Fam 7's Travel Adventures

Category: Scotland

  • Edinburgh or Film Set?

    Sounds so cliche, but I feel like we are walking around a movie set in Edinburgh. It is amazing. Living around DC, our history goes back to around the late 1700s or early 1800s. Here, we are looking at the 1100s!

    The most amazing thing is they have preserved that look. No crazy high rises mixed in within the city. Streets are all cobblestone. Newer buildings are not ultra modern looking near the historic sites.

    I love the mix of history and nature. We hiked to Arthur’s Seat – or close to it for some of us! The views were breathtaking. Gudu has gone to Carlton Hill this morning while the rest of us have a leisurely morning. He sent pics of ruins set in beautiful green hills. Sorry to have missed it!

    To say Edinburgh is “quaint” is an understatement. People have been super nice and hospitable. Stores in the city area and malls shut down around 6 pm – imagine it lends to a good work life balance. I wonder how life is outside the tourist areas.

    I truly understand why people say Edinburgh is one of their favorite cities to visit.

    Pics from the past two days to follow.

  • A Brisk Hike on a Chilly morning

    Just after 8 am, we embarked on a hike up to King Arthur’s Seat, a magnificent vantage point offering 360-degree views of Edinburgh. We split up, with the guys taking a much steeper route that was a quick reminder that I have to work on my cardio in a big way. That was followed by a much easier descent and a nice brunch. We then toured the Holyrood palace.

  • Back in Time

    It feels like we took a Time Machine back to the 15th century but then you look around and see all the signs of modern life. So far, Edinburgh feels like an odd juxtaposition, with centuries-old castles and churches right next to modern bars and restaurants.

    Our hotel is within a few steep steps of the castle and right on the Royal Mile.
    Spectacular views of King Arthur’s Seat, where we will be hiking tomorrow.
    St. Giles Church. Incredible exterior and beautiful interior!
    I feel like something called The Ratho Murderer needs to be a six-part limited Netflix series.

  • And We’re Here

    Tough flight. We really missed the comfort of premium economy and I was bummed that there wasn’t complimentary prosecco and a hot towel but whatevs. I think it should be standard on any international flights lasting more than four hours.

    It’s a beautiful day in Edinburgh. Not the rainy, grey weather it’s known for, so we’ll take it.

    Okay. I gotta crawl under my seat to find a missing AirPod! More soon.

  • Wheels Up!

    We’ll say hi from Edinburgh!

  • Here We Go Again…

    Except this time it’s a bunch of empty nesters going to Scotland and Ireland.

    The original intent was to go to the Steelers-Vikings game in Dublin but sticker shock quickly set us straight. And then we thought, “why don’t we just go to Dublin and watch the game at a Steelers pub and experience everything else?”

    And then double sticker shock set in with hotels booked solid and hella expensive, so we switched. itineraries and are hitting Edinburgh first and then Dublin once the football crowd clears out.

    Thanks for following along as we check out the Scottish highlands, Inverness, King Arthur’s Seat, and so many other cool places.

    More to come…

    -G