Mom and Dad Visit Edinburgh, Part 1

[A post from my mom (this first of two) about her visit, with my dad, to Edinburgh].

After months of excitement and anticipation, we finally made it to Edinburgh to visit Amanda and Joe and their new home.


Following a flight delay, a detour due to volcanic ash (which resulted in a missed flight connection), we arrived excited and tired in the charming Dean Village at Joe and Amanda's delightful flat.

While Amanda and Joe worked on Wednesday, Howard and I ventured out on our own. Cobblestone roads and fast driving cars could not deter us! Armed with warnings about crossing-the-street safety, we made our first stop for lunch where had our first of many wonderful meals. After lunch, we walked down Princess Street, with all it's shops and stores. From here we could look just across the street to see the magnificent Edinburgh Castle--what a fortress it must have been!

Edinburgh Castle

Howard surmised that the enemy must have had to surround the castle--allowing no one in or out--and waited until the occupants gave up. After this first taste of Scotland, we ended the day at home with a wonderful supper and lovely visit before turning in early and falling soundly asleep.

Thursday and Friday our hosts gave us the royal tour of some sites of Edinburgh, beginning with a beautiful walk along the Water of Leith (a path Amanda follows to work).

From there it was on to Princess Street Gardens, an incredibly beautiful space right in the middle of the city. It is spring time in Edinburgh and the flowers were beginning to pop.




This is Amanda's dream cottage--and, who can blame her?


Just across from this adorable cottage is the flower clock they are planting.


Next, we stopped at New College (the Divinity School at the University of Edinburgh where Joe is studying) where Joe gave us a short tour.


The last stop on our Thursday tour ended with a stop at the National Gallery of Art which was quite special with its architectural style and beautiful collections.


An added treat was that we were able to watch an art class in motion. Using a ballet dancer as a model, anyone visiting the gallery could join in or feel free to observe. And, finally, we capped off the day with a concert by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Friday brought a bit of rain and a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Here we saw the Queen Mother's Memorial Garden which just opened in 2006. At the gardens, we took a fascinating tour of 10 different glasshouses, featuring flora found in temperate and tropical climates. It was spectatular.




On Saturday, we, along with friends of Amanda and Joe, enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch on the grounds of the Queen's Palace. It's a large and wonderful area for families and groups to gather for picnics and play. After visiting with new friends (Natalie, Chad and their adorable boys--Paul Michael and Luke), Howard and Joe went across the street to climb Arthur's Seat. A mere 820 foot climb! I think they made it nearly to the top where they were able to take in an amazing view of the city. [editor's note: My mom made it up quite a ways herself. We were all impressed!]



While the guys were climbing, Amanda and I experienced a bit more genteel afternoon, taking a nice walk and having tea at the Palace. Unfortunately, we could not actually take a tour of the Palace as there were visiting dignitaries occupying the residence.

It was an eventful 5 days, as I'm sure you can tell....check back tomorrow for the rest of our trip!