off to the big city!

We took the train to Edinburgh today.  We had a very frank conversation the night before about my capabilities these days.  It was difficult for me to be so honest about my limitations, especially since she is so vibrant and full of energy.  She kept saying we needed a minimum of six hours in the city, or it wasn't worth the half hour train ride.  I didn't understand that logic and said that six hours in the city was really pushing my limitations.  Yes, I can force myself to do it, but I've learned that future Wendy will pay that price.  I even explained the Spoon Theory to both of them, over a few embarrassing tears.  I don't know why it should be so painful to explain how my body reacts to too much stimuli, but it was.  And I didn't want to hide anymore from one of my closest friends.  It appeared she didn't believe me, which hurt, but we both promised to compromise.  I would push myself, and she said she would be fine with leaving as soon as I needed to.

Before I continue, I want to express how utterly grateful I am that she is my friend and how much effort she and her husband put into making my trip easier and making me feel welcome.  She's not the bad guy here.  It's just another reminder that able-bodied people can't always comprehend what people who live with chronic disorders experience on the daily.  How much thought and planning we go through.  How much anxiety we have about 'ruining' things, if only for ourselves.  How we hate letting people down.  Enough whining, let's go explore the Royal Mile!

My first sight after climbing out of the train station was this eye-catching building.  We didn't go in because I had my most energy for the day and wanted to go walking.

She had been to Edinburgh numerous times with various visitors, so she knew the places to see, especially all of the Harry Potter attractions.  I realized my conversation the night before had put her a little on edge because she was carefully plotting shortcuts and such with her phone map.  I told her to put that away, and we would make the best of it.  She was also extremely stressed out about the train schedules.  Apparently they had been known to cancel later trains without warning and leave people stranded for hours because of ongoing strikes.  I cleared her of any responsibility for that and said I'd be fine taking the bus back as long as I could sleep on her shoulder if need be.  That appeared to relax her tremendously.

We first noticed that parts of the streets were barricaded off, and St. Giles Cathedral was closed to the public.  I saw a friendly-looking police officer standing guard and played up the dumb tourist bit and asked what was going on.  He explained the Order of the Thistle Ceremony and that Prince Charles was inside and due to come out any minute.  We missed the beginning and the crowds.  Not many people waited around for the exit, so we had front row seats to all the pomp and circumstance.  A London tourist was nearby and between the both of them, they explained in detail who everyone was and what they were doing.  It was nice having a running commentary. 

As an American, I'm not particularly enamored of their royalty, but it was still fun to see the hoopla.

Prince Charles

 Not sure why the Sea Lord wears spurs, but there you are.

Sea Lord in feathers and spurs

 

We also got to chat a bit with the highest ranking woman officer in Police Scotland, Fiona Taylor, when she came over to chat with our tour guide.  Do you see all of her medals??

 

After a bit, we went looking for a public restroom.  The easiest way to do that is to buy something at a local pub and use theirs.  My friend wanted to eat and walk, but I much preferred to rest and eat the steak pie there.

Various interesting photos.

Converted telephone booth into ATM

Edinburgh Castle in the background

A few blocks away we stumbled upon the Royal Band preparing to leave after they'd played at the Thistle Ceremony.  Of course we stopped to talk to them and take selfies.

We went through a few touristy Harry Potter shops, taking pics in witches hats and plague masks, before eventually getting back to St. Giles Cathedral, which was now open to the public again.  It was a beautiful place to rest and people watch.

Giant organ (hehe that's what she said)

surprisingly comfortable to chair from which to rest and people watch

We walked to the other end of the Royal Mile to Holyrood Palace, where the Queen was in residence, hence all the heightened security.  Across the street, in front of Parliament, there were a handful of peaceful pro-life protesters because the US Supreme Court Decision of Roe vs. Wade had just been overturned.

Holyrood Palace

We walked a bit more and came across an old cemetery.  I have no idea the significance or whom was buried there, but it was a beautiful sunny day, and it was quiet and lovely to lie back on the grass and rest and chat.

We slowly made our way back to the train station and had a bite and an adult beverage at a rooftop cafe with a stupendous view.  The grilled Scottish salmon was exquisite, and it was a perfect way to end this adventure.  We caught the rush hour train back home but still managed to find the last two seats.

grilled Scottish salmon in miso glaze

I volunteer as tribute

Because I wake up early every morning, I volunteered to walk down to the village and buy them fresh rolls.  I asked for specific directions the night before on how to get there and EXACTLY what to buy (the price, where in the shop it was located, etc.)  They even gave me some of their funny money in case my credit card didn't work.

I excitedly left the flat on a gorgeous crisp morning and headed to the little shop.  This is what met my gaze at 8:30am.

It reminded me of the bare shelves after a hurricane comes through my town.  I got up my courage and asked one of the workers there if they had the specific rolls my friends requested.  It was a comedy of errors because neither one of us could understand the other.  Finally I was pointed to this shelf, right next to the others.  I bought what they had just so I didn't come home empty-handed.

These were NOT the correct rolls, but fortunately I had photographic evidence that I tried.

