Final Thoughts on Edinburgh

On our final day in Edinburgh, we took a bus tour (I hate bus tours), but got to go through a Scotch distillery and learned a bunch and tasted a little.   We also got to see some nice Scottish scenery and only had to wait twice for people running late (one was the driver). I hate bus tours.

Part of our tour was to watch the military tattoo in the grounds surrounding Edinburgh Castle and it was pretty interesting.  Military and other honor guards, bands, performance groups from around the world.  A bit like a cross between “its a small world” and a marching band competition.  One from Scotland had 250 bagpipers in a variety of kilts  –  all very colorful and patriotic.  Glad we went.

In the last couple of days we listened to some traditional Scottish  music in a pub, ate haggis with neeps and tatties, and had some blood pudding for breakfast.  Haggis is not nearly as bad as I imagined and I would eat it again.

We also got to see the little coffee shop where several of the Harry Potter books were written, and the meandering street that was the inspiration for Diagon Alley.

To balance things out, when we got to Dublin today, we went by Sweny’s Pharmacy, which was mentioned in James Joyce’s “Ulysses”, and has been kept  in much the same state it was in when the book was set in 1904.  No, I have not read the book.  In fact, have still not finished a Harry Potter book yet either

We really enjoyed walking around Edinburgh, going to the shows and just enjoying the city.  We agreed we would enjoy visiting  again, but maybe not during Fringe, just to get a different experience.  And see some other parts of Scotland.

I will post some more pictures from Cathy’s phone once iCloud syncs overnight.  She takes better pictures anyway.

It wasn’t awful.  Actually, it was offal.  Sorry.  Dad joke.