6:23
Awake with a slight headache from just one large glass of wine. So freakin’ ridiculous. I never had a headache from one glass of wine before.
It is too early to do anything productive. I could go for a walk or write, but my headache spoils even the thought of it. I will just try and sleep some more.
Awake with a slight headache from just one large glass of wine. So freakin’ ridiculous. I never had a headache from one glass of wine before.
It is too early to do anything productive. I could go for a walk or write, but my headache spoils even the thought of it. I will just try and sleep some more.
Hovering between being awake and sleep. At least that’s what I think. When I bother to open my eyes to check the time, it’s 8:59.
Still wearing my headache, I hurry to get dressed to make it to breakfast at the Heights Restaurant on time. The castle is in the gleaming morning light. That’s where I’ll be heading when I have eaten enough to justify the £9.50 for the continental breakfast.
I order coffee and toast, but after returning from the ample cereals & juice counter, neither toast nor coffee have arrived. Yes, it is peak time and I wonder if it is really necessary for the Spanish waitress to chat with Spanish guests for a whopping 15 minutes. I perfectly appreciate customer service and feeling obliged to exchange experiences of a foreign country with people of one’s own nationality, but that is very inconsiderate behavior. Her colleagues seem to think along the same lines, judging from their looks on their faces as they run around to make sure that they deliver orders to the guests.
I order coffee and toast, but after returning from the ample cereals & juice counter, neither toast nor coffee have arrived. Yes, it is peak time and I wonder if it is really necessary for the Spanish waitress to chat with Spanish guests for a whopping 15 minutes. I perfectly appreciate customer service and feeling obliged to exchange experiences of a foreign country with people of one’s own nationality, but that is very inconsiderate behavior. Her colleagues seem to think along the same lines, judging from their looks on their faces as they run around to make sure that they deliver orders to the guests.
I ask another waiter for the coffee. I need it to make my aspirin work faster. 5 minutes later, coffee and toast arrive. Can I recommend the breakfast? Aye! Lovely little croissants and tiny delicious cinnamon swirls. Stay away from the cute little rolls though. I think they are for the horses… not sure which horses because I have not seen any. The knife was not able to cut through the rolls and the only way for me to eat one, was to tear them into tiny chunks and to chew… a lot.
Onto that solid breakfast base, I pop an Aspirin. Then I go back to my room to pick up my reserved ticket for the castle and I am off to start the day in earnest.
10:10
At Edinburgh Castle now. Fokkin' hell – masses of people are heading towards the gates. I dodge the queue because I already have the ticket. The weather is amazing and the castle is quite nice. The views are simply stunning, especially on a day like this. Just make sure you book your ticket in advance, if you can.
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| Edinburgh Castle |
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| Edinburgh Castle ready for the Tattoo |
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| View from Edinburgh Castle |
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| Edinburgh from Mills Mount |
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| Tattoo stands looking remarkably like a Quidditch pitch |
13:00
Edinburgh Castle: tick.
Time to buy the T-Shirt souvenir for my sister. One of the shirts I saw yesterday is still on my mind, so it is worth buying. Then I am off to the Museum on the Mound. It’s free, so it would be a shame to skip it. (Thinking like a true Scot here!)
I see what a million pounds look like. It does not look like much. It’s about 90 kg worth of £20 notes.
Time to buy the T-Shirt souvenir for my sister. One of the shirts I saw yesterday is still on my mind, so it is worth buying. Then I am off to the Museum on the Mound. It’s free, so it would be a shame to skip it. (Thinking like a true Scot here!)
I see what a million pounds look like. It does not look like much. It’s about 90 kg worth of £20 notes.
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| 1 million pound in 20 pound notes |
After this, it’s time to have some food. I was tempted by the Maison Bleue, but after reading their menu, I decide to pass. It is not mundane enough for my appetite. So I am heading down to Grassmarket to have lunch at Gennaro.
The Penne with Broccoli and Mushrooms and a Lemonade catch my eye. The - rather cute - waiter tempts me into ordering a desert: Panna Cotta and an Espresso. The Panna Cotta is a bit of a letdown, but the Penne is a dream. The bill comes up to £18.70. A perfectly reasonable price, considering that I am smack-dead in the middle of a touristy place during high season.
The Penne with Broccoli and Mushrooms and a Lemonade catch my eye. The - rather cute - waiter tempts me into ordering a desert: Panna Cotta and an Espresso. The Panna Cotta is a bit of a letdown, but the Penne is a dream. The bill comes up to £18.70. A perfectly reasonable price, considering that I am smack-dead in the middle of a touristy place during high season.
14:30
I feel like swimming again. While everyone else is out and about, jostling through the crowds of fellow tourists, I am relaxing in the pool. Alone. Watching them sweat and bustle through the square. Idiots! It is much nicer here. I try the sauna, but it is too hot. Cheekily, I use 3 towels, rest on the lounger and look at the castle until I am bored. Time to go back to my room to take a shower. Then it is time to relax some more on the bed.
18:00
Time to go out and do something. Not sure what yet.
Time to go out and do something. Not sure what yet.
20:15
Ended up doing the free Burke and Hare tour, after roaming the streets for half an hour. The tour was ok. Then I decide to go stingy after spending an awful lot of money on little luxuries like dinners and breakfasts in the posh restaurant. I head to the Tesco around the corner to grab a small pasta salad, a bag of crisps, apple juice and 2 of my 5 a day in the form of melon, mango and blueberries medley. That meal cost me £4.05. Pretty cheap compared to yesterday. And less headache-inducing too, I hope. Time to go back to the hotel room. I turn on the 40” TV and end up watching Top Gear while having dinner. Top Gear is as much fun as usual and today’s dinner, while being anything but fancy, has left me quite full.
22:00
After several longer evenings, I really want to go to sleep at my usual bed-time. Time for ablutions. Hopefully the sandman will make a quick appearance.
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