Auld Reekie! Here I come.

(Psst...you'll also find me at http://writingwranglersandwarriors.wordpress.com/ 
today (sat 15th June) talking about being adventurous!)  

Auld Reekie?

Where's that you might say? Auld Reekie is a nickname for the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and I'm off there for another visit tomorrow. I've popped down from Aberdeenshire for the 300 mile round trip 3 times since the end of March and I would squeeze in a lot more if I had time and money! Coming from Glasgow on the west coast as opposed to Edinburgh on the east coast I'm traditionally supposed to dislike the capital city. Sadly, I'm a failure in that respect since I love Edinburgh.

It's a fantastic place if you've never visited and has so many different tourist traps to lure you in. Personally, I'm a real sucker for tourist venues- some of which I like for purely entertainment value, and others for their real history or educative value.

Wikimedia - Mary King's Close

My trip this time is very short and the only new tourist venue I expect to sample will be 'Mary King's Close' a trip into the depths below the famous Royal Mile to rooms and streets that had been unavailble for hundreds of years - simply blocked up and awaiting excavation.  Mary King was an unusual woman, so notable that a street was named after her in 1630. The area subsequently became entombed when changes were made to the streets and buildings in the surrounding environs. Only in recent decades did archaeological excavations reveal what had been hidden beneath for centuries.

I'll know a lot more about it after my visit so I'll say no more just now but if you're inclined there's more information at this URL:

http://www.realmarykingsclose.com/

I am, of course, going to sample the pubs of The Royal Mile which to me is not doing touristy things but definitely is to other visitors. The Royal Mile is incredibly touristy but from an architectural point of view I could spend all day tramping up and down its extremely ancient cobble stones just admiring the buildings.

Eating out in Edinburgh is so easy- so many great venues to choose from. The evening venue is one I've not yet been to but the cocktails on offer sound just up my street!
(psst... The Living Room might be its name)

But why am I going?

I'm extremely excited to be meeting up with more than a dozen of my fellow Crooked Cat Publishing authors, along with Steph and Laurence - co-owners of Crooked Cat.

We're not all going to live in a 'little crooked house' but we are going to make a fine time of meeting up together.

There are heaps of wonderful things to do in Edinburgh that I've still to sample but that may happen soon...
Many places are free like some of the City of Edinburgh museums, and others can be visited at discount prices. If you're planning a visit to Edinburgh fit in as many places as you can - or you'll probably regret it later!

http://www.edinburgh.org/pass/attractions/

Don't miss out on popping in to the 'Oldest run pub in Scotland' called the 'Sheep Heid'. There has been a pub there since 1360...and the proprietor just happens to be my nephew who will extend a very hearty welcome to you! It's a fascinating little place and well worth the trip to Duddingston, a twenty minute taxi ride from the city centre around Holyrood Park.It's not really such a long distance away,  it's more that many of the Edinburgh streets are blocked off just now due to the installation of the new TRAM system, and diversions are in order.

Will I be seeing my nephew this visit? Most unlikely since he is having a wee holiday... in Portugal...but there will be another time to visit him.

I'll no doubt be updating on my jaunt sometime next week so...stay tuned.


Slainthe!