Edinburgh (round two!)

The last 24 hours have been incredibly awe- wait for it- some, and here's why:
1) went to a really cool pub last night, very classy but down to earth.
2) booked my flight to paris for late march with the templeton gang. AHHH!.
3) spent a lovely day in edinburgh.

Edinburgh was really great- we went to Edinburgh Castle, the National Portrait Gallery, and St. Giles Cathedral. The castle was frigid but amazing. I love how it really feels built into the terrain- you see rock outcroppings alternating with the stonework. We saw the crown jewels- the sceptre, the sword, and the crown- as well as St. Margaret's Chapel (still standing after a thousand years or so), and the War Heroes Memorial. I really liked the Memorial. It's a beautiful building built about a hundred years ago within the castle walls, and it contains 12 chambers off of one main hall, and each has a book from a different time period in Scottish history, with the names of all of the soldiers that died in battle. It's a really beautiful tribute to them, and all the ones whose names are forgotten.

We stopped for a heavenly warm and delicious cup of coffee at the castle cafe, and then moved on to the cathedral. We technically weren't supposed to take pictures in the cathedral without paying a 2 pound "photo license fee", so I only took one photo. And, I morally justified it because I paid 20 pence for a postcard from there. The stained glass "Robert Burns" window in the cathedral is particularly gorgeous. The lower part is green (representing the natural world), the middle part is blue (representing the man-made world), and the top part is red (representing creativity, or, in the words of Robert Burns: "my love is like a red, red rose.") There is also a tribute to Henry Knox, who was a Calvinist reformist and preached for a literate populace in Scotland. He's buried there, incidentally under parking spot 23. I'm counting the one as the Factoid for the day, because it's the most random.

The National Portrait Gallery was incredible. Works from everyone from Filippo Lippi and Titian to Rembrandt and Rubens to Monet and Degas. Really impressive. Spent a couple of hours wandering. I don't know a lot about impressionism, but I think that might be a new favorite period for me. Oh, and I found a couple of El Greco's that I really loved.

So, that was today. Here's the photo form of it:

From when we were leaving this morning. Like I said, it was really freaking cold.

The castle and the city.

The lion is Scotland's representative. Kip is mine.

From the armory. It's a dark picture but I kind of liked it that way. Fitting, yeah?

Family crests. I want a family crest. Stupid peasant ancestry.

From the Great Hall.

From the inner courtyard. There were three fortified levels in the castle, and this one was never breached.

Me and Camila and Becky. And Kip, in my purse.

St. Giles Cathedral.

A statue outside the cathedral.

From the archway entrance.

My one photo inside. No, it isn't great.

Honestly, I can't remember where I took this today. But how pretty is the lighting?

On the Royal Mile.

The Royal Mile at sunset. Aka 4:30.

Dinner. We were HUNGRY! For once it isn't a crazy picture of me with food. Win.

 Pooh quote: "It all comes of liking honey so much."

Oban tomorrow! Will update when I get back on Sunday.

Much love,
Erin