Since we left David and McKenzie, they have flown back to Knoxville, TN, for a week for her sister, Whitney's, wedding. Flew back to London, rested one day and then they took a 3.5 hour train ride to Edinburgh.....to meet us!
We get a quick lunch and do some settling in at The Butterfly House. Then we're out on the streets toward City Centre. We started wandering mostly aimlessly. There are monuments and old architecture everywhere. At the moment, the honouree for this structure escapes me.
Still mostly lost, we wandered behind St. Andrews House that faces Regent Street. It is the headquarters for Scottish government and is 75 years old.
We wander on above and past an unidentified church and graveyard.
David finally resorts to Google Map on his iPhone to get us back on track. We are looking for the Royal Mile. We find Jacob's Ladder to get us down the hill.
Architecture with flowers.
Kathy finds a deep fried Mars Bar -- less than appetising.
Yes!! We made it -- way to go, David. The Royal Mile stretches from the Holyrood Palace (more on that later) to the Edinburgh Castle (more on that later).
Kathy likes the cutsey names and signs.
The Royal Mile is not just government buildings....lotsa shopping, dining and drinking
This group of street musicians, the Jackson Five (just kidding), was pretty good.
This sign was on a flower box....
It means that law breakers doing community service built the flower box for the community -- nice job.
The flower box was just outside St. Giles' Cathedral.
Although there is record of the church as far back as 854 AD, it was formally dedicated by the Bishop of St. Andrew's in 1243. It was subsequently rechristened as St. Giles, the patron saint of Edinburgh.
Looking down the Royal Mile....to the Firth of Forth Bay.
Kathy likes red doors, too.
In the States, a red door usually indicates a Lutheran or Episcopal church. Not sure what it means in Scotland.
Just down the street from the Butterfly House, and on the way to the bus stop, was a granite/stone company. Most buildings here, if not all, are built from rock, stone, granite.....in short, enduring material. Wonder why we, the USA, still use so much flammable, termite attracting wood?
David resting on the butterfly couch.
Tom putzing with dinner.
A good healthy dinner.
An end to a long but good day. Thanks for reading.
