Anniversary in Edinburgh

After a long journey from Bath, we finally arrived in Edinburgh. As we rode the bus from the airport to the hotel, both of us were in awe of how beautiful, and almost magical, the city looked. The buildings were very different from anything else we'd ever seen in Europe. That evening, we enjoyed walking around and getting a feel for the city. It was so laid back and relaxing. While we were out, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a marching band of drummers and bag pipers, was having a dress rehearsal, so we took advantage of a free mini-concert. As they left their rehearsal, we snapped a quick shot. I would not want to be wearing a skirt on such a windy night as this. Excuse me, it is a kilt.

The next morning was our 3 year anniversary! So I woke up and fixed myself really nice for the special day and Nate says... I think we should go for a hike. A hike!? I thought he had lost his mind. But it turned out for the best. There was a perfect hike that led to spectacular views over the city. We found some interesting ruins on our way up.

It was another windy day, but it was gorgeous the way the wind blew the grass.
We made it to the top! The wind made Nate look like he had a mohawk!

It was a breathtaking view!

The hiking trail was over a point called Arthur's Seat. You can really see the trail and the Edinburgh Castle in the distance.

Edinburgh is known for it's Royal Mile, which is a road that stretches a little over a mile from the Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse. Another one of the Queen's many vacation homes.

At the other end of the Royal Mile is the Edinburgh Castle. We spent the afternoon exploring the castle grounds.
Every August, Edinburgh hosts one of the largest festivals in Europe. We arrived a few days too early, but many performers had arrived early as well and were putting on street shows along the Royal Mile. We were able to watch a juggling act, a bed-of-nails act, and a Houdini-inspired escape act. As you can tell by my face, we really enjoyed watching these shows!
Edinburgh was once the most crowded city in Europe; the result of some of the world's earliest skyscrapers.
As we ate a delicious desert, we watched the sun set over the Royal Mile. It was a great way to conclude a wonderful anniversary day!