Welcome to Edinburgh

The Old Town of Edinburgh runs down the Royal Mile. At the top Edinburgh Castle. At the bottom the Queen's official residence, the Palace of Holyrood House.




I grew up in a close off the Royal Mile where I lived with my Gran parents. The close itself was rather grim but the buildings around are so beautiful. Here is a picture of my primary school.



Later, although I had moved away I went to university here. I also had a part time job as a waitress in a Pizza restaurant (and met Mr L here many moons ago)


Edinburgh is built on an extict volcano which makes it very hilly. Just a few minutes from our old flat is Arthurs Seat and Holyrood Park.




As I went to a school slap, bang in the middle of all this history, we had a lot of lessons about the Old Town. I found it a huge bore at the time :-( but the one story that I really liked was about Mary Kings Close. Mary Kings Close is an underground street that runs under the Royal Mile. It was a complete community with shops etc. It had been bricked up during the black plague as the people thought it would save the spread of disease. All the inhabitants were simply bricked in and left to die. Years later my husband, through his work, was invited on a tour of the close. We entered, down a stairwell, through the City Chambers in the middle of the Royal Mile. The place was amazing, still intact with the butcher shop still having its meat hooks and everything. Very spooky.


I love Edinburgh. I don't live centrally anymore but I still love to wander in especially during the festival which starts in a couple of weeks. I hope you enjoyed the look around! I'll leave you with some random Scottish pictures.