birdienl | Trip to Edinburgh and surroundings

Here are some pictures of my recent trip to Edinburgh and Southern Scotland. Hope you enjoy my pictures and stories!

Day 1: Travelling. Didn't arrive in the Argyle Backpackers hostel until 11 o' clock and had to get into bed (in a strange room, with 5 strange people sleeping around me) in the dark. Luckily I brought my little reading light!

Day 2: Discovered Edinburgh through a wonderful free tour. Heard lots of stories and anekdotes about what happened during history in all the little nooks and crannies of the Old Town. Then visited Edinburgh Castle, beautifully situated on top of the high Castle Rock. Was rewarded with wonderful views of the city, the Firth of Forth and beyond.

Lang Stairs, leading from the lower to the upper parts of Edinburgh Castle.

Thistle Chapel in St. Giles cathedral, chapel of the Order of the Thistle, the highest order of chivalry in Scotland, of which Queen Elizabeth is the head.

Surprising, but swinging combination of Scottish and African music!

Day 3: Holyrood Palace, the official residence of the Royal Family in Scotland and has served as such since the 15th century. The current palace is largely from the 17th century.

Holyrood Abbey, next to the Palace. Founded in 1128 by king David I of Scotland, destroyed by a mob during the 16th century. Now it's a picturesque ruin, still showing the greatness that once was.

View from Arthur's Seat, the 251 meter high hill which stands at the edge of Edinburgh's city centre.

It was busy in Edinburgh, as the Edinburgh International Festival was ongoing. Here you see one part of it, the so-called Fringe festival, which filled this part of the Royal Mile with all sorts of street artists.

Day 4: This is... a bank. Yes really, the most beautiful bank I've ever seen! It was originally build as a Georgian city mansion.

Morray Place, one of the many beautiful streets and squares in the New Town, with recognizable Georgian and neoclassical architecture

View of Edinburgh from Carlton Hill, next to Castle Rock and Arthur's Seat the city's third largest hill.

Day 5: Stirling Castle, historically a very important castle, over which countless battles have been fought. The Palace you see on the picture was build from 1490 onwards and was part of the Stewart court.

The interior of the castle is decorated as it used to be in the Renecaissance period; rich, colourful and elaborate. Though I'm usually not fond of 're-decorated' castles, this one was very well done and the actors/guides told interesting stories.

Loch Lomond! The largest loch of Scotland and a stunning place. Unfortunately it was a bit rainy this day....

Day 6: St. Andrews, the city of Scotland's oldest university. This is the beautiful and peaceful square of St. Salvator college.

The beach at St. Andrews.

The ruins of St.Andrews cathedral, once the largest and most powerful church of Scotland. Though it was not directly ruined like many other abbeys in Great Brittain, the buildings fell into disuse after the Reformation and materials were taken away for building purposes.

Day 7: Rosslyn Chapel, famous for the part it plays in The Da Vinci Code, but a very special building with stunning masonry in its own right.

Day 8: Early Medieval Pictish art in the National Museum of Scotland. I love how realistically looking they are and still have a very typical style.

The holiday was followed by ascientific conference for my work, also in Edinburgh. On the last evening of the conference, we had a gala dinner and ceilidh (Scottish dance event) at the Grand Gallery in the National Museum of Scotland. It was awesome! A very special place, very nice food, lovely company and exciting music and dancing. A great end to a great trip!