Castle traipsin'

The week, it is over. Or, at least, my whirlwind week in which my youngest sister flew across the pond to visit me here in Edinburgh before we popped down to London for all of about 48 hours. It was maaarvelous! Exhausting, of course, but time simply disappeared and we had so much fun checking out my regular haunts and new places too.

One of the things we did, that I had been meaning to do for some time, was catch the bus to see Craigmillar Castle. It's within the city limits of Edinburgh so there's hardly an excuse to not go, and we were not disappointed! It was a veeeerrry windy day so on a couple of occasions we were feeling a little... precarious on the parapet. It was difficult to hold cameras straight, let along keep hair whipping in front of the lenses! But it was so fun to climb around seemingly endless stairwells and along countless levels -- it's amazing to imagine what the place must have been like when it had its original floors... a veritable maze.

Hope you're all enjoying a happy weekend. I'll get a few more photos up from the rest of our trip (I didn't take too many photos, so the posts are brief, but it's something!)... Soon! :D

Cheers!
Kate xx

 P.S. Check out that jet stream Saltire-in-the-sky in the first photo! Couldn't have coordinated my sister's welcome to Scotland any better than that... ;)

Just off the Mile

There's a court outside my window that tour guides like to take their groups through because it's quiet, but also because it's a little bit off the beaten path. That sounds weird when you think about it being in the center of the city, mere steps from the Royal Mile, which is apparently the most-visited part of Scotland annually. But what the tour guides say is true: people don't step off the Royal Mile very often. There are numerous closes (narrow walkways) with winding, zig-zaggy steps, steep walks, cobbled alleys, courtyards and historic houses and museums back there -- and most people walk right on by! All the souvenir shops don't do any favors: their signs often out-shine the smaller ones that denote the passageways or historic plaques, but that's all the more reason to, as a visitor, keep an eye out for the less obvious things. It's what's not in-your-face all the time that is often the most interesting.

So, case in point, a couple of courtyards just off Lawnmarket and literally feet from my flat. In one of these photos you can actually see my flat window, but I'll be secretive and let you guess which one it might be. ;) I was spurred to take these photos because I've noticed recently that a popular photo was going around on Pinterest that someone had captioned 'hidden alleyways of London' or something general like that. It was clearly Edinburgh, and I know because I can see it out my window. So I decided to use that as the inspiration for this blog post, which is just pretty pictures of this wonderful courtyard pair of connecting courtyards and the stunning, very Scottish architecture. So... enjoy!





Cheers,
Kate xx

Final Days: The Kiss

Just a quick mention that Rodin's The Kiss, which has been at the National Gallery of Scotland since last February is only here for another week! If you happen to be in Edinburgh, you might just want to make sure you take advantage of getting to see one of the world's most famous sculptures--for free! It's on view through 2 February.

Cheers,
Kate xx

To and fro

Just a few snaps from my walk home the other day around Princes Street Gardens, where is the grass looking a little rough after they removed the Christmas tree maze! And it was a little rainy, but this little stretch near the National Gallery of Scotland is one of my favorites. There really are moments when I have to remind myself that stopping for a moment to take in the view, even though I see it almost every day, is worth every second.

The last couple of weeks have been insane with meetings, internship, classes and extra classwork. It was the opposite of last term, where everything got off to a very mild start. So much is happening this term that I'm trying to get a grasp of everything going on and everything that I have to do. I don't want to get so wrapped up in being busy that I can't enjoy being here!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! :)

Cheers,
Kate xx

The People's Story of Edinburgh

Can someone please find me a copy of 'McDougall's Cookery Book?' Thanks a mil!

The above photo actually does a decent job disguising the fact that The People's Story Museum in Edinburgh is full of mannequins in period dress. Throughout the whole thing... it's kind of creepy actually, especially in the first floor exhibition room where a policewoman stands guard in the center of everything. When there aren't any other real-life people around, it's sort of startles you over and over again to turn around and see expectant faces that aren't even alive.

But seriously, what is a local or regional history museum without a little weirdness? That's the joy of some of these small museums.. they are strange. And in a super good way. There's so much on display, it would take hours to look through every little thing, and read every little plaque. To my mind, that's not really the idea. Visitors generally pick out the cases they like best, perhaps read the first paragraph of an information board, and move on to the next thing. But it's all there, and if you want to see artifacts of a bygone (sometimes recently bygone) Edinburgh, this is surely a place to get a glimpse of some of the people and things one would have seen everyday in the city. From fishwives to Scotmid horse-drawn milk delivery carts (they were used until 1985!), Women's Suffrage to the 'demon drink,' bits and pieces of the past are on display.

It was a truly windy winter day, though the sky was blue and sun was shining... it was wonderful to step inside this historic building, the Canongate Tolbooth. Edinburgh and Canongate were, several hundred years ago, two separate burghs. 'Burgh' is a Scots word, and means it was an official town, which in the Middle Ages usually had a kirk (church), a castle and/or a city wall, and was a place for trade (denoted by the mercat, or market cross).

Canongate was originally associated with Holyrood Abbey, which sat on the far eastern end of the Royal Mile, the ruins of which are still attached to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Tolbooths were the courthouses, jails and town halls of the burghs, and sometimes they incorporated schools as well, but they hardly exist anymore today, at least in their original form. The Canongate Tolbooth was built in 1591, but the way it looks today is due to a major restoration and remodel undertaken in 1875. The restoration was meant to give the building an appearance more closely related to how it may have looked when it was built, based on this awesome map from 1647 by Gordon of Rothiemay (it's zoomable, and so rad).

