Day 1: Friday
Our train departed Leeds at around 8 on Friday evening and it took about 3 and half hours to get to Edinburgh. Chris, Mitch, Emma and Anastasia joined me on this trip and we met up with Evan, Josh and Kayt who went up on Thursday, Laura (Emma's friend from Sydney) and Ian, (Chris's Calgarian friend). The first thing I noticed about the hostel was from the Doorstep you looked up and could see Edinburgh castle and at this point I could just tell Edinburgh was going to be amazing. The hostel was called Castle Rock and it has the best character. For starters, as you make your way through the reception they have to let you through what appears to be a castle gate, the walls are all painted with a medieval patterns and such and all the rooms are themed. We dumped our crap and went to Deacon Brodie's Bar.
Day 2: Saturday
Stop number 1 was Edinburgh Castle. After breakfast we walked across the road, up some stairs and we were there. A short tour of the place took us to the Governor's House, St Margaret's Chapel (built in the 13th Century), The Scottish War Memorial (inside which we were shushed), 
prison's of war, and saw a really expensive hat the queen never seems to wear. We also tried this Scottish whiskey that tasted like honey, mmmm.
prison's of war, and saw a really expensive hat the queen never seems to wear. We also tried this Scottish whiskey that tasted like honey, mmmm.After the castle we commenced our free walking tour. Now don't be fooled, when I say 'free' I don't mean it was a Peter Durbin walking tour of the city, we actually had a guide - Ronnie - who told us about some of the history of the places we saw. Places included St Giles Cathedral, Greyfriars Kirk and Greyfriars Bobby. Greyfriars Bobby is this cute story about a dog who sat on his masters grave for 14 years, and for his loyalty was given free reign over the city and was given the right to vote before women were. We were also shown the cafe JK wrote Harry Potter in (and sat at her window earlier that day), grassmarket and the Princes Street Gardens where we were told this amazing story about when four Scottish university students stole the Scottish Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey in the 1950's. They were not charged because the English knew that in a court of law they could not prove ownership (Lawyered!).
I think the highlight of the tour, however, was nothing that Ronnie could have ever provided. There is this heart in the pavement on the site where hundreds of years ago taxes were collected by the English where the Scottish would spit in disgust as they paid their taxes. It is now the only place in Edinburgh (probably Scotland) where it is legal to spit. While Ronnie was telling us this, two 'strangers' walked by and spat in anger on the heart leading Ronnie to say "ah, locals". These strangers of course were Evan and Josh who did the tour the day before. This moment will be hard to top.
That night the same company took us on a pub crawl, showed us a few of the pubs and clubs around the town and went to bed ready to start day 3.
Day 3: Sunday
Sunday was the day I realised I was actually quite sick with a really bad cold: perfect for climbing Arthur's Seat. Arthur's Seat is this big hill (251 metres high) just out of the city centre which gives a panoramic view of downtown Edinburgh. We walked up it with somewhat ease, but 
the way down proved a little more difficult. Now why would you take the easy way down when there's a perfectly good cliff just begging us to scale it. Now for me, I thought it was quite fun and challenging, for Emma and Anastasia though - who were wearing heeled gumboots and Ugg boots - merely thought it was challenging.
the way down proved a little more difficult. Now why would you take the easy way down when there's a perfectly good cliff just begging us to scale it. Now for me, I thought it was quite fun and challenging, for Emma and Anastasia though - who were wearing heeled gumboots and Ugg boots - merely thought it was challenging. After our little adventure Chris, Ian and I walked to the end of the Royal Mile to see The Palace of Holyroodhouse; where the Queen stays once a year. (Sidebar: I just wikipedia'd this to get the name right. I quote the article: "[The queen] then continues to Balmoral Castle for her annual two-month summer holiday". Summer holiday?? Now correct me if I'm wrong but is the queen's life not just one constant holiday? We then rendezvoused with the others at the Scottish National Museum, but by this stage I was just too wrecked to learn.
By now I could see my little Scottish adventure was nearing it's completion. Before tea I walked the girls to the station as I needed to change over my ticket to Monday morning instead of night (long story). We found a really cheap restaurant for dinner and I hit the sack at about 10:30 while those left over watched the Canada - US Olympic ice hockey match.
Day 4: Monday
I went home.
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