17/7/26 Edinburgh Royal Mile

   Today we headed into Edinburgh for a look at the Royal Mile - a stretch of road link inking Edinburgh Castle on the hill to Hollywood Castle at the lower end of the street . We caught the bus in and got off still in the city and walked down to our start point , Hollyrood Castle .  The next photo is of the Waters of Leith , which is beside and behind our apartment . A small weir catches the water and sends it cascading down further under the road , then the canal viaduct and the railway line bridge .

This is Arthurs Seat , as you can see , it's popular with walkers clambering up the sides to get an elevated view of Edinburgh . You can see dozens of people there . A bushfire broke out here the next morning !

 

This is Queen Mary's bath house , a curiuos shaped building on the edges of the Palace of Holyrood . 

These are the side gates into the Palace .

This is the front of the Palace , with it's manicured gardens , lawns etc etc .

Across the road from the Palace Precinct is the Scottish Parliament Building . On the side of the building are interesting patterns and some rocks jutting out of the walls , just above street level . There's a imprinted design of some of the older buildings of the city .

Here's some of the buildings / shops at the lower end of the Mile .

The road kept slowly rising , crowds of people also increasing , but the different architecture was very interesting .

Many different buildings and designs kept popping up, as well as small laneways leading behind all these buildings , we checked out a few on our walk .

The crowds have increased , making us question our reason for being here !!

One of the cathedrals .

  Looking up at the Edinburgh Castle , all we could see were thousands of people , but we persevered .

     Getting nearer the castle , we decided to take a side street down parallel to the Royal Mile , then took the stairs back up near the entrance to the castle grounds . The seating is for the Military Tattoo , which is held here . 

Getting back up on the Mile ,we looked back down where we had come from , people everywhere . Checking at the Visitor Info Centre didn't give us much joy - you need to have booked tickets to do a tour of the Castle . As it was Friday and late , there were no tickets available till Monday - guess we won't be doing that tour then .

I settled for the Scotch Whiskey Experience instead , that gives you a rundown on how it's produced and what with , and what gives it its authentic flavours . This was the first room we went into .

The process continued and we learnt about different aspects of whiskey production . These barrels show some of the scotch that is yet to be bottled .

    After the education we move into the tasting room , where you are served a dram of your choice - not from any of these bottles on display though !! There's over 3,400 bottles in the collection to drool over . You even get to take home your tasting glass , to enjoy your next scotch whiskey of course .

This isn't the best photo , but there's a scotch for sale in a deer shaped bottle .

 Nearby was another small laneway , named Fleshmarket Close - not sure how it got that name .

We decided to beat a tactical retreat when we were walking back down the Mile , and take a side street . It gave us views of the city and some of the buildings .

                                                    This is the National Gallery of Scotland 

 Further down this very steep cobblestoned street , we found the University of Edinburgh , with an impressive entrance .

We entered and found ourselves in a courtyard section with views to the Cathedral behind it .

Our walk continued down past the National Gallery and to the bus stop for our trip back out to the apartment . Edinburgh is certainly buzzing with people , and is only going to get worse as the Edinburgh Festival is happening soon . Here's a map link :- https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1rwLtihhE7igBd1GDV0rMVw3AuMpx4T4&usp=sharing

 

14/7/26 Loch Lomond , Stirling Castle tour from Glasgow

 

    We booked a tour to Loch Lomond where we could do a cruise if we wished , then a drive through some Nation Park , then to Stirling Castle , where we could also do a tour if we wished . 

   The tour left from the bus station at 9am , so we got organised and found our way into the city again . Glasgow turned on a cool morning and we noticed , still in shorts , but a warm jacket was required . We met our tour guide Wee Davey , outside the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall . He quickly made his presence felt , asking if we wanted the Commonwealth Games back . He told us it was a ridiculous price to go and see any of it - a family of 4 was about 600 pounds ( $1200 Aus) - so basically unaffordable . We spotted this mural on the way over .

   Wee Davey was quick to tell the tour group that he didn't have much time for tree huggers and is a self confessed petrol head , with some OCD mixed in as well . We arrived at Loch Lomond under grey skies and moist conditions , dropping us at the dock for the cruise - we decided to go , paid and boarded the boat. There were at least 60 others as well , we went up to the outside deck - it had a roof , but no windows , downstairs had the windows and closed doors . We headed out onto the Loch , passing by large numbers of cruising  motorboats - some in pristine conditions , ranging to this poor old one , that doesn't look like it has an owner .

There were over 100 boats in several docks & moorings , and that's just the ones we could see - there were more further up the river , and down in the Loch .

The largest steam powered paddle steamer was out in the dry dock for some maintenance , it was huge 

Further into the cruise & not too far past the dry dock this hotel came into view . Winston Churchill has stayed here .

Quite the mansion .

Further into the cruise Ben Lomond was pointed out , but was behind the just ti the right of middle on the horizon .

 An island approached , creating a picture postcard look . That was our turning point for the tour , and we were pretty happy as the wind was bitingly cold !

