Once at the hostel we found this brochure introducing a FREE city tour in Edinburgh. Since it's free and it seems quite entertaining we decided to go to this 3h tour (tips required) at 11am. Pictures (and story) below are taken during the tour:
Oldest building in Edinburgh
Can you guess that this building is actually 13 storey high???!!! The poorer you are the higher you live, seems to be the opposite nowadays. I wonder how the pple in the past can climb up 13 storeys daily...hmm...must have steel for legs
First Cathedral in Edinburgh.
I forgotten the story but it seems like this was the only cathedral at that time since most Scots are Protestants. Apparently one King tried to impose the Catholic faith upon the Scots only to have them rebelled against it...Some many Scots were killed for protecting their faith.
The first prison in Edinburgh was once here, housing some of the worst criminals in history. It was a custom to spit on these criminals before they were prosecuted. After it was torn down, they used a Heart to indicate what was here before. So there's a local joke on how to identify locals vs tourists.
One way was that locals will go about their usual business when the one o'clock gun sound, while tourists will be shocked, the other is that locals spit on the heart or avoid walking on it while tourists walk all over it without noticing
Writer's close (A free tiny musuem housing the story of several Scottish writers)
Edinburgh Castle
This was supposed to be a must see when in Edinburg but if you can see the queue of pple standing at the entrance...No amount to waiting is justifiable to just take a chance to look at the scottish crown jewel.
Greyfriar Graveyard
Here's an interesting tale about a dog's loyalty to his master. The story goes that there used to be this policeman who will patrol around the city with his dog, Bobby. One day he was killed on the job and was buried at the Greyfrair and his faithful dog kept wait at his grave till his own death. People to commemorate the dog placed his grave near his master outside the grave yard and put up a statue. So now people from all over the world will visit this graveyard to see this wonderful dog.
Monument of Bobby (the very loyal dog) outside of Greyfriar Graveyard, near to the grave of its beloved owner
Sir Walter Scot Monument
Sir Walter Scot one of the most famous Scottish writer during the Victorian times. Apparently, it was through his works whereby Scottish culture saw a revival from its boycott since the revolt. Suddenly it became fashionable to wear plaid and blow bagpipes. AND...horrors of all horrors, there was actually no such thing as a family colored plaid. It was all an invention of fashion. Hmm....but guess nobody cares for such truth. =P
Dolly the Sheep (in Edinburgh Museum)
This is the REAL dolly, the first cloned anything....Haha..not that we will be able to spot any differences in two un-cloned sheep...Please, they all look the same, don't they? Mutton is mutton.
Edinburgh Museum (inside)
Arther's Seat, the highest point in Edinburg (which we didn't attempt to climb... heng ah!!)
Edinburgh Train Station
After one night in Edinburgh, we woke up early next morning to head to Inverness. Edinburgh is truly very pretty if not very ancient. Yet, it's vibrant and yet full of tradition. There are so many things to see and explore, wished we had more time here.
