impulsereader | If you live around here, you need cash in the bank, (Reply)

This morning I walked to the port of Leith in the pouring rain, ended up at the shopping mall - at the Costa no less - to dry out over a pot of tea (and the help of a blow dryer) and wished I had more bags to take things home because the Ness store here had lots of lovely things on sale. I then took a flying tour of Cramond by virtue of my hostess; who, despite having three single women staying in her three apartments, seemed to think I must be a bit bereft on my own. But in the end it worked out because I contrived to be dropped off around Holyrood Palace, which hadn’t appeared on my must-do list but turned out to be unmissable.

So, Leith. I wanted to go back and visit the Ness here again. For shoppers - Ness has two shops on the Royal Mile, but this one is much larger and had much more sale potential on this visit. I didn’t make it, I was too close to departure and didn’t end up fitting it in. I did manage to pick up a scarf and matching gloves as a must-present item for my work fill-in, and … whistling off to the side in an embarrassed manner … they were amazingly bogo so I ended up with a scarf and gloves for myself. *coughs in embarrassment*

So, moving on...I grabbed some pics of the Royal Yacht, but did not visit. It was on my maybe list but didn’t end up working out.

On my whirlwind tour to Cramond we hit Lauriston Castle - much more about that tomorrow - and I managed a couple good pics.

Holyrood Palace. I have no idea if it is pronounced ‘holy rude’, ‘holy rod’, ‘holly rude’, or ‘holly rod’, ever after visiting. If anyone has insight, please do enlighten me.

So, admission. You can choose to pay for the Gallery, the Palace, or both. Audio tours of both are included in the price. I did both, but was a little disappointed in the Gallery. Pics were allowed, so I took lots and lots, just ‘cause. The Palace didn’t allow pics, and I - the girl who told someone in the British Library to stop taking pics, they weren’t allowed (seriously, there were lots of signs and security was completely ignoring this dude - and he was using his FLASH!) I became something of a rebel here and sneaked a few. The ruins of Holyrood Abbey are included as well. The real glory, though, was in the garden - which I was again thrown out of upon closing - the light was just amazing. The rainy day had turned absolutely gorgeous. I finally began to understand the Sayers assertions about the sunlight in Scotland - it makes everything beautiful without exception.