WE LOVE EDINBURGH!
So, I have to start off by saying that both Javier and I agree that Edinburgh was the most visually striking city we have encountered. As soon as we exited the subway, we were greeted by the sight of the Scott monument, Edinburgh castle, and many other gorgeous, old, buildings all around us. What an amazing sight!
Live band in Edinburgh. Find Jackie
We arrived early by train…no more busses here 
We stayed in an area called new town, which is a short walk to the tourist area, so we were able to enjoy a nice walk in the beautiful sunshine!
What I liked most about our visit to Edinburgh, was the fact that Javier and I decided to try something new, and stay in one place a little longer so that we wouldn’t feel so rushed. Well, it worked! We were able to see everything we wanted to, but were still able to take some time to go for runs, lie on the grass in the park, and sit in a cafe just relaxing and chatting.
part of the royal mile
I don’t really remember the order of things, but we started out by exploring old town, and more specifically, the royal mile. It’s about a mile from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Castle. Edinburgh Castle is more like a fortress, and hasn’t been used as a residence for many many years, and Holyrood Castle is where the British monarch stays while in Edinburgh. Along the royal mile are tons of restaurants, shops, pubs, museums, and entertainers. Lots to see, and very crowded.
Edinburgh Castle entrance
There were men wearing traditional tartans and playing bagpipes everywhere we turned. We also came across a fun little trio that combined bagpipes with drums and a guitar! We toured through Edinburgh Castle with it’s amazing ceiling that looks like a boat. There was actually a wedding in the chapel while we were there, a very small wedding as the chapel only holds about 20 people. Javier and I
The awesome ceiling.
were both a little disappointed when the wedding party exited and there was not a kilt in sight!
Find the your favorite…Or the “creepiest” one
We walked through the Museum of Childhood, where Javier and I played a little game of, find the creepiest doll, which was only made difficult by the sheer number of super creepy dolls to choose from. It really makes you wonder what these people were thinking when they created these sinister creatures. Finally, we ended the day at the National Museum of Scotland, where we played more games- but these games were actually part of the museum experience. We saw a stuffed llama there, which excited Javier quite a bit.
The Scottish Duck. Botanical Gardens
We jumped on the hop-on/hop-off bus that took us all over the city and gave us a little history as well! On one of our bus trips we hopped off at the Royal Botanic gardens, and had a leisurely stroll. Across the street from the gardens is a huge park, where people exercise, play sports, watch their children play on the playground, and even bring their own little BBQs to make dinner! I mention this park because it was about a 10 minute walk from where we were staying, and where we regained some of our normalcy and sanity by going for nice long runs. We have since started to take this into consideration when booking a place to stay- is there a park close by where we can run?
Edinburgh was absolutely wonderful. The weather was gorgeous, we walked to and fro all over that city, we napped in the park, smelled the roses, and ate, my favorite, tea and scones. It was a week of recharging and rejuvenating.
We loved Edinburgh.
Lastly…it would appear that I am attempting to experience medical care in every country I visit. You guessed it, another ear infection!- same ear. This experience was much different than that of Ireland. A little backstory…I woke around 3am, ear very painful. I grabbed my phone and started to google urgent care centers in Scotland. To make this
Doll 1 … que miedo
long portion of the story short, it is very difficult to find this information without an actual phone. After buying skype minutes, I called a few hospitals to see if they could give me information. I called a mental hospital…didn’t know this at the time, and the woman told me to call this number. Now, this number is kind of like the rapid response before the code. You call this number if you need to see a doctor, but it’s not for emergencies. However, Skype sees this as an emergency number, so I can’t use skype to call. I explain this to the
ay .. que miedo
woman, and she tells me to call from a phone booth. At this point (remember I spared you the longest part of this story already) it’s about 5am. It’s bright out, and therefore safe for me to venture out and find a phone. I grab a pen, throw a jacket over my PJs, sift through Javier’s wallet to get some change (just in case) and look out my door. Whaddayaknow!?! A red phone box at the end of my block. So, I, along with my throbbing ear, walk to the box. The nurse on the other end is so helpful, takes a short history, sets me up with an appt at the Royal Infirmary at 7:10am (mind you, it’s a Saturday) and tells me to bring £50, and I’ll have to take a cab because it’s too early for the bus. I walk back home, take some prescription strength anti inflammatory (left over from the first ear infection) arrange for a cab, set an alarm, and try to sleep for the hour I have left. At 6:20am the alarm goes off. I wake Javier and tell him about my ear, and the Dr. appt. We both get ready and the cab is there at 6:45 to take us to the hospital. What I didn’t know at the time, is that my poor Javier was planning the next leg of our trip until around 3 am! So, as he was going to sleep I was just waking up! So, he only slept a few hours, yet was a little upset that I didn’t wake him earlier so he could have walked to the phone booth with me We arrived to the hospital a little early, were seen right away, and walked away with prescriptions in hand with nothing to pay! I was seen by a nurse practitioner who was very kind and patient while I told her my Ireland saga. Unlike the doctor in Ireland who, when I asked what kind of antibiotic he was prescribing, told me, “a regular antibiotic” and when I kept staring at him, said, “do you know a lot about antibiotics?” When I said that I knew a little bit about them, he finally gave me an answer that wasn’t rude or dismissive- but I digress. This NP was nothing like that, and once she gave me the meds and answered my questions, told us how to find our way out. I held up the meds and said, “what about these?” She just waved her hand dismissively and said that it was fine and I was free to go. So, after all that, we only paid for the cab ride there and a bus ride back. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t really happy. So, a big thank you to that very kind NP and another big thank you to the tax-paying citizens of Edinburgh