“Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all” and The Edinburgh Military Tattoo

August 5th, 2019. 

After breakfast we walked to Greyfriers Bobby and visited the Kirkyard.

“Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all”

Over 160 years ago, a wee Skye Terrier was about to become the most famous dog in Scotland’s history. Greyfriars Bobby is a remarkable story, and a heart warming tale.

On 15th February 1858, in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, a local man named John Gray died of tuberculosis. Gray was better known as “Auld Jock”, and on his death he was buried in old Greyfriars Churchyard. Bobby, a wee Skye Terrier, belonged to John, who worked for the Edinburgh City Police as a night watchman, and the two of them had been virtually inseparable for approximately two years. 

Bobby led his master’s funeral procession to the grave at Greyfriars Cemetery, and later, when he tried to stay at the graveside, he was sent away by the caretaker. 

But the little dog returned and refused to leave, whatever the weather conditions. 

Despite the combined efforts of the keeper of the Kirkyard, Auld Jock’s family and some of the local people, Bobby refused to be enticed away from the grave for any length of time, and he touched the hearts of the local residents. 

Although dogs were not allowed in the graveyard, the people rallied round and built a shelter for Bobby and there he stayed, guarding Auld Jock.

Bobby was well cared for by the people of Edinburgh, but he still remained loyal to his master, and he continued to stay faithfully guarding Auld Jock’s grave for all those years, until he died on January 14th 1872, aged 16 years. 

Bobby was also buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard, just seventy five yards away from his masters grave. He has his very own red granite headstone, which was unveiled by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester CCVO, in 1981. 

“Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all”

From there we walked to the Waverly station to catch a Hop on Hop off bus for a spin about the city. The Green Bus has a live narration and it is rather good as the narrator can improvise and add to the story as needed along the route. 

Before boarding the bus we went to the Scott Memorial, rail station, and had a nice chat with a bus person at the stop. 

I really like Train Stations 

Dr Livingston I presume 

We did a full circle tour with the bus and then went to the Tattoo shop, so as to avoid any madness this evening. 

Then we walked back to Greyfriars and had lunch at the pub and got a small Bobby for the Adventures Club. 

Back to the hotel to start some packing before heading out again. 

We walked to the Museum of Childhood and I found it fascinating and interesting in many ways. The best overall thought I took away from this visit was that childhood and play are very important to our developmental individuals and society. 

One display case had some Golliwoggs (a racist symbol) on display. They also had a placard apologizing for having them there on display. Further they suggested to use this bit of the past to further discuss current feelings and how things may have or may not have changed.  

As the firing of the one o’clock gun sounded froAs the firing of the one o’clock gun sounded from As the firing of the one o’clock gun sounded from

Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo

The story begins almost seven decades ago and had humble beginnings. It was inspired by a simple show called 'Something About a Soldier' performed in 1949 at the Ross Bandstand. The bandstand is still there, on Princes Street Gardens just below the Castle. Lieutenant Colonel George Malcolm was the first Producer of The Edinburgh Tattoo. He aimed to bring the Army's contribution to the Edinburgh International Festival to life. The Tattoo has gone from a modest event in a park to today’s global showcase at the Castle.

This year the Tattoo will capture the imagination in Kaleidoscope. Exploring color, music and light, the 2019 Tattoo is inspired by the optical invention created by Scottish physicist Sir David Brewster in 1816.

For this evening we had chosen the Wallace Package. This started at the Scotch Whiskey Experience with a private tour of this facility followed by drinks, canapés, and a meet and greet with some of the performers. 

I will highly recommend the Scotch Whiskey Experience as a part of ones Edinburgh visit. Great information was presented in a most engaging fashion. Don’t miss it. 

Worlds Largest Scotch Collection

I enjoyed chatting with the performers. One was a Gurkha from Nepal, we chatted about his country, his unit and his role in the Tattoo. He is the Drum Major representing his unit. 

Another performer I chatted with was from Victoria BC and he is part of the Highland dancers. It was his third year at the Tattoo.  

From the Scotch Whiskey Experience, we were escorted to our seats. Our seats were in row J about the middle of the esplanade. Soon the performance started. 

I am finding it rather difficult to describe the Tattoo as it is much more than pipes and drums. There are performances from various military units and dance groups from around the world. There were bands from Germany, France, Trinidad and Tobago, Norway, New Zealand, and China. Each brought a bit of their country to the Tattoo.  

The theme this year is Kaleidoscope, and yes it was a mixture of music, color, dance, and light. The projections on the castle were great and they complimented each section of the performance. 

The finale includes all performers including the massed bands and is very stirring. 