So there's your Edinburgh history lesson (and a few Scots words to take with you)! On that note, I'm so grateful to have taken a Scottish architecture course during my studies here because it has made my stay here so much more interesting.

And, hey, it's Christmas Eve! I've got a couple of quiet days ahead with plenty of reading, perhaps a Christmas movie (or two or three) and lots of tea, cookies, and some fresh-out-of-the-oven homemade salmon cakes. I'd rather be with my family, but this holiday could be far worse!

Best holiday wishes to you and yours -- Merry Christmas!!

Cheers,
Kate xx

A winter walk: Edinburgh Castle

PICTURES!!!

Haha. It's been a little while, but I've finally managed to get through the photos of Edinburgh Castle that I took during the weekend of St. Andrew's Day when Historic Scotland opened a number of its major destinations free for the day. Still had to secure one of a limited number of tickets, but it was totally worth it to not have to pay the (to my mind) ridiculous cost to get in. Not to mention they always charge you more for coffee and things once you're in!

Anyway. Let's rewind and not be so cynical. It was a gorgeous visit. You get an idea of what the light is like here right now... the photo above was taken around 10am and the sun is very low in the sky. The truth is, the sun stays really low in the sky all day, and sets around 3:30. It makes for some pretty contrasty photos, which is my only real complaint about it on this day in particular! Otherwise it was gorgeous and clear so therefore faaaabulous for view-from-the-castle shots!! I think I took far more of those than I did of the castle itself.

Edinburgh Castle is a working military garrison, but it also houses a couple of small museums and memorials as well as the Great Hall, the royal chambers and St. Margaret's Chapel, which is the oldest building in the castle, built in the 12th century. Of course it abounds with cafes and souvenir shops as well, but you can hardly avoid those.

Anyway. It was so nice to finally visit the place, because since it's literally only a block away, I had no real excuse for not getting there until now, other than the cost... But I'll be honest, of course I would have paid to go see it anyway. Ya just gotta, y'know?



In other news, the term is officially over. I've still got an essay to work on over the break (and would be smart to work on another additionally, but I'm not feeling too smart right now apparently), but it's so very nice to not have to go to class or meetings or seminars right now. I'm headed to London in just a little less than a week, and shortly after that... it's homeward bound to Wisconsin for about a week and a  half! Looking forward to seeing some loved ones and hugging my cat and going to a coffee shop where the baristas and half the customers know my name. OH and of course my very pregnant sister, whose little bun I'm hoping will arrive while I'm home. Here's to little niece or nephew arriving a few days early!

So much to look forward to!

Anyway. I've been sucked helplessly into the thrall of season three of Game of Thrones, which I'm only finally catching up on. Drinking a ton of tea, enjoying some free time, hanging out in coffee shops, and actually hoping a little bit of snow will come eventually. I mean, did I just say that? I see all the Christmas decorations, but it was 52 degrees here today. What do you make of that, Wisconsin?

Edinburgh Christmas from the castle:



And a really wonderful video that's been making the rounds here in town, of Edinburgh Christmas and the Star Flyer that I seriously have to get on soon:


Floating over Edinburgh from Mo Thomson on Vimeo.

Cheers!
Kate x

St. Andrews Day Weekend: Hello, Holyrood!

Yesterday (30 November) was St. Andrew's Day... St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland for anyone not thinking about this as much as I am. ;) All weekend there were events in celebration of the feast of St. Andrew, including open doors to many historic buildings, music events and family outings. Holyrood Palace (or the Palace of Holyroodhouse if we're getting all official) was among the featured places and on Saturday I popped down to the opposite end of the Royal Mile to take advantage of free admission. Something to keep in mind if you're ever around on St. Andrews Day... it's a massive savings.

It was a cold but sunny day. Photography wasn't allowed inside the palace for conservation reasons, but it was fancy. That pretty much goes without saying. Actually, my favorite part was outside anyway, so of course I took copious photos: the ruins of Holyrood Abbey. Mostly standing roofless is the church and behind it are conserved outlines of the abbey sunk in the grass. I'm sure the garden is a sight in the summertime but it was feeling pretty wintry yesterday!

The color of the stone was a beautiful mix of beige, tan and rose-colored rubble. Just love it. Some of the decoration is totally top-notch. The church was in use until the 17th century and was a ruin by the 18th century, but the abbey was first established by David I in 1128.

1128!! That's old. Alas, it's not there anymore, and would be ever so much more impressive if it was. ;) Haha.







One thing I've learned during my time interning for the National Trust (who incidentally has nothing to do with this property, but just saying) is that masons commonly marked their work to identify themselves, sometimes marking specific chisel mark patterns in order to keep track of their work over a period of time. Apparently to get paid for what they did, it could be kept track of this way. In some places I've found this very obviously and in other places not, but I just love finding a mason's mark in a stone. I just assume they're original if they don't look fresh and enjoy the moment when a stone wall can become a personal work with a statement, one that says, "I made this."

Also, I want to know how to get this job:



Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend! Post coming soon about the other visit I finally made this weekend... ;D

Cheers!
Kate x