17 February

Holy Grail 'Again!'

A few days have passed since we updated the blog. This is probably attributable to the easy-going nature of our lives at the moment. Our comfortable and well-appointed Edinburgh apartment is a few minutes' walk from the Royal Mile and the Grassmarket, so we don't have to work too hard to get about and see the sights of the city. A few days back, we were complaining that we were disappointed not be experiencing some good 'harsh' Scottish winter weather. Well, it's only gotten worse! Today and yesterday were positively summery for this part of the world. Today we had lunch in the beer garden of the local at Roslin. Sun beating down. Daffodils and other bulbs were shooting in the gardens. True, early spring weather.

We were in Roslin to visit the Rosslyn Chapel of Da Vinci Code fame. If we remember correctly, in the book, the final clue to the location of the Holy Grail was found here in this magnificent 500 year old chapel built by the St Clair family, who had historical connections with the Knights Templar.

In fact, we only came to see the old chapel. We know the Holy Grail is really enshrined in the Cathedral at Valencia,

Spain. We saw it!

Roslin was famous for another industry besides 'grail searching'. A walk through the local cemetery alerted us to the fact that Roslin was once home to the biggest gunpowder factory in Scotland. A smattering (poor choice of words?) of graves attest to the poor safety standards and high risk of working in such an industry. One family grave had three members who died in separate incidents at the gunpowder factory.

Being without personal transport has not been too limiting on us in Scotland. The rail and bus systems are extensive, frequent and reasonably priced. Yesterday, we jumped a regional train to Stirling to visit the Castle, stopping off in Linlithgow on the way back to visit its castle for good measure. Today, our trip to Roslin gave us a 90 minute, scenic, round trip of the Lothian and Midlothian districts in front row, top deck seats on a local bus. Bargain at AUD 5.60 each for the round trip.


14 February

Scottish winter?

In a way, we had been looking forward to some 'harsh Scottish' weather this week. For most of our trip, we've been extremely lucky with the weather. In five months, we can count truly rainy days on one hand (rain as opposed to overcast and dull!). So far, we think we've had only a couple of days when we didn't see some blue sky and it has been overwhelmingly sunny. And even when it did snow – in Spain of all places! - it only lasted for a day.

In one respect, Scotland has let us down! A few days before we arrived in Edinburgh, the whole of the UK was experiencing blizzard conditions. The past couple of days have been positively balmy at 8C plus. Silly as it may sound, this actually feels warm to us after our slow acclimatisation to the European winter!

“Disappointment” about the mild weather is about our only “complaint” about Edinburgh. Even though we haven't been here for more than 20 years, we have always liked this city. It is relatively small, full of history and well-preserved architecture and the people are easy-going, and friendly. Our apartment is five minutes' walk away from the Grassmarket area at the foot of Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile.

The city has a thousand stories. Just one should be told here to provide a feel of what the city has to offer.
Maggie Dickson was a poor fish hawker around the markets of 17th century Edinburgh. Young Maggie had been deserted by her husband, so she left Edinburgh, moving to the country. Stopping at an Inn, she worked for her board, fell in love with and then pregnant to, the son of the innkeeper and, returning to the city, she decided to keep her condition secret, not even telling the father. Somehow she managed to have the baby without anybody being any the wiser. Sadly, the child died within a few days, so Maggie decided to dispose of the body in the Tweed River. When it came to it, she couldn't bring herself to throw the body into the water, so she just left it at the river side. Eventually Maggie was found out when the baby's body was discovered. Convicted of the obscure crime of Not Declaring a Pregnancy, she was sentenced to death by hanging.

On the duly appointed day, she was taken to the gallows in the Grassmarket and the deed was done. Maggie's body was loaded in a coffin and placed on a cart, headed for the graveyard. On the way, the driver was startled to hear knocking from the coffin. Opening the it, he found Maggie very much alive! Given that she had obviously been saved by the will of God, she was set free. Maggie eventually married the father of her dead child and set herself up in a pub just metres from the Grassmarket gallows.

Her pub is there to this day. By legend, those facing Maggie's intended fate on the gallows were regularly taunted by Maggie from the front door of her pub. Locally she was, and still is, known as 'Half-hangit Maggie”


12 February

How “Bazaar”!

Leaving Istanbul today, we had another early start for the medium haul trip to London. Our driver was late (as usual) and the roads were very wet so it was a wet and, therefore, scary drive. But, having driven ourselves in some fairly hairy situations, we weren't as fazed as we would have been 5 months ago.

Istanbul was great, but not as exciting as it was first time round. We probably should have expected Istanbul to change, but not this much! After our attempt to find the old Istanbul on the Bosphorus ferry trip, we just gave up and went with the flow for a couple of days, playing tourist at the usual sights, Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar and the Turkish Military Museum, all great 'attractions' and definitely not to be missed. The Military Museum was new to us. It was huge, covering several hundred years of Ottoman and Turkish military history. Political correctness has not yet impacted on the Turkish Military. Old enemies and new are treated with disdain while all Turks who die in battle are Martyrs. Still, this was a great museum AND we had the whole place fairly much to ourselves.

After our long exploration of the glories of Turkish military victories (and defeats) we decided to use up the remainder of our transport passes by jumping the metro to an 'outer' suburb to see if there were any remnants of the 'old Istanbul' to be found there. Of course not! Suburban Istanbul has also 'grown-up'.

Now, through the magic of modern transport, we have flashed across Europe from East to West in time for lunch in London. Back in the familiar world that most Aussie tourists feel at home with, we are approaching the end of our odyssey, staying a night in the apartment of our cousin, Alys.

Tomorrow, off to Edinburgh.