After Orkney, I took the ferry and bus to Edinburgh where I met up with Uni friend from Australia. Together, we wandered around the Christmas Markets, went on a free walking nighttime Ghost Tour, and climbed Arthur's Seat, an ancient volcano.
We also explored the Castle which is immaculately kept and has history dating back to the Iron Age. I thought the Museum of the Royal Scots and the Royal Regiment of Scotland was very interesting. I also admired the delicate stained glass windows in the simple, quiet St Margarent's Chapel.
Afterwards, I went to extensive the National Museum of Scotland. It's free and has information on just about every aspect of human civilisation and the animal kingdom. There is also a section on technological advancements which I found very interesting. I saw Dolly the Sheep which was the mammal to be cloned from a cell, in 1996.
From Edinburgh, we took the train to Stirling, and climbed to the top of the The National Wallace Monument 1861-9. The iconic tower commemorates William Wallace who led the Scottish resistance against English rule. There was a spectacular view from the top as the sun was setting over the River Forth which was the setting for the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297.
Early the next morning, I went to the Castle and had the whole place to myself for about an hour! The fog was super thick and I was unable to see anything from the top, however, the inside was beautiful. The James V Palace from 1530 is stunning - having reopened in 2011, the Castle staff have done an excellent job restoring the rooms with furniture and wall-coverings. The exhibition and recreation of the Stirling Heads was fascinating. These are painted oak carvings that James V had commissioned in 1530 to decorate the ceiling. The people who feature are kings, queens, nobles, Roman emperors, biblical characters, and characters from Greek mythology.
I also really enjoyed the Museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders as well as seeing the Great Hall. Dating back to 1503, it is the largest medieval hall in Scotland and can host 500 people! To celebrate the baptism of Prince Henry (James VI's son) in 1594, they Hall had a fully-rigged 5m-long ship on display to serve fish made from sugar!
Notes:
- Irn Bru is Scotland's national drink after whisky. It's essentially a super sweet, orange soft drink that I saw absolutely everywhere!
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