20140415-17 Hello, Scotland!

It's been on our bucket list to visit Scotland before Nat Pendleton graduates from Saint Andrews.  That's coming up in June, so time to get ourselves here!!

Leaving Fredneck, an effortless drive through pouring rain brought us to an almost-empty Dulles. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it so deserted. 

Rain delayed our Icelandair flight’s departure a bit, but the pilots made up for it, turbulence notwithstanding (OMG what an awful flight) so that we saw the sunrise just before landing on time in snow-covered Reykjavik, where we changed planes.  Neither of us remembers much of the second leg as we both pretty well passed out, thankfully.  With a five-hour time change, we needed some sleep. (And speaking of change, meals are no longer de rigeur – one has to buy anything one wants to eat on board.)

The flight from London was a luxury in that again we both slept most of the way, a welcome recharge.  And we got to fly over the Firth of Forth – just fun to say!  Our cabbie from the airport told us to avoid the fish and chips, rent an automatic, not manual, car, recommended a few good pubs, and to look to the right before crossing any street. Mr. McCafferty was a nice welcome to Scotland.

Our tourist Dunstane Hotel in Edinburgh's West End is an old mansion on a street populated with same.

Each has a lovely garden.

Our breakfast room looks out on this.

Kippers...yay!!!

Right down the street is Donaldson's College, former school for deaf children, for sale, the idea being someone will turn it into condos. No asking price was posted.

Edinburgh is known for its crescent-design streets.

First night on famous shopping and dining George Street. We also walked most of parallel Princes Street, another must-do walking stretch with views of spectacular Edinburgh Castle.

Yes, it's English, but it still takes me a moment.

Edinburgh Castle dominates downtown's vistas from Castle Rock, a volcanic leftover not worn away by glaciers.

Looking a bit jet-lagged but really happy to be here.

Who knew the father of anesthesiology was a Scot?  Not me.  Lots to thank him for.

We see a lot of government and commercial places with rooftop plantings, don't yet know if it's for esthetics, ecology, or both.

A pub stop and Indian meal (first time Allen ever had sometime TOO hot!) and a surprisingly good sleep rounded out our very long first day.

Out and about the second day by 11 a.m., an early start considering the five-hour time change.  We headed for the Royal Mile, the famed road between castle and palace.

It's awfully touristy but jammed with history and beauty to counterbalance.

Allen is an admirer of John Knox, father of Protestantism in Scotland, so we visited Mr. Knox's St. Giles Cathedral and his nearby home, both on the Royal Mile. Here's Allen posing alongside Mr. Knox.

Allen and one of the cathedral's guides had a spirited discussion about Mr. Knox and religion in Scotland in general.  Those who know Allen aren't the least bit surprised.

Mr. Knox himself is buried under what has become Space 23 in the nearby car park - really - as he didn't want any sort of fuss.  There are, of course, others buried inside the cathedral (many executed in public fashion) who wanted a bit more elaborate a memorial.

 Surprise gardens along the way.

Anchoring the foot of the Royal Mile is Scotland's Parliament building at Holyrood Park, a wild piece of the Highlands abutting downtown Edinburgh.

I stole this photo from the web because it shows the park up against the city so well.

Just some edds-and-ends photos I liked...

Plaid? Checkerboard? tulips??

I think the hearses are elegant.

Allen's doing our walkabout navigation via his smartphone (a day Holm and I never thought we'd see!).

Evening's libations at the Rosedale Golf Club Pub, where the dominoes players' companion was sleeping in the window until he saw my camera.  Guess he gets photo-ed often.

Apparently there's HUGE market for really fancy cakes in Edinburgh. We've passed a dozen shops with elegant pastries in the window.  All of the items below are cakes, yup, even the haggis.