No visa needed!

 Saturday was when we left our cosy cottage - it had been a wonderful time in the Lakes!

We travelled to Carlisle where I was unceremoniously 'chucked' out of the car at the railway station! It seemed like my time had come! Not one to be upset I jumped, well not literally at my age!, onto a train to Glasgow. Luckily I found my hotel and then began to wander the city on foot! Jake and John were off to walk along some of Hadrian's Wall!

Slight difference here is that we have to wear masks 99.9% of the time - very different to England! As I was wandering I did come across an anti-vax rally - good thing I was wearing a mask as a few expletives did come out at the stupidity of what was being said!!!

Most places don't take cash, which is probably a good thing in my case as England will not accept Scottish £ notes!

The city is bigger than I expected so I clocked up quite a few steps.

On Sunday I went round on the 'hop on/off bus to see all the sights and then once again took to shanks's pony.

 

Today I caught the train to Edinburgh. Hard to believe that in 50 minutes you can be from one side to the other on the narrowest point of Scotland!

Couldn't get into hotel until mid afternoon so took two different routes on the hop on/off bus. These tours are really good but there is so much information that you can't take it all in!

 Saw this guy just as he was getting his ...... bagpipes out!

By 3pm the rain was coming down so it was back to the hotel for a cuppa and to warm up.

Luckily yesterday I decided to err on the side of caution and dress warmly even though the day was bright with some sunshine. Up at the Castle it was fffffreezing! Can't imagine how it would have been hundreds of years ago! No wonder the fireplaces were sooo big! The views were rather spectacular!

 

I left the Castle and went to the main museum. It was very interesting and good to be out of the biting wind! I checked on Dolly for you Marian!

A few hours of daylight left I took to the last bus route on the 'hop on/off bus tour. This one was with an actual tour guide whose jokes often fell flat! I certainly got my money's worth out of this ticket but I did sometimes wonder about the people who took them. With so much history oozing out on every street their excitement at seeing 'Nandos' or 'TKMax' was mind blowing - oh well no accounting for taste!

Some of the Edinburgh buildings do look lovely by night!

 This morning I'm back on a train to Carlisle where hopefully Jake and John will pick me up and we will head back home!