Edinburgh Castle

Here's a really cool, really famous castle. This was also the only day all 3 of us got to explore together, since Wes spent the majority of the time we were in Edinburgh working with Jarod (UMich colleague), meeting with U of Edinburgh folks or attending the conference and giving his talk (which he rocked, though I didn't get to hear it myself...). We strolled along the Royal Mile taking in the comparatively not rainy or cloudy weather. Zara was especially fond of the people watching and the bagpipers busking. The Royal Mile has more tourist attractions and shops and such than you can shake a stick, or lot of sticks...

After exploring the free-to-all part of the castle (we're not paying 12 GBP a person to tour the castle until Zara can actually appreciate it), we headed back down towards Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament building when we ran into the aforementioned Jarod. We all had a lovely but brief reunion standing in the middle of the sidewalk, which is rude in many places but not in the droves of tourists flooding Old Town. In deference to Jarod's recent arrival to Scotland and our love for coffee, we had some drinks and lunch at the Black Medicine Coffee Co. One of the baristas, Paul (see the staff page) gave Zara a plastic yellow snake toy which we thought was merely a loan but turned out to be a present. A female co-barista, not to be outdone checked in with me before giving Zara a mini-Krackle. Needless to say, Zara will remember the cafe fondly. Plus, nice food. Good Lattes.

There were naps, there was laundry washing (funny aside - we thought the almost dry just a bit damp clothes would finish drying in the hotel - WRONG! Scotland = wet) and then we had a wonderful dinner at the house of a CBI Preschool Alum and her mom, dad and little brother (who was the same age as Zara). These lovely people, complete strangers to us other than a preschool in common, invited us for a home cooked meal, and it was such a treat. The food was great, the company awesome (also in attendance was another couple with an 8 year old daughter - they had been in Edinburgh for the year and were returning to Toronto the following week) and being able to let Z wander and play and not have to worry about her touching everything (hotels and toddlers don't mix) was a relief. But this is perhaps detail that goes on my blog, not Zara's.... but after dinner and a fabulous stroll across the Meadow to our hotel, Z went to bed with less fuss (though still some fuss) and Wes and Jarod worked on their talks. I watched Scottish television... and thus ends the story of Edinburgh Castle.