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| Metal sign in front of Roxburghe reflects the park across the street. |
Before I talk about our day in Edinburgh, let me tell you about the Roxburghe Hotel. These people are masters at fitting a very large hotel into what appears to be a small urban location, right in the middle of the city. To give the Roxburghe credit, it occupies most (if not all) of a block-sized building, but the front entrance looks very understated. When you enter the lobby, however, the room is quite large. The concierge desk is the first thing you see. Robbie is an energetic young man who has been a great help to us, especially since to park a car at the Roxburghe, you pay around 20 pounds per day for underground parking, and Robbie takes the car away when you check in.
The underground lot is limited to about 20 cars, so we were fortunate to have asked about this in advance so that we could reserve a spot. Back on the ground level, off the lobby is a large bar, dining room, and breakfast room on one side. Toward the back side of those rooms is the conference center, which includes an atrium area. We walked around the atrium to get to the lift (a.k.a., elevator) to go to our second floor room. Lest you think there is only one flight of stairs to the second floor, let me set you straight. Over here, there is a ground floor, then the first floor, and then the second floor.
We step into the lift, travel up two flights to the second floor, and the side of the lift opens (rather than the front). The rooms are essentially in the section of the building next to the lobby area. Our room is quite large -- a king-sized room -- but our bed is not. We had expected a king-sized bed, but it is really a double bed plus about 2 extra inches in width and 3 extra inches in length. Aside from the bed, the room and the bath are very nice. And breakfast this morning was very good!
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| View of Edinburgh Castle from the top. |
After breakfast, we headed toward Princes Street and "the Mound," over which you must climb to get to the area near the castle. This was a reasonably easy walk, in spite of the fact that the castle sits atop a hill overlooking all of Edinburgh. Lots of people came to the castle today, but it was a reasonable crowd. The only time we really felt like sardines was when we entered the building where the crown jewels are stored (in a vault, of course).
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| Knight stands guard outside castle gate. |
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| Pistols on display in great hall. |
Because seeing the crown jewels, called the Honours of Scotland, is one thing most people want to do while at the castle, the line was long. The display leading up to the vault room was very well done and explained the story of when the jewels were last used in a coronation (1651) and why they were hidden away for a number of years to keep them from being melted down (by order of Oliver Cromwell). After they were found, because of the politics of the time, they were no longer used and were locked away in Edinburgh Castle.
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| Speaks for itself! |
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| Castle view from Princes Street. |
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| Two gents begin their walk down the Royal Mile. |
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| View down the Royal Mile. |
It was not until 1818 that the Honours of Scotland were "rediscovered," and they were put on display in 1819. Except for a brief period during World War II, the crown, the sceptre, and the sword of state have been on public display. They are amazing pieces, even viewed from behind heavy glass!
After leaving the castle, we started down the royal mile, stopping for a quick lunch and an exploration of the Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition. I was interested in seeing the looms set up for the weaving of tartans. Part of the exhibition was an area where you could don Highland dress and have your photo made. We had hoped that this would be a chance to wear the Duncan tartan from Smoky's clan.
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| Street performer. |
Unfortunately, the photo part of the exhibition was a bit disappointing. The rack of outfits was sad looking indeed, and there was a limit to the tartans available. There was a Duncan outfit for women, but the man's version was made for a much shorter man than Smoky, so we had to give up the idea of wearing his clan's tartan and opt for a different one altogether.
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| Loom (from floor above) in the Tartan Weaving Mill Exhibition. |
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| Lots of spools of yarn at the Tartan Weaving Mill. |
Back on the street, we wandered down the Royal Mile for quite a ways. Toward 4pm, we cut across to Princes Street and walked back to the hotel. Dinner tonight was at a place called Harry's Bar and Grill, within walking distance of the Roxburghe. Our concierge recommended Harry's, and it was a great recommendation. This place takes bar food to a whole different level. They have a large stove that burns charcoal, so grilled chicken is really grilled!
Speaking of chicken, that's what we had tonight -- grilled whole baby chicken served with tiny green beans and snow peas and grilled potatoes for me and beet salad for Smoky. This wonderful dinner included a puff pastry and a delicious sauce for dipping either the chicken or the bread. This was definitely one of our best dinners in Scotland!
Now it's time for bed. Tomorrow is a five-hour walking tour with James Christie, master photographer. We will need to rest up!!
--Shann
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| In spite of the outfit being more than a little shop-worn, I think Smoky looks great! |
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