On the second day we were at Edinburgh we did the bus tour. Thinks had moved on since the last time I did it which was when I was 17 with friends being drunk ans silly with sparklers! Tsk Tsk!
Now they have earphones and you can tune into different languages or listen to ‘Horrible histories’ which is for kids.. which of COURSE was the one I listened to!! 
Michael decided he wanted to sit down the front where there was a wind shield and he wanted to take the camera but was too excited and forgot to take many pics!!! Oh.. and missed the statue of Greyfriers Bobby!! haha Oh well!! (You might have read about Bobby or seen the film. He was the wee dog that when his master died he lay next to his grave for years allegedly!)
This is a pic of the back end of Edinburgh castle.
I forget about most of the tour ..they talked about Burke and Hare who were the Grave robbers to I think Robert knox.. (Actually I may remember the Robert knox thing from going to the Edinburgh dungeons!)
I think it’s good to know the history of a place. Personally I find it fun to know about a place I am visiting. Though a ladybird fell asleep on my arm for about 20 mins and I was distracted!!
Next we went to the Edinburgh dungeons which take you under the city and try to scare the living poop out of you. I spent most of my time cuddling Michael or holding his sweaty wee hands! It was a shame.. he was adamant he wasn’t going to be scared.. :/
We went on some boat thing.. I got locked in a cage.. there was a talking William Wallace head and loads of actors and things jumping out at you. I didn’t go on the ride at the end where you experience what it was like to be hanged because Michael dragged me off!! (Secretly glad about that!! )
It was really good and added some life into the history of the place. I would have liked to spend more time just exploring myself because there were things written on the wall that I wanted to read.. Again we were sort of herded along!! Totally fun though and I would recommend If you visit Edinburgh you go there..
Oh.. we went past the Scottish Parliament and the architecture was very weird.. I would show you but I don’t think Michael took a pic of it.. Off to google!!
I would like to know more about the history of where I stay now. I know there is history here and there is even a wee museum .. I don’t think it is dramatic as Edinburgh’s history tours ..actually I think it is all in wee room somewhere .. but I think knowing about the history of a place makes you a part of that history and feel like you belong somehow. It’s strange being Scottish because no matter where you go in Scotland you feel a part of the history and a bit misty eyed and proud..
I wonder if anyone else feels that?
xxLisa
Glad you had a great time. I loved Edinburgh!
My ancestry is Indian/Irish… born in New Zealnd and raised in Australia.
Strange I know! and I’m blonde blue eyed:)
I felt like you did when we went to Ireland.
Wow! An Indian/Irish New Zealander Aussie! A rare breed indeed!
I find it so interesting that we feel that way about our homeland. I think it’s because we fit into the history somehow.
I am half Roma so ..I sort of half fit in everywhere..or no-where depending on how you look at it.
You know the blonde hair might come from the naughty Vikings who came down to rape and Pillage.. I can’t remember if they found Ireland right enough.. but they landed about a 15/20 minute drive from here in a place called Largs..
Very happy you loved Edinburgh!! Your Koala pic is sweet.. I didn’t manage to get a pic of one this time as they were both sleeping behind a tree! lol I think they sleep for about 21 hours a day.. lazy buggers!!
xx
not exactly the vikings that found Ireland, but in the late bronze age I think Ireland was invaded by the Tuatha De Dannan, a tribe of Warriors speculated to come from what is northern Skandinavia, and they wielded weapons made from Iron. I looked into that a while ago, since my heritage is Irish and Swedish (lineages met in Now York in the 20s, after that, German and Bohemian were added, which is essentially where I live now)
Ahhh.. Thank you for telling me a little about your history!
xx
Edinburgh is my favourite place in the world! Well, tied with Venice maybe. I’ve been to the dungeons three times and each time they’ve been a bit different and just as fun. Here is my pic of the parliament from my latest trip if anyone is interested. It’s meant to look like a leaf from above and reflect the natural, wildlife style from the sides. Really it just comes off as nuts but charming – like most of Scotland! http://faykesby.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/the-scottish-parliament-weirdest-building-ever/
Thanks for the pic Fay!! Erm.. I have no idea why I hadn’t actually seen The Scottish Parliament on the news or something.. but I was shocked by how nuts it looks!!