A DVD and CD of the 2019 performance can be preordered and I am sure I will be ordering one. 

One thing I will suggest is if one wants souvenirs of the event,  go to the  the shop on Cockburn Street and make your purchases there to avoid the rush after the performance. We were happy and pleased with our choice of the Wallace Package and there are others available which include meals. 

It is a difficult event to photograph from the stands, for many reasons. 

All this said, I am so glad to have experienced the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo. 

If one can, they should plan at trip to see this amazing event. I would consider making this a day trip from London during the Festival and returning to Edinburgh during the off season to enjoy a wonderful city. 

Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, and Place of Holyroodhouse.

Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, and Place of Holyroodhouse. 8/4/2019

We started our day with breakfast at the Ibis Hotel as it is included with our room. We had pretty much a full Scotch breakfast. 

Haggis 

It has been raining and the forecast is for a bit more so rain gear was packed. Tomorrow night we will be attending the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and as a pre experience we have arranged for the Wallace Package. This starts at the Scottish Whiskey Experience and we wanted to time our walk to this location. It took only 15 min but the streets were empty, so tomorrow we will plan for the crowds. 

We then explored several little alleyways and streets in the rain. We found a coffee shop and stopped for coffee and a scone. 

We next made our way the Edinburgh Castle and started exploring with one of the offered tours. This was informative and good over view. 

Queen Mary 

Edinburgh Castle is one of the oldest fortified places in Europe. With a long rich history as a royal residence, military garrison, prison and fortress, it is alive with many exciting tales. Yes to many tales to share here, and such rich history, the Castle is not to be missed. 

Once we arrived at the top of the Castle hill,  we visited the Great Hall. The rich wood work and displays of armaments is worth the stop. One point of interest is the ceiling is the original ceiling from the 1500’s. 

Then there is the Scottish National War Memorial, first built to honor the Scottish fallen of WWI. It has since expanded to in all conflicts since WWI. This is very solemn moving memorial. I was moved when I found the line "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old" from the 1914 poem "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon, inscribed upon a wall therein.  

Next we visited the Scottish Crown Jewels. These have been described as the smallest collection of crown jewels in the UK. They simply consist of three items, a scepter, a sword, and a crown. The crown is of gold and the gold from which it is made is from Scotland. It is said this is all the gold in Scotland as there is not much to be found in Scotland. 

NOTE: There are two entrances to see the Scottish Crown Jewels. I highly recommend using the less direct door located on the side of the Royal Jewels Building. One climbs a set of stairs and there is an excellent exhibition about the Scottish Royals before you enter the Crown Jewels Room. 

Here you also find the The Stone of Destiny, which is an ancient symbol of Scotland’s monarchy, used for centuries in the inauguration of its kings. Seen as a sacred object, its earliest origins are now unknown.

In 1296, King Edward I of England seized the Stone from the Scots, and had it built into a new throne at Westminster. From then on, it was used in the coronation ceremonies of the monarchs of England and then Great Britain.

On Christmas Day 1950, four Scottish students removed the Stone from Westminster Abbey in London. Three months later it turned up 500 miles away – at the high altar of Arbroath Abbey.

In 1996, the Stone was officially returned to Scotland. Today, it is one of the priceless treasures on display in the Crown Room, visited by millions of people each year. The stone will only leave Scotland again for a coronation in Westminster Abbey.

We visited St Margaret's Chapel. 

Scotland’s royal family once knelt to worship in this serene private chapel. Today, the doors of Edinburgh’s oldest building are open to all castle visitors, and the chapel continues to host weddings and christenings.

We then visited the Royal Scottish Dragoon Guards museum and learned of their history and viewed Napoleons Banner captured at Waterloo. 

Next the Prisons were visited. Here we see the stark contrast as to how French Prisoners were treated vs. how the American Prisoners were treated. The French were considered an enemy and deserved better treatment as opposed to the Rebel Americans. 

We made our exit via the Esplanade trying to find our seats for the Tattoo. 

We walked the Royal Mile, which is much longer than a mile to th Palace of Holyroodhouse. This included passing many shops and street performers. The upper portion of the Royal Mile is open only to pedestrians during the Edinburgh International Festival. This is a big event and the crowds are well, plentiful. 

We did make a couple stops, one at a local market where I had a cider and a stop at another OINK location. 

The Lion King was performing 

OINK, the best 

We arrived at Holyroodhouse Palace and toured the palace using the self guided audio devices provided. This is the Royal residence in Scotland. The artwork and history of Mary Queen of Scots is highlighted. After our Palace visit we strolled the gardens  .As we started to hear thunder, we made our way to a bus stop for a return to the Royal Mile. 

