We left for Scotland from King's Cross Station. This is where Harry Potter left to go to Hogwarts. This is not the station they used in the movies, but it is the one where people go to get their picture taken as they make use of platform 9 3/4. I got Brian just before he went in. :)
The train ride was very pleasant. We rode in the club car (where they sell the food) and it was quite quiet. The train went through several other places including York and Newcastle (where Lydia moved with Mr. Wickham after their scandalously patched up marriage in Pride and Prejudice). The ride took a little less than four hours.
There are a lot of statues on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Some of my favorites are of David Hume (above) and Adam Smith (below). Hume was a philosopher and Smith was an economist. Smith is also buried in a cemetery that Brian and I happened upon in Scotland.
Brian kept wanting picture in these booths. I could figure out what they were for. He said that they are for the guards to stand in when it is raining. This book is at Hollyrood Palace where Queen Elizabeth stays when she is in Scotland for state business.
The people below are William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, two early rulers of Scotland. They look almost as tough and Brian and I do when we stood in booths at Edinburgh Castle.
Here is Robert the Bruce being crowned King... or a replica in any event.
One of my favorite things I saw was the Coronation Stone, also known as The Stone of Scone. It has a long religious history, but is currently used as part of the ceremony when Kings/Queens of England are crowned. The Scottish government does not allow pictures of the Stone so I found this one on the Internet. I was careful to find a drawing rather than use an actual picture because I didn't want to be implicated in any scandals. They really don't want pics of this thing circulating.
Here is the outside of Hollyrood palace. We saw the room where Mary Queen of Scots bore Edward IV of Scotland at Edinburgh castle, but Hollyrood was her regular residence.
Here is a good shot of Edinburgh Castle. It rained the second day we were there so we were glad that we toured it just after we got into our hotel on the first day even though we were tired from traveling.
Here is Brian the Bruce.
Mary Queen of Brian ...
I liked learning about the Dragoons, Scotland's cavalry. Who would not want to be protected by a Dragoon?
They used to ride horses, but now they ride in military vehicles. We did not see the vehicles.
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