Edinburgh

J&M were out around 7 a.m. to do the Christmas food shopping. The rest of us took our time getting up. PY and I were first into the kitchen and figured out how to operate the coffee machine before anybody else was around. Cereal and toast for breakfast were easy enough for us to arrange when we did not know where things were in the kitchen.

When they returned, an enormous amount of shopping needed to be put away. It’s incredible how much food gets bought in for just a few days. We ate a lunch of some curry leftovers before we headed into the city. I’d mentioned that, as we were being driven into the city yesterday, we travelled through Grassmarket, and I’d not been there for many years, so a plan was hatched to head into the city.

We hopped on a bus at about 2 p.m. and alighted near Greyfriars Bobby. We went to look at the statue of the dog that supposedly spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner, John Gray. We walked into the churchyard trying to find the grave of the owner before walking down to Grassmarket and reading the list of people executed there during the 16th to 18th centuries. Perhaps not the most festive of activities.

Onwards towards the Christmas markets in the centre. We took our time walking around the grounds and taking pictures before arriving at Star Flyer, a spinning fairground attraction. A was very keen to go on it, but spinning 85m above the city does not appeal to me. So, she went on with my brother and Dad. They loved it. I took some pictures. It’s been done well with a number of vantage points around the fair that showed the lights of the Star Flyer—and the adjacent big wheel—in bright colours against the sky. It makes an interesting contrast to the Scott Monument. Dad said it felt like riders would be swung right into the side of the monument.

There was a lovely sunset over the castle. We stopped for mulled wine, and the children had waffles from one of the food stalls. We walked around the city a bit more before deciding to head back. On return, I sat with the children watching another Death in Paradise while others prepped a fish pie for tonight and some of the vegetables for tomorrow’s feast.