Edinburgh Travel Blogs | Travelogues | Travel Journals

Firstly, let me start off by saying that Edinburgh is absolutely AMAZING!! Architecturaly speaking it is hands down the most impressive city i have been to. Okay, i know what you're thinking "Jim, you haven't been to that many places", and fair enough, point taken...BUT, i have been to both Prague and Brussels, both known as two of the most visually stunning cities of europe, if not the world, and while this is true of both these locations there are areas where they are let down(Brussels more...

After this trip, I now know this to be true:  "What you don't know can't hurt you." I have never seen ghosts nor experienced anything close to the paranormal (and I'm not complaining :)). However, I do have a wild imagination and I tend to torture myself for weeks after watching horror movies. This does not apply to all horror movies, though. To scare me, a movie has to have certain criteria 1) it must have human ghosts and 2) it must be close t...

Our time in Scotland was up, and though we didn't have enough time (there's just never enough when you're on holiday, is there?) to visit other sites (the Border Abbeys, Eilean Donan and other castles, etc.), I'd say the 2.5 days were sufficient to cram in the important bits for first timers like ourselves.  After a quick and heavy breakfast, we made our way to the Waverly Station nearby.  And even as we were leaving, I was still in awe.  There's something about aged train stat...

I didn't sleep well through the night due to my ear infection. Suzi gave me some Keflex to help. Thursday had a local city guide showing us the sights of EDINBURGH including PRINCESS STREET and the ROYAL MILE. He told us about the Bodysnatchers, Dr Jekyll & Mr. Hyde and Greyfriars Bobby. While we were seeing the sites in the "NEW TOWN", we passed a building being renovated by some attractive construction workers. I was checking them out while acting goofy & waving at them.&n...

Our last day in this glorious city…and we had ambitious plans.  I had learned that there was a trailhead ascending one of Edinburgh’s peaks just behind Holyrood…and couldn’t resist the temptation.  Our goal was ascending Arthur’s Seat, one of the extinct volcanic cones dominating the Edinburgh skyline…this one untouched by urban settlement.  We exited our hotel with daypacks, water and packed lunches…and had to tackle the Scott Memorial first!   T...

After visiting Roslin we did what everyone in the world seems to do on a Sunday afternoon – we went to Ikea. Now Ikeas are presumably the same the world over. Too busy. So let's leave it at that. On arriving home with our hard won trophies (two bookcases) we debated what else to do. As it was still a pretty nice day we opted for a stroll into town via Holyrood Park which sits not far from my friends flat. Although it was a bright afternoon it was quite cold and rather blustery so we opted...

I feel like I didn't give Edinburgh a fair shake. I basically got there and booked a day trip away from the city and then did some walking.  Mostly I was busy stressing about the next location of my trip.  Anyway, I should've hung around longer, but I did really enjoy the Highland tour. Our bus driver was clad in your standard kilt but not so standard Harley jacket.  At first he seemed real fun and cool, cracking good jokes, but he was quickly into "pissed off tour guide....

Because of the booked-out weekend at the hostel, I had to check out at 10am.  Said bye to the two cool German guys on their ad-hoc hiking trip into Northern Scotland, and got their contact info in case I ever drop into Hamburg.  ("We will show you great time!")  After finding out there was another room available, they told me to come back after noon and check back in.  Oh well, two hours to kill, and what better place to hit up than some museums?    I'm ...

A few more photos to upload (eventually) heh... stay tuned!!

I always dreamed of visiting Europe... always dreamed of visiting everywhere but anyway!I was stuck in a life that wasn't as I expected it to be.  Since I was old enough to understand that there was a world out there to be discovered, I wanted to experience it.  My biggest dream, every Christmas, was that I wouldn't miss Santa Claus coming to my house so that I could go with him around the world distributing the presents! Gives you an idea?!!I was living a stagnant life and didn't r...

i came back to edinburgh the second time because my day trip to loch ness and the highlands was cancelled due to weather. this time it was  gorgeous. it was sunny and cold. perfect to eat ice cream. i wish we had more time to tour edinburgh castle. i had haggis again. i wanted to try it in a traditional way. "haggis tats and neeps" they call it. we took the underground city tour. Half-way between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood palace on the Royal Mile is the Tron Kirk, the departure point...

... went in a bit of a blur, but included a trip to teh Botanics, one of my favourite places in teh whole world, no exageration at all. The botanic gardens in Inverleith are one of the few places in Edinburgh that are every bit as magic to me at 28 as they were to mini-mi when I was five.  The lovely trees, the cool flowers, the absense of signs telling you not to do stuff, and best of all, I am stil absolutely enchanted by the greenhouses.  They're wonderful.  I can't get pas...

We spent our second day as well in Edinburgh. In the morning we went to Edinburgh Castle. At the entrance, there was nearly everything prepared for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo Festival!!   The Castle was impressive and imposing!! You have an incredible city´s view from the Castle!   I strongly recommend getting an audioguide. It explains you EVERYTHING you would like to know about the Castle, its history and everything you find inside it.   Inside the Castle, you could...

Feck Aye,   We're back in the capital after a week of being on tour through the Highlands, Isle of Skye, Orkney Islands and Loch Ness! Overcast days, wind and rain just added to the surreal experience. After one night sleeping in Gatwick airport we're off to Croatia.

Click here to follow Scotland's Castle Trail!