breakfast time!
The girls were pretty wound the night before but crashed around 1 am!
We all had breakfast and packed for our day in the Old Town. The medieval castle sits high on a dormant volcano and charming houses, buildings, narrow alleys, closes and bridges make this city a visual delight! Edinburgh has been Scotland's capital since 1437.
They were having a small farmers market at the foot of the Castle terrace.
A Scottish delicacy! Haggis! This version is an egg surrounded by haggis. It is often on the menu in almost every restaurant we visited. The ingredients aren't for the faint of heart...finely chopped heart, liver and lungs of a sheep that is mixed with spices, onions and oatmeal. It really is quite tasty. It is often served with tatties (mashed potatoes) and neeps (turnips).
We bought a sausage rolls, pastries, and a loaf of artisan bread. The European bakeries are amazing!
After our snack, we walked up to the castle and we waited for Dad to buy tickets.
The daffodils were blooming and there was a sea of yellow everywhere!
Mind your babies.
Views over the New Town and to the Firth of Forth.
Scottish National War Memorial
Pet cemetery
Looking out into the distance...
Edinburgh castle has been a royal residence (in the 11th century), a main military base and had its last military action in 1745.
St Margaret's Chapel which is the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh Castle.
The Fore Well
This served as the castle's main water supply for 500 years until the 19th century.
Half-Moon Battery
1573-1588
Built after the siege of this time to protect the castle against bombardment.
Standing in the line to see the Honors of Scotland which is the Scottish crown jewels. We couldn't take pictures inside but it has the oldest surviving crown jewels in Europe (1540). The Stone of Destiny is also on display which has been used for centuries for the queens and kings of Scotland and the Kingdom of Great Britain. It is The Coronation Stone. It is basically a long block of sandstone.
In the Great Hall (1512) which was a place to hold grand banquets and ceremonies.
We spent the afternoon exploring this amazing castle.
Entrance Gateway
While walking down the Royal Mile we watched a very talented bag-piper perform.
St Giles Cathedral
Stepping into one of the many interesting closes (alleys).
John Knox House which is the oldest serving tenement in Edinburgh (1490). John Knox was a leader of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland.
We arrived at the Palace of Holyroodhouse about 5 minutes too late to enter. We enjoyed the blooming daffodils and relaxing outside the gates.
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