Parliment House  

We took some time to drop our heavy day bags at the hotel before exploring to find a dining location. 

This was a long day mostly on foot and our step goals were met and exceeded. 

  

FINDING THE HOLY GRAIL!!!

Rosslyn and the Holy Grail 08/03/2019

Dedicated in 1450 as the Collegiate Chapel of St Matthew, William St Clair founded the chapel for his family with a staff of a provost, six prebendaries and two choristers. Collegiate chapels like this were intended to pray for the soul of the founder and to spread intellectual and spiritual knowledge. Rosslyn’s extraordinary architecture and carvings have also inspired generations and meant its fame has endured over the centuries.

Rosslyn Chapel where services continue to be held here weekly. The Chapel has also been a popular destination for visitors for generations. By the late 18th-century, it was starting to appear on itineraries and its profile greatly increased after the publication of Dan Brown’s novel, The Da Vinci Code, in 2003, and the subsequent film. Rosslyn Chapel Trust was established in 1995 to care for the Chapel and oversee its conservation and public access.

‘When I decided to write The Da Vinci Code, I knew that its finale would have to take place at the most mysterious and magical chapel on earth — Rosslyn.’ 

Dan Brown

From Edinburgh one simply takes the #37 bus to Roslyn (Yes Spelled Differently) and it is then a short walk to the Chapel. I have also seen it spelled Roslin. 

From the bus stop, it is a short walk to the Chapel. We were early and walked about the perimeter, taking photos and enjoying the countryside. 

I must say this is a beautiful chapel and has a most interesting history. As was explained to us the real “Miracle of Rosslyn Chapel was the movie The DaVinci Code”. This brought about a great increase in the number of visitors which has allowed for much needed restoration and upkeep. 

The interpretive talk was EXCELLENT!!! It presented a 20 min overview of the history and highlights of the chapel. Do not miss this. 

We also met the true keeper of the chapel, William the Cat. He has been a fixture of the Rosslyn Chapel since he was a kitten 14 years ago. 

We took the #37 back to Edinburgh and stopped at local pie shop, called the pie maker. We had three nicely made pies, a birdie, a traditional, and a haggis pie. All were great and cost was but £5.20. A very very filling lunch. 

Streets and Tea in Roslin, I found Rosslyn spelled three different ways 

Sustained, we are now heading out for the afternoon. 

We walked back to Waverley Station via a short cut route which will be better for our return rail journey. 

At Waverley Station we activated our Bus Card and boarded the blue route bus with the Royal Yacht Britannia as our intended afternoon activity.  

We have access to three different Hop on Hop Off Bus companies with our pass. We chose the Blue Bus as it is the only one that goes to the Britannia. 

These buses offer an excellent narration and one realizes the significant influence the Scots have had on our society, be it medicine, literature, science, or inventions. 

Britannia was launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, on 16 April, 1953. For over 44 years the Royal Yacht served the Royal Family, traveling more than a million nautical miles to become one of the most famous ships in the world. To Her Majesty The Queen, Britannia provided the perfect Royal residence for glittering state visits, official receptions, Royal honeymoons and relaxing family holidays. For Great Britain, she was a majestic symbol of the Commonwealth and a proud ambassador generating billions of pounds in trade deals. For the Royal Family and 220 dedicated crew of Royal Yachtsmen, she was home.

This is rated as one of the top sights to see in Scotland and I must agree. The access control is well regulated so as not to overwhelm the flow of ones visit. 

So that is how they are pressed!

The tour is self guided with a hand set with 28 listening points along a well planned route.  I did get a chuckle at one point where the narration stated the Queen did not want the yacht to be pretentious and have the feel of a country home. This statement came after visiting an expansive dining room where it was explained how the service items were placed with the assistance of a ruler. 

When we finished, we boarded the bus and returned to Waverley, where we boarded the red HOHO bus. As most attractions were now closed we just did a grand circle tour learning more about famous Scotsmen. These included Walter Scott, Livingston, Bell, Lister, Sean Connery, and many many more. 

At the Market Street stop we got off to make our way back to OINK. We knew we would be traveling up hill and noticed some steps named the News Steps. Up we went, and arrived at the top out of breath. 

Back at Oink (OINK is mentioned in the previous blog entry) Lynn got a Piglet and I got and Oink ( the middle size). Sage and Onion, apples and haggis were the toppings today. I could only eat about 1/2 of mine so I have a nice snack for later this evening. 

Back to the hotel and we went to the hotel bar for a drink and write this entry. 

We will see what tomorrow brings. Probably the Castle and Greyfriars Bobby. One has to love a great dog story.