 

For breakfast I was treated to my very own goose egg!

goose egg next to chicken eggs

I ate my goose egg and my slice of black pudding and was magnificently sated.

After breakfast, my friend and I walked out into the rain and caught the double-decker bus to see Dirleton Castle.  It was mostly closed for renovations, although the real story seems to be lots of places are short-staffed after Brexit.  They use the renovations line as a convenient excuse.  We toured the gardens, walked the grounds, chatted, and caught up on our lives.

We went across the street to have lunch at the Castle Inn.  They had really fun wallpaper inside.

fun wallpaper

We ordered lamb's liver and cullen skink -- and shared them both.  Much to my surprise, cullen skink is a soup that contains no actual skinks.

After lunch, we leisurely walked back along the John Muir Trail.

Stirling Castle

We did the tourist thing and toured Stirling Castle.  This is the Queen's room, where she didn't actually sleep.  Waste of a decorous bed in my opinion.

I didn't take a lot of photos here except some fun ones with my friend.  I finally got the dreich weather I was expecting in Scotland.  It was kind of fun to stand in a cool mist outside instead of the sweltering swamp of Florida summer.

For dinner, I had homemade chicken stuffed with black pudding, wrapped in bacon, in a black pudding sauce, with a side of homegrown leeks.  So delicious!

 

All About That Bass

or Bass (rhymes with ass) as the case may be.

We went on a lovely boat tour of Bass Rock and Craigleith.  It was another glorious (mostly) sunny day in Scotland and perfect boating conditions.  Something something largest nesting grounds of lots of birds.  Yeah, I really soaked in all that knowledge!  I was more interested in enjoying the experience and spending time with my dear friends.  I did retain the fact they're being hit by some version of avian flu, so their bird populations have decreased dramatically.  There were a few dead ones floating around us.  And dog owners were warned all up and down the beach not to let their dogs interact with the dead birds, as it was unknown if it would propagate across species.

Bass Rock

Puffins

 

Seacliff and whisky

Today was a recovery day.  Apparently I wasn't the only one with a hangover, although mine was a migraine hangover.  They ended the night before having Baby Guinness shots, which looked delicious, but I obviously declined.   I didn't want to send the migraine towards the projectile vomiting stage.  They were Kahlua shots with Bailey's floaters.  One day, I'll have to try replicating that.  Our designated driver declined also, don't worry.

We drove to Seacliff Beach and had an easy hike to the shore.  I say hike because some of those rocks were treacherous when wet (which they were), plus some strong winds again.  There was the cutest itty-bitty harbor which also seemed treacherous to get to by boat, but somehow captains manage to do it on the regular.

The opening is incredibly narrow.

The views were majestic as always.  I asked if they ever got tired of them, and they vehemently denied that it's possible as they're constantly shifting due to weather.

Then it was on to Tesco to procure groceries.   And more cheese.  Their regular cheese guy was running late with the delivery.  Mmmhmm, they have a regular cheese guy!

 

It was kind of fun to see such a large whisky selection in a grocery store.

new pants, new shoes, new dice?

I totally butchered that movie quote.  Get over it.

My friend decided I needed a proper vacation and scheduled a million things for me.  Okay, not a million, but for someone who has learned that it's best to do only one thing a day and chillax the rest of the day, it felt fun but overwhelming.

We had a lovely breakfast again, more black pudding.  Yum!

We left in the morning and hiked to the top of a hill (which any Floridian would call a mountain, just saying).  I was attired in my brand new hiking pants and hiking shoes bought specifically for this trip.  Both of which were great purchases in hindsight. My previous ones were last millennium's technology.  The new pants were stretchier, and the new shoes had just as much gription but way lighter.  I have since donated my previous two pair of hiking pants but haven't been able to get rid of my older two pair of boots yet.  Baby steps.

At the very top, there was a fun marker which I photographed at great personal risk in uncharacteristic gale force winds.  Apologies for not getting the whole thing in frame.  I was slightly scared I'd blow off the side of the mountain (hill).

The views from the top were spectacular.

When we got to the bottom, the view back up didn't look as impressive as the hike actually was because it's hard to get perspective.  There's a large whalebone sculpture at the top that maybe you can see if you zoom in.

We meandered back through town and made our way home for sustenance.  Then back out again to a different cliff overlooking a different beach.   It was all gorgeous.  Then back home again to change for a dinner party at their friends' house.  The food was exquisite (no photos because they were all my age and older and don't photograph their food like those young heathens do).   We had homemade salmon pâté, lamb shanks from Marks and Spencer (who knew they sold food?) cooked to perfection, homemade tiramisu with Malibu rum, followed by the ubiquitous cheese dish of so many cheeses who knew what they were anymore.  The drinks were plentiful, although I barely partook.  The conversation was interesting, at least that which I understood (that fucking accent).  However, after such a long day and strenuous physical activities (for me), it triggered a hefty migraine.

And back to my usual dilemma -- suck it up and pretend it's all fine or ruin their night and ask to cut it short.  Of course I did the former.  I used all of my techniques to not focus on the pain.  We got home around midnight, which might have been the only time I saw darkness.  They have long spans of daylight in the summer.