Friday we left for Edinburgh, Scotland. We left early because it's about a 4 1/2 hour train ride from Nottingham, which isn't too bad because the countryside along the way is beautiful. I slept through most of it though. I was grateful when the train ride was over because it didn't make for a comfy sleep, and plus I was super excited to be back in Scotland. Hank and I had made hotel reservations with Shelly in a lovely place just off the Royal Mile. After settling in, we were off for lunch and a little wandering around the Royal Mile before the ghost tour that night. The Royal Mile is a stretch of road that goes from the Edinburgh Castle downhill to Holyrood Palace and has tons of shopping. Hank ended up at Saint Giles Church and I wandered the shops. There so many shops along Royal Mile...its wonderful! Last time I was in Scotland I spent a bit of time (and $$) here, and this trip was no different.
In the evening we met up with the group for a Ghost Tour. The tour took us underground to Mary Kings Close. The Royal Mile is actually built on top of what used to be housing buildings that stretched as high as 14 stories. Underground, we could see the old houses and closes (narrow alley passages) that were once inhabited by the people of Edinburgh. Some of the homes were no bigger than a 15 x 15 ft space and would be home to as many as 12 people...all with one bucket for waste. The sewage was allowed to be dumped out into the street twice a day. Our guide said that there would have been about 1 inch of human waste on the streets at all times. Imagine walking down the street and having a bucket of nastiness fall on your head!!! Gross. I can't wait to tell the kids at work about that one.
I was expecting Edinburgh to be chilly, but it was freezing outside. Quite the change from Paris. I loved the weather and wore about 5 layers to keep myself warm. Luckily, I brought my gloves with me!
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