lol
There is something charming about it though..you are right.. and because of my inherent (It seems) Scottish pride.. your comment about Scotland being ‘Nuts but charming’ made me beam!!
xxLisa
It’s cool inside as well – we didn’t do the full tour but did the free bits and it was interesting. The ceiling in the foyer is made to look like some old church with huge crosses on it – personally I think politics and religion should be separated but it was impressive architecture none the less. x
I wonder if the crosses were either Celtic crosses or the St Andrews Cross? Generally Scotland are against mixing religion and politics too. We are always the first out of the rest of the UK to be pro gay rights and there isn’t anything about God on our money or in our Laws like in the UK. …
xx
They looked like normal ones to me but there was nothing about them in the architectural displays. And tell me about it – we can’t get gay marriage because churches don’t want to marry us. Well, news flash – we don’t wanna get married in a church dumbass! Aside from anything else they’re just not stylish enough for us lol x
I hear you!!
I’m not sure how it’s actually going to work over here because the legislation is still to be drawn up.. but are we going to have to hold a minister at gunpoint to perform weddings between same sex partners? lol ..
It will be interesting to see how it goes.
Yes.. and we need to make churches much more stylish now that ‘teh gays’ have moved in over here!
hehe
xx
deffo, we’re all about the style baby!
I would have listened to the kids version as well. Anything made for a kid is made for me!! Must be all the years in education
Funny, when I was listening I was thinking that you would!! It really was brilliant! Very educational and Michael sat through a whole 1 hour bus tour enthralled!! Anything where a kid can sit on a tour quite happy to learn for an hour without being distracted is pretty awesome in my opinion.
Do you use ‘The horrible histories’ books where you teach?
My friends worked in a few schools where they had them in the school libraries. I think you would think they were great!!
xxLisa
I don’t, but I am going to check into it right now! Thanks for the tip!! I am always excited when someone tips me off to a new good book or two.
Me too! I bought another book recommended to me by someone from here just there!! I think that makes it ..hmm well over 5 anyway!! :/
Oh..I forgot to thank the person who recommended I get the walking meditation book as that arrived… I need to catch up!!
xx
I left out that mums great grandmother was Swiss.
Your take on the whole blue eyed/blonde hair thing was way more exciting. lol x
LMAO!! Yeah.. the Swiss are kinna known for the whole Blue eyes/blonde hair thing!!
.. but you need to get some crazed Scandinavian warriors into your family history or it’s just not worth telling! 
xx
Yay!! I knew you would enjoy the Dungeon
It was such fun (in a macabre kind of way!) I DID go on the ride at the end but it scared the cr*p out of me!!! I am so glad you had a good time. It’s interesting what you say about being Scottish. I am a Yorkshire lass born and bred but have always had an affinity with Scotland and wished I had been born here. I can’t tell you how many times I have cried on the way home from Scotland before we moved here!! Me = big honorary Scots lass/wuss 
Wow. Edinburgh is ONE scary place. Especially the dungeons or the vaults down there. Sure you get these guided tours with a lot of people alongside you. It’s practically a huge group , but creepy as hell
Oh not to forget , The Greyfriars Cemetery.
I know!! EEK!..Some guy dressed as some murderer or something was trying to force a women down into a torture chamber thing and she was freaking out and I said ‘ach.. I will do it’ .. I was in a brave mood! lol.. I think it would have been more scary if you just walked along without the tour guides!! I will need to visit again and do all the ghost tours and visit Greyfriers Cemetery too!! It’s crazy because I have been to Edinburgh so many times but never done anything touristy.. (well aside from visiting the zoo).. I loved the Dungeon.. when I go back, I will be sure to visit some more creepy places!!
xxLisa
I’ve heard the Cemetery is pretty crazy! Then again , a lot of Edinburgh is. Haha. I bet it’s worth it though. The whole experience
I’d sure love to go there someday. Definately on my list 
Fantastic!! I find it crazy too because I used to walk around the City and it is all up spiral stairs and built around cobbled hills.. You end up confused and knackered as opposed to Glasgow which is just one big square divided into streets!!