The sky and the sun were in a heavenly mood with each other on the day we arrived in Edinburgh: a startling blue backdrop to sunlight gracing stones and statues.
I had no idea it was such a beautiful city.
I felt the call of the ancestors, that little tingly feeling you get when you visit the home of Your People. My grandfather was born and raised in Edinburgh, he was dragged along with his family to Canada at age 11, he never really got over it.
The true Charm of Edinburgh was really meeting my dear friend Tabs. We've known each other for years in the blogosphere so to be able to quaff back the champers in the whiskey bar at The Balmoral, while our husbands chatted madly away (about politics? fracking?) was truly a special occasion.
We didn't take a picture together as we'd planned to meet again the next day at an event, but alas Young Rascal had a terrible headache and was quite sick. She also had blisters from new shoes, it was too sad, we couldn't bring her or leave her behind.
The whole trip was too quick, two days is not enough time to see Edinburgh, it's just too beautiful. It deserves the attention one would give Paris.
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| Wasn't the light stunning? |
I have mad plans to go back next year to visit
The Balmoral again... what a gorgeous hotel, and the spa! I was also suffering from migraine the day we arrived so MrBP arranged a
massage for me. I could spend a couple of days there getting sorted out with treatments and flipping around in the swimming pool.
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| Symbol of Scotland |
The Castle was amazing to tour around and I love how it looks like it was formed up out of the rock:
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| The Castle |
There is a gorgeous park plopped right in the city centre.
You can see The Balmoral in the background in this next picture, they had a whole set-up devoted to some kind of serious jumping game for kids... Young Rascal wanted to do it desperately but was then foiled by her headache and her terrible blistery feet.
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| Giant jumping contraption for kids. |
I spent many soothing moments at the concierge desk gazing at the welcoming fireplace opposite... MrBP loves a good concierge and uses one at every opportunity if available. The Balmoral concierge was the best we've ever come across!
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| The lobby fireplace just opposite the efficient and dignified concierge desk. |
The Rascals had their own room and their own special treatment: sweet treats and Balmoral Bears.
The breakfast room service was perfectly presented:
MrBP ordered the prunes and when they arrived exclaimed "I have no idea why I ordered these things."
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| The Guilt Prunes |
Perhaps he was feeling guilty about going against my strict pork-free kitchen?
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| Definitely not DaniBP approved. |
The Rascals, left to order their own room service, ordered everything chocolate on the menu.
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On the other side of the table was a giant basket of pain au chocolat.
They ordered everything chocolate on the menu and nothing else. |
The Royal Mile makes for nice walking... and dining!
We had dinner at
Angels with Bagpipes.
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| The smoked salmon appetizer at Angels With Bagpipes. |
I highly recommend, in fact the next time we visit Edinburgh I'll be making a reservation there for our first night. The food, and the service, were exquisite.
I can't wait to go back, we didn't even have time to visit
The Palace. That's top of the list, along with more champers with Our Tabs in that cozy whiskey bar.
Have you visited Edinburgh? Any plans to do so?
xoxDani
