“All the leaves are brown, and the skies are grey. I’ve been on a walk, on a winter’s day.”
That line from the song “California Dreamin” seems a perfect fit for our day in Edinburgh (pronounced edin-boro). It was September, but it certainly looked and felt winter-like: overcast, wet, and cold. As you can see by the photos, good lighting was hard to come by.
The major sights in town are along the Royal Mile: a fairly steep stretch of road from the old castle on the top of the hill to the queen’s summer palace at the bottom. Along this busy thoroughfare are nice shops, landmarks (such as the home of John Knox, the famous Presbyterian Reformation leader), and eateries (where you can try haggis if you wish). This stroll comprised our day. It was pleasant, considering the weather, but the most welcome parts were the Starbucks shop at the beginning (with the best view of any Starbucks I have ever seen) and the cozy eatery where we enjoyed a warm lunch, which included some sampler haggis bites (think unusual meatloaf).
We were glad to get back to warmth, but enjoyed the day. Would love to see it in more pleasant conditions, although I suspect that is relatively rare.
Our welcome to Edinburgh. 
This is the castle fortress. Easy to see why it was placed here. 
And this is the view from the aforementioned Starbucks. 
A huge cathedral greets you on your approach up the hill. 
Flat Stanley says, “Yay, another castle.” 
Best photos of the day came from inside. Ornate woodwork and fascinating weaponry are epitomized by this artistic design. 
The walk down the Royal Mile looked like this… 
with side streets like this… 
And cute signs like this. 
Ending in the Queen’s summer palace. It is possible to tour when the queen is not in residence, but we had neither time nor energy for the experience.
