Hi everyone!
Had a much needed 9+ hours of sleep last night. Ah :)
This morning Brendon and I met Mallory from our Ireland tour downstairs as she was staying at the same hostel as us, and we all went to Edinburgh Castle together!
There has been a castle on this site for 3000 years ago, and over time the castle has been inhabited by various royals and used as a prison. To be honest if I've learned anything today it's that I don't know much at all about Scottish history, so I'm really looking forward to the ten day tour I'm about to begin and hoping I learn a lot on that.
Edinburgh Castle is the most visited place in Scotland, and I'm pretty sure it's also the most expensive! £16.50 for an adult, and no student price. And then as you're buying your ticket they ask if you want an audio guide for an extra £3. Yes that's right, they've already pocketed $33 Aussie from you but if you want some information you need to pay $6 more. Thankfully we said no, as reading signs, the brochure and using my phone to google a couple of things provided us with more than enough information. Unbelievable!!!
We did have a really good time though. We were lucky to run into a tour that had just begun so we followed that for an introduction to where everything was. Then we checked out the Crown Jewels which also had the Stone of Destiny. England took this in the 1200s and it stayed underneath the throne at Westminster Abbey until the 1950s when it was stolen. It was found and returned though and stayed there until Queen Liz allowed it to be returned in 1996. She's asked if they can borrow it for coronation ceremonies though!
Then we went to the royal apartments, the national war memorial, the St Margaret Chapel which is the oldest building in Edinburgh and the Great Hall which had two flags on display that were used during the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. These are on display for two more weeks after which time they will be packed away and kept safe and never seen by the public again due to them becoming more and more damaged. We then went to the Prisons of War exhibition. Turns out the castle was used to keep prisoners during such times as the American War of Independence and the napoleonic Wars.
At 1pm we went and watched the 1 o'clock gun be fired (so loud!!) which used to indicate to ships before watches etc what time it was. The gun currently firing blanks at 1pm has a distance range of 17,200m apparently!
After the castle we walked the length of the Royal Mile and walked up Calton Hill to enjoy a really nice view of Edinburgh. We got some groceries and some bye to Mallory and had a rest.
At 4.45pm we walked to the Real Mary King's Close for our 5pm booking, but they couldn't find it in the system. Turns out Brendon booked us in for August 28!!!! Thankfully they've slotted us in to the 7.45pm tour bringing it one person above maximum capacity, as this is a very popular attraction and it books out. First he tried to take us to a restaurant that it turned out didn't exist in Dublin, and now this! I laughed for about ten minutes solid and won't let him forget this for a while haha.
So we had a shower and our dinner and ventured back at 7.45pm and I am so glad they could fit us in because it was absolutely brilliant and one of the better things I've done in a big city! Basically we were taken on a journey dating back 400 years to Mary King's Close, which between 1600-1900 was the second most important street in Edinburgh, second only to the Royal Mile. In 1647 30,000 people lived in the narrow closes along the Royal Mile, trading, working and living and over time the royal exchange building was built over the top of these streets leaving them intact underground. We were taken through various houses from the time and our guide John was fantastic. He made you feel like you were really there during the time. He told us stories about people who lived there, about the conditions of living there such as the faeces and urine being emptied into and running through the streets, the plague etc. You really could picture yourself in that time walking through. The streets were so narrow!!
It's been so great travelling with one of my best and closest friends for the past 2-3 weeks. Whenever I travel with someone I'm always worried we will fight or annoy each other and it'll ruin our friendship. But Brendon and I have been interested in all the same stuff and if either of us have wanted some time to ourselves or to do something else that's been fine too. We've had one disagreement which consisted of me saying "I'm not stressed, stop telling me to calm down!" and then us both apologising. I've had such a fab time and am going to miss Brendon! But as people keep reminding me, I'll be home soon anyway.
Tomorrow I start a ten day tour and if I'm honest I'm slightly nervous due to it being the first one I've done alone since South America. Hopefully the people are nice :)
Love to all
Claire
Xoxox
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