Monday, July 8, 2013

Edinburgh Day Two

I thought I'd start this post by sharing some lovely needlework I found in Edinburgh.  The shop is called Hadeel and it features Fairtrade Palastinian Crafts. If you want to see more examples, click here.  

Here's how I began my day!
A Full Scottish Breakfast - Beth Style
The plate contains black pudding, a mushroom, a potato scone, sausage, bacon (looks like Canadian bacon), shrimp, herring, salmon, scrambled eggs with brown sauce, cheese and a croissant.  Oh and the butter - the butter is so sweet and creamy.  I could have happily just eaten bread and butter.

After that amazing breakfast, I headed over to the Scotland's People Center to work on the my Scottish branches of my family tree.  I was last here in 2004 and the buildings have been totally remodelled. 

Is it not a beautifully atmospheric place to work?
My big break through was a will - a testament dative from 1786!
Margaret Blair the relict (widow) of James Stewart inherited the estate of her father, James Blair, a farmer.  So I'm pretty stoked about that.  I'm sure Margaret was too as she had several young children, the youngest just 2 years old.  

I decided about 3:00pm that my brain was fuzzy, so Mom and I went on a walk along Princes Street. 

Jenner's is an old Edinburgh mainstay.  It has since been bought up by the House of Fraser and I was disappointed to find they no longer carry Caithness glass.

We had nice views up the edge of the Royal Mile...

...including the Castle.

It was another hot day here in Edinburgh, so it was nice to reach the shade of Charlotte Square in New Town.

We visited the Georgian House, a National Trust property dating from 1791 and designed by Robert Adam.  Old Town Edinburgh was a cramped, teaming, dark, medieval mess of narrow streets and tottering houses.  The upper class longed for peace and quiet and space away from the masses.  New Town provided it.

Back we went along George Street and caught a glimpse of the Scott Memorial...

...and then back to Princes Street and the Balmoral Hotel.    

We'll end today with a GR pillarbox.  The question is, which George is it? 

14 comments:

cucki said...

super fun...
hugs x

Mountain Ash said...

Beth

I just want to say how much I am enjoying seeing my country through your eyes. You have been to lots of places that I haven't got to yet and some that I have (including Edinburgh). I check your blog regularly to see where you have been and am also enjoying your photos. Thank you so much.

Mountain Ash

Unknown said...

Wonderful photos and I'm so glad you are getting some rare scottish sunshine. Wish I had known you were coming up to Scotland. I would have arranged to meet you. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

Margaret said...

Fantastic! So much fun -- I'm so enjoying all these posts of yours. So are you staying in an apartment in Edinburgh too? (I'm nosy. lol!)

Barb said...

A great post. I even have the DH reading your posts. What a great discovery for you about your family.The DH is totally envious of your chance to do all that research. Edinburgh looks like a fascinating town.

Mouse said...

ohhh well done on the research :) love all the buildings but the shot of the castle is fab :)
still hot hot hot here too ... enjoying seeing all the places you are getting to too :) love mouse xxxxx

hazel c UK said...

Congratulations on finding more for your family tree. I am doing mine and it is exciting to find something new.


Glad you are enjoying Edinburgh, I can imagine you and mum must be tired at the end of a busy day.

Enjoy yourselves.

Hazel c uk

Annette-California said...

How thrilling to have found family for your genealogy tree:) I so look forward to your posts everyday. Is it King George V (the fifth)? Love all the houses and Castles. It's a dream to get see these lovely photos.
Enjoy! love Annette ps are you planning to visit a shop where they sell wool? Maybe you can get a scarf already knitted:)

Vickie said...

How absolutely fabulous to have made a discovery on your geneaology.
I am shocked that you and your mother don't have nubbins for legs from all the walking and touring you two do!!!

Carol said...

Looks like you're enjoying some sunny days there, Beth! I had always heard that Scotland was quite gray...

That breakfast looks amazing--guess you can work off all those calories with your daily touring :)

Have you bought many souvenirs on your journey?

Mary said...

Nice looking breakfast, ( except for herring and blood pudding yuk!) Glad you found some new family history. My sister does family genealogy and is always excited to discover something new to support another bit of oral history. She never believes anything without proof. Scotland looks wonderful!

Giovanna said...

Oh my, I could almost HEAR the cholesterol building up in my blood vessels from just looking at that breakfast picture :-) Why is it that what's most delicious is also so bad for us, groan?
You took some great shots of the town.

Terri said...

I am really enjoying your trip! :-)
Great pictures!

I'm almost afraid to ask, but what is "Black pudding"?

Melanie said...

It was hard to focus on everything after the butter talk. Buttttttttttter. GOOD butter. NOM NOM NOM.