Last Friday, headed up to Scotland to spend a few days in Edinburgh. I'd been planning this trip for over a year, but had had to postpone it twice due to Covid restrictions.
(Of course I sent off my travel forms first, attached them to a white-tailed eagle. But since I addressed them to only one half of the Two-Headed Monster, it's likely they're somewhere in Loch Ness now, sigh.)
Nearly didn't make it up there at all. On Friday evening, Storm Arwen hit the north east of Britain, so Scotland promptly closed its east coast rail lines. Our train - meant to go directly to Edinburgh - stopped at Newcastle and refused to go any further. Railway officials warned that other lines might be closed too: "If your journey's not essential, go home!"
But I'd come too far to turn back. Instead I took another train to Carlisle, then another to Glasgow, then finally found one that took me to Edinburgh.
The next day, Mr Blue Sky turned up as if nothing had happened! Here he is visiting Edinburgh Castle.
Out and about in the Old Town:
When you're staying near a street like this one, you know the visit will be a success.
No Flowers in the Rain for Hughie, plainly.
Started my birthday with a visit to Scotland's first cat cafe, where I met some whiskery friends.
Then climbed up Arthur's Seat, all 250m of it. (This ancient volcano is the main peak of the group of hills near Edinburgh.)
Views from the summit.
Advice for us mountain climbers from the National Library of Scotland. (It was hosting an exhibition on female mountaineers called Petticoats And Pinnacles.)
This pretty place is called Dean Village.
The Water of Leith.
One afternoon, went on a personal quest. "Chariots Of Fire" is my favourite film, so I decided I'd like to see the gold and bronze Olympic medals the Scottish runner Eric Liddell won at the 1924 Olympics. (I'd read that his family had donated them to Edinburgh University, where Eric was a science student while training for the Games.)
The quest was somewhat complicated by the fact that no one appeared to know where the medals were kept!
I tried the Eric Liddell Centre, a community hub named after him - they didn't know. Then went to the main university library, who sent me over to the Visitor Centre. The Visitor Centre team weren't sure either, but advised me to try the university gym, which has a Hall of Fame.
Trekked over to the gym. Plenty of cups on display, but no gold medals!
Sat down to rest my weary feet, and told the receptionist of my search. She consulted her colleague Jamie... who went and fetched his co-worker Steve. And Steve turned out to be the one man in Edinburgh who knew where the medals were on display!
He walked over to the Old College building with me. And there they were in a glass case in the reception area.
Here I am, with my aching feet, looking up to the great man. And thinking privately: "All right for you, Eric - you only had to do 400 metres."
Good to finish on a win, though! As I'm sure Eric would have agreed!