We are arrived late and in the dark but by day light it was clear this was going to an interesting morning. The center of Edinburgh has always been its castle. The “Royal Mile” today is a long street leading up to Castlehill. It is a series of shops, cafes, churches, hotels and pubs. Originally houses and commerce were located outside of the castle walls and the castle was the residence of royalty and for protection when attacked but little commerce took place in the actual castle.
The castle in Edinburgh , pronounced ed-in-bur-o, is on top of a hill. To the north you can see the river Forth that is an estuary of the North Sea which is about 25 miles to the east. Across the river you can see the kingdom of Fife which is where St. Andrews is located. To the east, west and south are rolling hills and pretty country side but there is a great view as you can tell from the pictures.
The castle was home to the great Kings and Queens of Scotland even before they were part of the United Kingdom. Mary, Queen of the Scots, had a son who was half British royalty, half Scottish royalty. When Queen Elizabeth died she left no heirs. A deal was made and James VI of Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots son, became James I, King of England. Interesting enough Queen Elizabeth heard that Mary was planning on an uprising and had Mary, Queen of Scots, beheaded. Even so, her son became King of the first time when Scots and England shared a kingdom.
Today, there is little love lost between the Scots and English although they get along ok. I think at some time in the future England will dissolve the United Kingdom (Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland) and allow them to be independent once again. The English feel like these small countries are using valuable resources (money) that could be used on England. For example when the Scottish and Welch banks needed bailing out it was England that had to step forward.
These are some pictures as we walk up the Royal Mile to the Edinburgh Castle.