We got back to the coach and continued on our journey through the Trossachs NP and to an old flour mill tourist spot where you can feed the wee cooos - for those who don't speak Scottish - little cows or more correctly Highland Cows - hairy critters with horns and a penchant for getting fed fruit & veggies from tourists . Having seen enough cattle in my life , I decided to have a look around , spotting this small residence some distance away in front of a forest of Firs , Elms & Oak trees , complete with some mountains behind .

 Wee Davey then took us into Callandar , for a lunch break . We chose to go down to the riverside park and eat our lunch with the swans & ducks and about 100 people . There's a nice old bridge and a river walk with seating & tables . The sun had come out and it was getting quite nice .

We finished lunch and walked up to the road bridge for another view of the river - Eas Gobhain - at least that's what google calls it 😁 Beautiful view though of the valley etc.

 The walk past the cemetery was interesting , there's an information board telling you about the little building at the top of the graveyard . It was to allow people to standby overnight to thwart the grave robbers , who were known to come and steal the newly buried corpse from the graves . Apparently there was a lucrative trade in bodies & body parts back in the day , supplying universities & other teaching establishments where doctors train . Hence the phrase "The Graveyard Shift " 

I know , you're excited to be learning that , but we have to continue on , Stirling Castle awaits . 

We arrive at Stirling after listening to Wee Davey and a haunting rendition of the Bonny , Bonny Banks of Loch Lomond . We learned it's history - 2 brothers were incarcerated and they were told to choose who would be executed and who would go free in the morning . After long discussions and reasons for and against they finally went to sleep . The younger brother woke to find his older brother had taken his own life during the night , so he could go free and live his life , the older brother had lived his life , had a wife and children . Hence the verse " me and my true love will never meet again on the bonny bonny baks of Loch Lomond " The song took on a whole new meaning for us .

We arrived at Stirling and drove up to the castle - we had 2 hours to check out the castle & grounds if we wanted to, so we did - when in Rome 😉 A statue of Robert the Bruce greeted us .

Then the castle outside gate .

Then the pay booth to gain entry through the 2nd gate . We headed left at this stage as there was another garden to check out , not to mention the castle walls .

And here it is , roses flowering profusely , and a nice grassed area .

With steps that led us up onto the wall .As you can see , the castle is perched up on and old volcanic plug that rises up from the surrounding plains .

Here's the view over some older sporting fields apparently .

Here's the views over the side of another wall further into the castle grounds .

Cannons on display aren't actually from the castle , but still look threatening .

Inside the main residence section of the castle is a museum  , with various bits & pieces on display . The following are rosettes from the ceiling . A lot of these were removed from the castle over the years , some never returned , but a lot have been recovered - these date back to the 1500's and are all hand carved in Oak - amazing to think they are still intact after all those years .

And with that , our time ran out , so we headed back to the coach and back to Glasgow , with Wee Davey keeping us amused with really bad dad jokes and others . A good day out , even with the 11 degree temps at Loch Lomond . Here's a map link :- https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1G7_zqGo9PiY1cbAhzLKL7Nt-Dcr2JBg&usp=sharing

15/7/26 Glasgow Street Art

 

   Back into the city again today , looking at some of the street art trail . But 1st we stopped here at the Modern Art Gallery . The Scots have a sense of humour and this is the Duke of Wellington Statue outside the gallery . Apparently the Scots think its funny to place witches hats on statues , and who are we to argue with that 😀

 The scottie dog beside it even had one .

 

Inside the modern art gallery we came across something any Australian would recognise straight away - an old rusty water tank on a stand .

Continuing in we found an old look building with pictures projected onto it .

Then inside we found a tub with a chandelier just above it .

Then out the back were these black feathers laid out on the floor .

 Then we got an explanation of it all . Yes indeed it was Australian and the rusty tank contained molasses , and the shed was the living quarters for the workers / slave labour used on the sugar cane fields . The black feathers represent a practice called " Blackbirding " where people used mirrors to get the attention of children on the beaches of islands etc off Queensland , and they kidnapped them to work in the cane fields. Hence the chandelier representing the opulence of the sugar industry owners , with the tub with molasses reminding them of the work they had to do .

The water tank from above appearing to be full of molasses .

This is looking up to the oval dome on the roof 2 levels up 

And here's some of the modern art on exhibition 

The seagulls likes the Duke"s statue as well - probably leaving a "comment " or 2 as well 😆

There were hundreds of people in the malls and shopping areas , this guy was part of the entertainment . There was a group of singers further down , a bagpiper , and someone playing a saxophone as well - further down though .

 Couldn't resist this - it was at the end of an alleyway to the Hide & Seek . The chef looks to be doing hiss bookwork .

 Some buildings have some elaborate decorations , this was in the mall as well .

We started to find some of the murals , some were in side alleys , entrances to bars & restaurants , while others took up space on back walls .

This one we thought was particularly good .

A Black Cab floating on balloons 

This little girl blowing bubbles also very good 

This is on the side of the university building - appropriate !

This one we saved to last , it was so close to where we were the other day , Saint Mungo was only 100m away on the other end of these buildings .This one we decided was a standout , with the flowers popping off the wall, and the lady looking straight at you - brilliant !!

Don't have to worry next time your in Glasgow and need a kilt , here it is A1 Kilt Hire .