Edinburgh, Day One

Another six hour bus ride got us from York to Edinburgh. Our host Gordon met us at the bus station and drove us and our luggage to the apartment. We have so much room here it almost feels like home....includes a kitchen, wireless with laptop and a washer/dryer! The first night we walked to The Fisher, a restaurant recommended by Gordon. Garold ordered salmon with butter beans and sausage and I had the Orkney Scallops, with broad beans, baked in the scallop's own shell with pastry. These scallops are hand dug by a family in the Orkney Islands, north of Scotland, and shipped fresh. They were still attached to their shells and included the roe. We both had creme brulee for dessert, and agreed it was the best we've ever had.
The next day we got up around 9:30 and headed out to see Holyrood Palace, where British royalty stays when they are in town. Here's Garold walking down Croft-an-Righ on our way to the palace.



This is Holyrood Palace, once the home of Mary Queen of Scots. It was here that her secretary was murdered by her husband and his friends, who suspected adultery. Mary, who was pregnant at the time, gave birth to a son (James I of England) soon after the incident. The infant was taken from her and she never saw him again. She fled to England seeking protection from her cousin Elizabeth. But Elizabeth perceived her as a threat to her throne, so she imprisoned her for 19 years, then signed her execution order. It took two strokes from the executioner's sword to complete Mary's beheading.



The royal palace was built on the site of this 12th century abbey.



There are signs of previous excavations, which were authorized by the current Queen of England.



The Queen's Garden is nothing short of spectacular. There are many varieties of flowering plants and trees here that I had never seen before.



After touring the palace and gardens, we hiked up Salisbury Crags. This is a mountain formed 350 million years ago when a volcano erupted. The yellow flowering bushes that grow here (corce) are covered with huge thorns. Each leaf is a thorn!