201040505 Shopping Day in Edinburgh

Monday meant getting down to business – some serious shopping.  Allen and I spent most of today walking Princes, George, and Rose Streets in the heart of Edinburgh.  We had a specific assignment for one person, but just had a good deal of fun going in and out of all sorts of shops and department stores.  Some of the latter are just gorgeous inside, having been built originally as clubs, social organization headquarters, or homes for the wealthy.  

This was a window in Debenham's dedicated to Benjamin Disraeli.

And poor Prime Minister Gladstone's library is now a part of Better Dresses.

Jenner's department store was just lovely inside throughout.

Got into the bagpipe and kiltmaker’s shops. 

  The wall display of sporrans was just so beautiful, for instance.

We also managed to get to the highly recommended John Lewis (thanks, Nat); I’ve found my second favorite shopping mothership, after Stockmann in Helsinki!  We had lunch in the café while there, a fantastic top-floor view of all of Edinburgh for the looking.

For dinner we took a bus across town to Portobello, a seaside neighborhood.  The ride itself was a sort of farewell to Edinburgh.

I love that dogs are allowed on busses.

At Portobello, lots of folks and dogs out walking along the seaside, playing Ultimate, and even swimming.  We lucked into another wonderful restaurant, the Esplande (“Espy”), friendly, tasty, the view.  We are so lucky.  If someone told us we’d have to live in Edinburgh, that would be all right.

This house would do, for instance.

And just for fun.