First stop was Gladstone’s Land, one of the few remaining 17th century tenement houses (apartment buildings—the term itself doesn’t carry a negative connotation) in the city. It’s one of the many historic properties operated by the National Trust for Scotland and a counterpart organization in the rest of the UK. All that we’ve been to have been wonderfully cared for and staffed with knowledgeable interpretive guides.
The building had been altered many times since its original construction, so there was no attempt to show it in a typical state of occupancy. Rather, each area of it was appointed in the fashion that would be characteristic of a particular era in its history. There were excellent fact sheets in each room, along with knowledgeable and friendly guides who provided many additional insights into the building and the times.
One of many interesting facts was that there was only one staircase, of narrow spiral form and unlighted, this serving a population in excess of 100 inhabitants lodged throughout the six stories of the building. Everything and everybody had to go up and down that one staircase. This promoted the use of what the guide described as “IKEA type furniture,” lugged up the stairs in pieces and permanently assembled upon arrival at its destination. Due to the inconvenience of access, rent went down the higher up you went! Those living on the lower floors were respectable folk indeed, while the social strata and density of occupancy changed significantly the higher up one went. Now, the rooms on the upper floors are available for short term occupancy by vacationers!
A school group was going through while we were there, all attired in period dress provided by the guides. After learning of the more notorious aspects of ‘personal hygiene,’ they took immense amusement in crying out together “Gardy Loo,” the warning given to the street below when the chamberpots were thrown out of the window.
Then we spent an hour or so wandering through a multi-floor, multi-establishment set of souvenir shops, complete with a working tartan weaving establishment on the bottom floor. For a minimum of £30 or so we could have dressed up in rather elaborate Scottish garb (complete with optional weaponry) and posed for souvenir pictures. We confined our purchases to the lower end of the scale, including quite appropriately for the day, a tartan umbrella.
Then to lunch at the Elephant Café. Tasty meal. Café crowded and increasingly noisy inside, but still quite pleasant. Clearly a favorite of its many regulars, plus the tourists. The authors J. K. Rowling and Alexander McCall Smith are both said to be frequent customers, both of whom have spent hours there absorbed in their writing. Indeed, the Elephant describes itself as the Birthplace of Harry Potter!
Then we walked to the Writer's Museum, a repository of information about three of Scotland’s most famous and beloved writers—Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, and Robert Lewis Stevenson. Interesting relics and interpretive material. One pair of letters, especially interesting to Lt. Cols. (ret.) Steve and Bruce, was a summons to Scott to report for duty in the Army Reserve, accompanied by his request for exemption based on the fact that he was already serving in the cavalry. We presume that his request was granted. He appeared to have solid grounds in our considered opinion.
Stepping outside, we were taken by the words and drawings inscribed in the pavement of the outside courtyard, including this thistle—filled to the brim with Scottish ‘mist.’
Afternoon was spent largely in the National Museum of Scotland. It traces the development of Scotland from the beginning (rocks dating back over 2 billion years, when what is now Scotland was located somewhere down near the South Pole and in a very different shape) right up to the present. So it’s clearly more than a one-day experience if done right. We had to pick and choose, skipping many centuries along the way. While it was enjoyable and had lots of interesting exhibits, we found parts of it to be rather disorganized and were especially puzzled at the concluding exhibits that illustrated why people are moving out of the country.
Streetscapes in Edinburgh were fascinating. The city streets were built on so many levels, eventually leading up the hill to the castle.
Long walk back to the hotel, mostly downhill, passing the new and highly controversial Scottish Parliament building.
Late dinner featuring goat cheese ravioli, seafood pie, chicken and mushroom pie. And local brew. And if the offerings downstairs weren’t enough, here are some of the other edibles we’ve accumulated over the past few days.
Tomorrow to Helensburgh, west of Glasgow, by way of St. Andrews and Paisley.
