Edinburgh Castle

Well, this blog is "MOSTLY Poetry," but it is not "ALL Poetry," and this post will not be poetry!  Three years ago when I was on a sabbatical relating to math history, I planned a stop in Edinburgh.  I had no idea how much I would come to love that city.  I live in California in the good old USA, but Edinburgh has become my home away from home and perhaps even my heart's home!

I have rarely had opportunity to travel abroad in my life, but I have a chance to do so next month, and while I could have chosen any destination in the world I am going back to Edinburgh!  

This post is partly in excited anticipation of that, but also is intended to share with a travel-loving friend of mine some of my pictures of Edinburgh Castle, a place I cannot wait to revisit.

PART 1:  some views OF the castle from outside of it:

The front of the castle as you come up the Royal Mile (i.e. the High Street)

Castle and Esplanade (which is where the Military Tattoo takes place)

View from the southeast

View from the southeast

View from the north (across Princes Street Gardens)

View from the west

View from the northwest (from the entry to St. Cuthbert's Church - where Napier was elder)

PART 2:  some views FROM the castle:

Looking back down at St. Curthbert's Church where Napier was elder (St. John's  JUST beyond)

View toward the east from the castle - view of Holyrood Park / Arthur's Seat

View east - Firth of Forth, Scott Monument, Royal Scottish Academy, Balmoral Hotel, Firth of Forth, Waverley Station, Calton Hill

PART 3:  some views INSIDE the castle:

Looking east near the entrance

Built on living rock

Built on living rock

The one o'clock gun

The crowd waiting to see the one o'clock gun

PART 4:  EXTRAS

Jacqueline, I can't help but think of you with this.  The castle has been (at times) and continues to be a place to station military personnel.  Many military personnel have dogs, and there is a cemetery in the castle grounds for the dogs of soldiers!

I took all of the pictures above, but the pictures below are some that I found by looking at Google Images.  When the military tattoo (which I'm sure is amazing!) takes place, stands such as those seen below are built, so you cannot even see the castle as you approach it from the Royal Mile.  I'm not sure it you can enter the castle or not during these times.  I have always avoided Edinburgh during these times.

As I can see from pictures others have posted, the military tattoo must be AMAZING to witness.  I don't know how hard it is to get tickets to this event, but it remains my choice to visit Edinburgh at the lesser crowded times.