Scotland: Edinburgh

We spent a wonderful week in Edinburgh, our first western destination as we move from Asia to Europe.  Edinburgh is almost too gorgeous to be real.  It feels like a novel come to life, every view is more dramatic than the last.  Autumn was in full swing with sunny, mild days and the trees wearing their beautiful autumn colors.  I was so happy to see Fall, with the timing of our travels we thought we were going to miss it. That we were able to enjoy the foliage was a great surprise!

We rented a flat in an old building just North of the castle and took advantage of apartment's amenities to cook for the first time since New Zealand and catch up on laundry (we definitely needed it). We spent a lot of time just walking around and enjoying the city.  We had thought about doing a lot more travel in Scotland but decided instead to slow down a bit and ended up only taking some day trips from the city.

View from the National Gallery in Princes St. Gardens looking toward Waverly Station & the Royal Mile area

Same view but including the Scott monument and Calton Hill

Our first sunrise in Scotland- looking out our bedroom window to the area behind the flat.

Fall leaves behind St. John's Church

Edinburgh Castle

More castle...she really takes a good picture!

The street where we stayed

The castle itself is a big attraction and houses a collection of museums and monuments including a beautiful memorial for Scottish veterans who have died in wars since WWI and the Scottish crown jewels (smaller and older than the English ones).

Tony at of Edinburgh Castle

Pet cemetery at the castle!

View looking down at the town

Shenanigans

Famous cannon- shares a name with our friend Meg W. :)

We were in Edinburgh during Halloween and celebrated by going to see the 1926 German silent film "Faust" in an old theater.  Before the movie where was a Victorian "seance" calling on the spirits haunting the theater.  Pretty spooky, though we were so jet lagged we fell asleep in the movie.   

On Halloween night, we went to the Samhain fire festival.  The plan was to watch the procession from Edinburgh Castle down the Royal Mile and then up Calton Hill for a bonfire and after party.  However, after we saw the procession go by it started pouring rain, just dumping buckets, so we didn't make it to the bonfire but made some great memories!

Here are some of the pics from the festival-there are themes of winter battling summer and the veil between the living and spirit at its thinnest-represented by amazing body paint and giant puppets.  The pics aren't great- darkness + movement +rain. Not perfect but hopefully this will give you an idea...

Royal Mile waiting for the procession

Before the procession- check out the costumes on the girls to the left and couple in the middle- awesome!

At the front of the procession

Pagan dancing craziness

Body paint!  There were also a group of people in all white with bits of red weaving their way through the procession.

Drums

Giant puppets

That's it for Edinburgh....next pics from Stirling and Oban!