Day 2 - Castles, Palaces, Fish Markets And Me!

8:00 AM - (3:00 AM EST)

Up and ready to go. My hosts have work and other duties, so I am turned loose on the town without any fetters! I walk three blocks to "The Royal Mile" where all sorts of festivities are in process. One lady has gathered quite a crowd with her act. She makes and takes tea and biscuits while standing on one foot in a platform shoe. She has balanced a kettle of water on her head, the cup on one shoulder, tea on the other and a can of biscuits on the bottom of her right foot - yes that's right - the bottom of her foot. She holds her leg straight up in the air and flexes her foot, making a "table" for her biscuits. We all clap and laugh - "Good Show!"

8:45 AM -

I have made my way up to the castle. There are so many people and vendors and noise - this is Edinburgh's tourists' trap. I determine to stand still and try to see the castle without the clutter. The gatehouse rises in front of me. On the pillars to the entrance there are two figures carved into the stone. The figure on the right wears a crown and holds a sepulcher. I am later to discover this is Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. As of yet, I cannot see for all of the consummerism commencing in front of him. On the left, a strong jawed man looks out into the distance. He has fixed his gaze on something so remarkable, so powerful that it seems at any moment these stones that hold him may finally give way to the pull. I resist the urge to turn and look - to try and see what compels him. I know who this man must be, and a few steps later I am rewarded.

9:30 AM -

I have walked to the other end of the Royal Mile and now stand outside the Royal Palace. The Queen stays here when she comes. I could pay 10 dollars to go inside the grounds, but inside the palace is off-limits. Another tourist trap, I suppose. I can see the ground just find from where I stand - what is so special about the ground? On to other things...

9:40 AM -

Walking down the street, a black and white dog heads toward me. He is very intentionally going somewhere and even stops and looks both ways when coming to the intersection. No one seems to give him a second glance and I find this a little odd. Furtherback, an older gentleman with eyes down in thought, wearing a plaid jacket and pipe in hand strolls toward me. He and the dog belong to each other, I am sure of this now. I pass them and round the corner... Edinburgh has ended - and done so quite abruptly - in a green plain rising sharply after about 200 yards as a giant cliff / hill / small mountain. It is green and interspersed with rock croppings. The slope starts somewhere to my left and rises up until it juts out over the plains, which round the corner of the cliff and turn into woods. This place is called "Arthur's Seat." Legend has it that often King Arthur would come here and climb this cliff to sit and ponder, gazing out over the infant village that would someday be known as Edinburgh.

10:00 AM -

I have made my way back up Royal Mile and stop now for a bagel. While my bagel is being toasted, the lady behind the counter offers me a sandwich which she has made wrong and will throw away if I do not want it.

Stuff the chicken salad sandwich in my backpack and the bagel in my mouth - I'm off again!

10:30 AM -

As a result of feeling rather cocky about my "sharp as a tac" sense of direction, I have wandered off the Royal Mile and am now weaving my way through cobblestone streets - "Old Fishmarket Close," "Candlemakers Way," "Horse Wynd." I'm sure I know where I am. Sure. And as I am heading in the direction of home, I come across Chambers St - just like I knew I would - except it's on the opposite side than what I expected...

12:00 AM -

Time for naps and tea. When I wake up, Lisa and Cini will be home. We will make dinner and talk. I will plan for tomorrow as well.

posted by Headless-in-GR @ 8/26/2004 08:05:00 AM