Today was a day of HEAVY RAIN and accomplishments. First we had to move from the lower floor to the third floor while an electrician was here. But I managed to get everything moved up to the top floor, twin bed room. It is messy but will do us fine until we leave in just a couple more days.

Then we headed out to Edinburgh. I must whine that Edinburgh is the most difficult city to drive. We had printed out specific instructions to get to Holyroodhouse. But first we stopped at the airport. We checked out two hotels for our final night before the early morning departure. I think we have settled on the Hilton as it is so close to the car return and has a shuttle bus for the terminal at no cost.

Next we went to the Hertz car return. When he asked if we were returning the car, we explained the events of the rental car...tire replaced and no aerosol should we have another flat...and the vandalism in St. Andrews which broke the left side mirror. He told us that we had a car which was not drivable in standards and that we would get a new car. HURRAY! It took awhile but now we have a car that works.


Then we proceeded to Holyroodhouse per the internet instructions. Egads. What a nightmare. Finally, I just turned off and asked people passing by if we were on the right track. It worked. Then we got to the car park to find it had been closed for a show they were setting up. I begged off and the nice chap said he didn't see me go in to park. Great. We were only 200 yds to the Palace.

as we approached, the eastern gates



The exterior entrance

Su as the Queen's Guard

The inner quad

From the quad no pictures were allowed of course inside the palace. It is quite grand and the tapestries were incredible. I liked the area that was dedicated to Mary Queen of Scots and where her second husband betrayed her. I loved seeing the robe that Queen Elizabeth wore and the crests and necklaces for the robe. I liked seeing the artifacts that were in Mary's prayer room, including the sword carried by Bonnie Charles. And while all of the kings of Scotland have stayed here at some time, I was not as moved as when I have been to the castles of the clans. Not sure I understand where that is coming from but as I went into the Abbey ruins, I felt rather unimpressed. Am I jaded. I don't think so.


At the Abbey Ruins.



Exiting the palace, we went into the gift shop where I succumbed to an indulgence of a new apron for me with "The Buckingham Palace" embroidered on the apron. Have I been here too long?

Leaving the area of Holyroodhouse, we drove up Cannongate and over to Market Street to find The Tattoo headquarters. I dropped off Dick while I cut off someone for a parking space on the street. Locked the car and found that Dick was inside the Tattoo store which had now closed but they allowed him to purchase a CD of the music. Check one off the list and hooray for nice people to let us buy when they were already closing.

Drove back to St. Andrews with no problems (finally finding Queensferry Road which you have to do by going past the turn and around the block to turn left. QUACK!).

Parked the "new rental" car making sure the rear end was not too far out into the traffic...pulling the left front tire onto the sidewalk.

Leftovers for dinner and hopefully good weather tomorrow for some good golf! Cheers.