For the past two days we have reveled in the beauty of Edinburgh, Scotland. We walked the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle high on the hill to The Palace of Holy Rude, home to the parliament of Scotland way down at the bottom of the hill. We moseyed along Princes Street with its varied shopping venues and saw the statues of the various authors and poets who have called Edinburgh home. The Scott Memorial is especially memorable because of its height and intricate stone work. We loved walking in the Princes Street Gardens with falling leaves in a golden hue and sunlight on a pleasant day.

We have found the people of Scotland extremely friendly and helpful. Occasionally, men in kilts would walk down the street and we could hear bagpipe music wafting through the air as we walked along.

We took a short train ride to Stirling, just north of Edinburgh, to experience this ancient capital of Scotland. Once again, it was up the hill to the castle and down the hill to the old town. While we did not see him, we read in the paper that Prince William was at Stirling Castle the day we were there. What, no tea and scones with the prince? If you are a fan of the movie, “Braveheart,” you would know Stirling because it was the center of the battles fought in the movie, and there is a magnificent monument just outside the city on a high hill honoring this national hero, William Wallace.

As is often true, more days in a certain place would be welcome, but the time we spent was wonderful. WEG