgh from Arthur's Seat.
John on top of Arthur's Seat.
The bonny bonny banks of Loch Lomond.
Loch Lomond
Aberfoyle, a sleepy wee town out of Edinburgh.
Dramatic cliffs below Stirling Castle.
John and the walls of Stirling Castle.
View of Edinburgh from another cool castle - Edinburgh Castle.
MC and Edinburgh Castle, sitting on another extinct volcano.
St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile (series of ancient streets which lead from The Palace of Holyroodhouse to the castle).
John and Loch Lomond.
Loch Lomond.
Festive Edinburgh by night. Ferris wheel and ice skating surrounded by a Christmas Market.
The Broons! Was funny as MC was regaling John with stories of reading the Broons and Oor Wullie comics at Grandma and Grandpa's house, and then the next day we saw them in all the bookshops!
John on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, where they hold the military tattoo.
View of Edinburgh from the castle.
More views of Edinburgh from the castle.
John looking out onto Princes St and the Winter Wonderland they set up at Christmas time. We had fun seeing all the street names that are the same as in Dunedin (Princes, Great King, George, Dundas, Forth, Albany, Moray Place, the list goes on...)
Gluhwein at the Christmas Market. MC was disappointed not to be able to make it back to Germany for the Christmas Markets, but happily we found a little Scottish replica here.
Those funny wooden German men that smoke incense.
John and the Christmas carnival.
MC in front of the gothic Scott monument.
