My last day here.

Tanya and the Royal Mile sign

Nikki and I decided to walk the Royal Mile and visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse - where the Queen lives when in Edinburgh.

A look at the street - and some of the shops (two photos)

The Royal Mile is from the Castle to the Palace and is basically just a street full of tourist shops - handy because I still hadn’t found the "Nessie" I wanted.

We started at the Castle and wandered down the mile, dawdling in and out of shops and buying shortbread etc.

Tanya's ticket

A brochure from the Palace, giving lots of details and information (four pages)

The Palace------ The Palace and surrounding hills

......and Tanya doing her 'royal wave'!!! (two photos)

The forecourt - here is a closer look and "I liked this" (two photos)

We got to the Palace and weren’t sure it was open but it was and we basically had the place to ourselves which was lovely.
We again had audio guides.

Click on the above pictures to go to
Mary Queen of Scots Home Page
This site includes numerous links to information about Queen Mary,
including a link to some of
Mary's Embroideries
which Tanya mentions below

The house is most famous I think for having Mary Queen of Scots live there - that was what they talked about most on the audio guides anyway.

Nikki and I wandered around together but not talking because we had our little earphones on.

The entrance hall with wonderful tapestries, the dining room where Lizzy has dinner and entertains when she has guests, the tea room with the lovely plush lounges, the banquet hall with portrait after portrait after portrait.

"The part of the Palace where Mary Queen of Scots lived"

Then it was into the oldest part of the castle where Mary Queen of Scots lived.

Mary's four-posted bed

There was an amazing really old piano, gorgeous four posted beds - the old furniture was just gorgeous.

There was a little tea room off Mary’s room where she was having tea with friends (one of them male) when her husband came in and dragged the bloke away and slashed the poor blokes throat while still clinging to Mary’s skirts - the sound effects on the audio guide really gave it life.

Then it was into the next room where there were “things” that Mary had owned or had done (there was some of her cross stitch there, Mum - it was so old)
There was jewellery and combs and that sort of thing.
It was really lovely.

Then Nikki pointed out a spot on the wall - there was a plaque down near the floor that said “In this place was left the body of (can’t remember) after being dragged from tea with Mary Queen of Scots and murdered"
It was a bit freaky to be standing there!

(three photos)---- (two photos)---- (two photos)

......and Tanya standing in the Abbey ruins (two photos)

We continued through and we out to the Abbey.
It was just ruins but I loved it.
I took so many photos - it was old and mossy and just gorgeous!!

"The new building opposite the old Castle"

We then made our way back up the Mile.

"My Highland Santa"

I had decided to go to a Christmas Shop (there were two on the street) and get a souvenir of my first White Christmas.
I loved the little decoration I finally picked - he is so cute…my Highland Santa!
This shop was just full of Christmas decorations - wall to wall - Mum would have loved the handcrafted ones and I could have stayed in there much longer.

Carrie and Tanya

I had to leave Nikki then because I had arranged to meet my friend Carrie for lunch.
I met her on the Monopoly Board Pub Crawl and we have been firm friends since.
She was in Edinburgh for Christmas and New Year.
We had a nice lunch and then walked to the hostel.

Oh, I finally found my Nessie too in one of the shops along the Mile!!

I had a bit of time before I had to catch the bus back to the airport so we went to the hostel and had hot chocolate and chatted some more until I had to go.

Back to the airport, back to London!!
Flight was definitely much better than the one over!!

And then I was back home ready for work on Wednesday.