Our Free DayToday I walked in the footsteps of two great women.
First it was Queen Elizabeth at one of her official residences...Holyrood House Palace, although she only stays here once a year. No photos were allowed inside; I guess so we didn't let out any of the Queen's secrets! I did take lots of photos of the grounds outside that were green and lush. There was also a special exhibit of the Queen's gowns that was really interesting to see. |
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But it was the second lady's foot steps that I was most excited about. I'm such a book nerd. This afternoon I followed JK Rowling around Edinburgh... Well, not literally. We ate lunch in the Elephant House café where she would sit and write the first drafts of Harry Potter and make one cup of coffee last as long as possible because she couldn't afford another. Then around the corner is a cemetery where she drew inspiration for different characters' names. Tom Riddell being the most famous of them all...he who shall not be named. And the last stop on the "I wish I were JK Rowling" walk was the Balmoral Hotel. Here she rented a room to finish one of the books... It's also where Oprah interviewed her. Obviously by this point in her career she could afford a hotel room here. And she is one of the few. We are NOT staying at this hotel.
The sun was shining brightly today (except for a brief shower) and the temperature is quite warm! Tomorrow is supposed to be a heat wave...it's because I bought a really cute hat to keep me warm.
The sun was shining brightly today (except for a brief shower) and the temperature is quite warm! Tomorrow is supposed to be a heat wave...it's because I bought a really cute hat to keep me warm.
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MEET THE GROUP!
Does anyone else get a bit nervous about meeting the group? It always feels like a first date to me. Will I like the guide? Will the group like me? Will I find a buddy? Our guide for Scotland was Helen, a native of Scotland. By the end of the trip felt like we had just taken a tour with our dear Scottish auntie. We also had the luck to have an assistant guide, Ben, who guides his own RS tours as well as works in the home office. While Ben completely 'fessed up to having no knowledge of Scotland, he was great with the general logistics of getting a group of adults from one place to another!
Helen wasted no time getting us acquainted with Edinburgh as our very first activity was hopping on the local tram to get to our destination for our group meet and greet! We then enjoyed a walk around the new town part of Edinburgh before arriving at our restaurant for dinner. I think an interesting idea would be if the first group dinner was run more like speed dating so you get to have more conversations with everyone. Spend 15 minutes with one group, then pick up your plate and move down to the next group!
It was a busy first day and I was hoping to have magical dreams and perhaps some literary inspiration in my sleep!
Helen wasted no time getting us acquainted with Edinburgh as our very first activity was hopping on the local tram to get to our destination for our group meet and greet! We then enjoyed a walk around the new town part of Edinburgh before arriving at our restaurant for dinner. I think an interesting idea would be if the first group dinner was run more like speed dating so you get to have more conversations with everyone. Spend 15 minutes with one group, then pick up your plate and move down to the next group!
It was a busy first day and I was hoping to have magical dreams and perhaps some literary inspiration in my sleep!