6.27.09 Enjoying Edinburgh
6.27.09 Enjoying Edinburgh
The Scotland National Gallery (free) was a welcome refuge from the rain, providing hours of scavenger hunting for the 5 Monet paintings, the Renoirs, statue of the Three Graces, and other treats. We used our Scotland Top 10 book and the map of the museum with highlights to find all that we could. The size of the museum makes it manageable to see most of the items in an afternoon, which was nice.
Hiking up to the “Royal Mile” between the castle and the Holyroot Queen’s house, we noted crowds.
And so we did! We bought a few Union Jack flags from the street vendor and waved it and cheered as the decorated veterans and various branches of their armed services marched by. We enjoyed the bands of drums and bagpipes in traditional Scottish kilts. Each of the three people with us had fathers who fought in World War II. This was 
Apparently Queen Elizabeth II is staying currently in her Holyroot residence, but we did not see her when we later went down there. Maybe if we’d paid to take a house tour…
We enjoyed some Lentil & Bacon hot soup from a Royal Mile café, scones, shortbread and other Scottish treats. Trying the food is the best part of visiting another country!
We bought a highland blanket from a most delightful Scott who said he liked George Bush “because he saved my son.” He explained that by the U.S. ending the threat of an aggressor like Hussein, it meant his 14-year-old son would not be sent to solve that big problem in 5 years. He thought that Churchill should have done the same thing with Hitler in 1939. It was an interesting discussion and he then took us outside to see his other 2 stores on the street with the
He also showed us the worn steps in the store. He told us it was the oldest building on the historic street and was the former home of the author of Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe.
We really have enjoyed the Scottish people who have been fun, funny, personable, helpful, energetic, gregarious, warm and delightful!
