Edinburgh, Scotland, Day 1

The goal for our first day was to 'conquer the castle,' the Edinburgh Castle, that is. It can't be missed as it sits high on its rocky perch, overlooking Scotland's capital and second largest city.

After taking the bus into the city from our campsite at Mortonhall Caravan & Camping Park, we walked up to the Royal Mile, a main street in the old town part of Edinburgh. We followed the Royal Mile up to the castle, enjoying the sights along the way including a bagpiper in traditional Scottish costume . . . 

. . . and classic red telephone booths that can still be found in the United Kingdom. An irresistible photo opp.

Edinburgh Castle is massive and sits atop an extinct volcano. Centuries of history are encapsulated in its walls. Brian had been there once before in 1975 as a teen, and he noticed that many renovations have been made since then as well as new exhibits added. The weather was cold, foggy, rainy, and windy, but we were so engrossed that we hardly noticed. We warmed up with a delicious lunch of soup in the museum cafe.

We learned about the national emblem of Scotland, the native spear thistle, which can be seen on coins, flags, and the like. The thistle represents determination, resilience, and strength. We found the dungeon prison for military prisoners of war one of the most interesting rooms in the castle. During the 1700s and 1800s, sailors and pirates from many countries were held here. We were surprised to learn that even some Americans fighting in the Revolutionary War spent time in this crowded prison.  

We spent most of the day at the castle and because it was late autumn and so far north, the daylight hours were short. By the time we left, it was quite dark, and the Christmas market was fully lighted and ready for shoppers.

After perusing the stalls and getting something hot to drink, we made our way to the bus stop. From there we looked back at the magnificent view of Castle Hill with the market in the foreground. What a memorable day!