Thursday, January 6, 2011

Scotland For Hogmanay- Day 1

Yay!  Finally here is the start of my detailed review of my Hogmanay week in Scotland!  I'll share my pictures as I'm telling you about the trip and then I'll share miscellaneous (AWESOME) pictures from my friends too! 

I left my house at 9:30 Monday morning and I arrived in the hotel in Edinburgh about lunchtime on Tuesday.  Needless to say I was exhausted since I'd chosen to watch movies on the flight over the pond instead of sleeping.  (The Expendables and The A-Team, in case you were wondering.)  What did I find when we landed in Edinburgh?  Cold, drizzly and cloudy weather, but not nearly as chilly as I'd expected.  Yes, I could see my breath as I talked, but it didn't matter.  My heart spoke then and said, "Welcome home."  I turned to my friends and said, "I think I must've been Scottish in a former life!"  I couldn't stop smiling. 

Our hotel was gorgeous and centrally located.  We didn't do much that first day.  One friend needed sleep, so the other one and I went walking along the Royal Mile, glancing in the stores, listening to the bagpiper on the corner, and visiting the Police Museum where they had items made out of human skin.  I kid you not.  Creepy.  Then we went inside one of my favorite pubs, Deacon Brodie's Tavern, for a few pints.  The 3rd member of our party joined us for dinner a while later at a pub across from the hotel and then we turned in for the night to catch up on sleep.    

Now for the pictures!  This first one is Edinburgh Castle...from the front door of our hotel.  (How awesome was this?!?!?!)  Each of the restaurants and the bar in the hotel had big picture windows of this scene as well.


This second one is the view of Edinburgh from Maxie's, one of the restaurants that J.K. Rowling is said to have hung out in while writing Harry Potter. 

 This third one is the street we had to walk up in order to reach the Royal Mile. 
 
This last one is also Edinburgh Castle from the hotel.  I just love the view no matter the time of day!
 

I was there for 6 days, so be sure to come back to hear and see more of my adventure!  Tomorrow will be details and pictures from Day 2, our day tour to the Borders.

16 comments:

  1. Looks like you had a good beginning. Was the hotel in the old town part of Edinburgh and are you willing to share the name? If my memory is working I think my dh and I visited a whisky shop near this area. I love the cobblestone streets but with my current mobility issue will have to forgo the hikes on the streets of Edinburgh on our next trip. Bet you had a great view of the Fireworks over the castle

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  2. I LOVE it Alexa! I feel the same way that you do. I must have been Scottish in another life too! I felt at home the minute I got there too! Your pictures are awesome!

    Look forward to seeing more!

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  3. Very cool! Love the pictures. :)

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  4. Jody, it was the Apex International. They have 4 hotels in Edinburgh, I think.

    Lassie & Tracy, I took about 100 pics on this trip. LOL! I won't be putting them all up here because there are a lot of my friends and me with no special scenery, but there will be plenty by the time the week is over!

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  5. I LOVED Edinburgh and would return there in a heartbeat. Keep up the lovely posts, Alexa! They're awesome.

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  6. These pictures are SO great, Lex!! I can't wait to see more and more and more and more... :-)

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  7. Alexa, thank you for sharing. I am like you, when I was in Scotland I also felt like I'd come home. :) Your photos are gorgeous. We spent one day in Edinburgh and it was one of the two days it rained so we didn't weather the long walk up the trail to the castle that day. Now we have a good excuse to go back. I can't wait for that day. I can't wait to see and read more. So glad you had a great time. :)

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  8. I've been fortunate enough to have been to Edinburgh many times, sometimes just on day trips up from the relatives in northern England, but I never tire of this place!

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  9. Lexi, AMAZING pictures and what a view!!!! Thanks for posting, I am really enjoying the treat, and I can't wait to read more about your trip. It sounds like such a blast! I know the feeling of "I'm home." WHen I went to Ireland, I felt the same way. Home. You smile, you breathe easier, a certian peace encompasses you. Simply perfect.

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  10. Awesome! It's been almost 6 years since I've been to Edinburgh and I still remember some of those sights so clearly. Definitely want to go back. Can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!

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  11. What a great reminder of my all too brief visit to Edinburgh two summers ago for the Tattoo. Love the holiday lights, and I could hear and see that bagpiper when you mentioned him! Looking forward to more!

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  12. Beautiful pics, Alexa!!! On my first visit, I also stayed at the Apex. That is one spectacular view. It's also a nice hotel in a wonderful historic place. Did you eat at the Beehive across the way? Or at the other one named after the woman they tried to hang? Researching a coaching inn was my excuse. :) Can't remember the name of it. Edinburgh just looks so wonderfully medieval in many places. Sigh. I love it! You only took 100 pics?? I think I took about 1000 in five days. LOL! Ok I am snap happy, I admit. :)

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  13. Thanks, everyone!

    Nicole, I ate at Maggie Dickson's, the place you're thinking of. I LOVE the story behind it! We actually ate or had pints in several of those places along that same road.

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  14. I haven't been to Edinburgh since 1981! Forgot how cool it was. Thanks for the memories.

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  15. Cindy, I'm always happy to share!

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