On Friday night, as we arrived so late, we headed straight to the less-than-luxurious hostel that would serve as the roof over our heads for the next three nights. I'm always very apprehensive about staying in Hostels, but all was well. The sheets were clean, the bed was actually rather comfortable and the bathrooms were fine. After a quick stroll outside to get our bearings, we hit the (unfortunately less than proverbial) sack.
Saturday morning dawned, and we made our way out for the day. Obviously well after dawn. It wasn't until then that I truly appreciated the beauty of the area we were staying in. Our hostel was situated in the "Old Town" of Edinburgh - a UNESCO world heritage site. The surrounds were stunning, and I couldn't stop exclaiming "it just all looks so OLD!"
We wondered down the hill into the "New Town". As it was built in Neo-Classical and Georgian style between 1765 and 1850, the word "New" can be applied rather loosely. We met up with the rest of our little group and set off in search of Christmas wonder. We were not disappointed.
The markets were heaving with excited people, delicious smells and very cute wares. We spent the morning wondering around the stalls sampling as much produce as we could eat and washing it down with Hot Toddy's, Spiced Pimm's and Mulled Wine.
In the afternoon we wondered back up to the Old Town, to seek out the Cafe that J. K Rowling spent time in while writing Harry Potter. The Elephant House is situated on Candlemaker Row (Edinburgh's street names please me so!) and was a great spot for an afternoon break. The coffee was cheap yet good, the tea was delightful. A peek out of one of the large windows adorning the back of the shop revels a spectacular view into Old Town, a large cemetery lined with gorgeously ancient houses and pubs,with the Castle overlooking the valley. It's easy to imagine how a certain set of children's books sprang to life here.
A quick trip to the ladies revealed the only tangible evidence of Rowling's influence. The bathroom walls are absolutely covered with thank you notes and quotes relating to the book series. After we'd all been for a peek at the loo's (a sentence I'd never thought I'd write!) we wondered down to the Greyfriars Kirkyard Graveyard. May seem like an odd activity to do, but apparently Rowling got inspiration for the names of some prominent characters in her novels from the headstones.
Aside from the Harry Potter relevance, I'm always struck by how young New Zealand is when I see headstones and tombs in this part of the world. This particular graveyard was closed in 1561, a time so long ago I find it hard to fathom. We didn't stay long, and after a quick trip to the headstone of Tom Riddle's namesake (I'm sure the original Thomas Riddell was a lovely old chap and not a Dark Lord of evil) and a squizz at George Heriots school adjourning the graveyard (Mizz H would be very jealous of their van fleet), we set off for Christmas Markets round two.
As the sun set we wondered around the now-lit stalls, soaking up the atmosphere.
We couldn't resist the lure of the Christmas Tree Maze - yes it was in the childrens' section - and it's sparkly lights.
I know the picture quality isn't fab, but it's hard to take photo's whilst dodging the little people this activity is actually intended for.
As the night drew to a close, we popped into Chiquitos for some sombrero themed fun. I'd never been to one before, and it was a rather enjoyable experience. After tea we meandered around the city for a while longer, revelling in Christmas spirit.
That was a bit of a marathon, so I'll split this weekend into two parts. Watch this space!
*why go clubbing when you can stand on a tube at 5.30pm and get the same body crushing, feet shuffling, ear drums assaulted by the questionable taste in music courtesy of the person to your right, I-want-to-take-a-shower-after-this experience at a fraction of the cost?
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