Puppies, Violins and Taxis

We'd just come back from the touring The Real Mary King's Close, which are the hidden closes (alley-ways with tenement houses on either side, leading up to seven stories high) beneath the Royal Mile, where people used to live and work.  The hidden closes are now open to the public as a major tourist attraction and it was quite fun to see.  Photography was not permitted under there, unfortunately, so these  were taken afterwards.

More Red

Here are some more RED sights around Edinburgh.  The first is the Stevenson House (what used to be the home of the novelist Robert Louis Stevenson).  Love the red door!

Red White and Blue?

More visuals around Edinburgh.

Train Station

Here are a couple of black and whites from Stirling Train Station. Next stop...Edinburgh! (And then Paris!)

Stirling University and Wallace Monument

After lunch it was off to see Stirling University, such a beautiful campus at the foot of Abbey Craig and then the Wallace Monument which is at the top of Abbey Craig.

But first, loving the chimneys!

Castle

The next day it was off to see Stirling Castle! We hiked up the hill to get to it and what a glorious view it was, of Wallace Monument and the rest of Stirling.

The palace within the castle was under renovation so we couldn't see it, but they were washing the limestone so it was nice to see the orginal colour of the castle.

We ended with, what else? Beers and sandwiches at a rather touristy and therefore pricey place just outside the castle.

Stirling: After Party

Back to Scotland now.

After the garden tea party, we walked through beautiful, scenic neighbourhoods to Stirling's Top of the Town and did a little window shopping.  Our last and most anticipated stop:  No. 2 Baker Street for my first taste of Guinness EXTRA Cold. There should be no other kind.

(The kid on the cell phone was so enthusiastically yelling, it made us laugh).

Sunny Scotland!

From Glasgow, we took the afternoon train into Stirling.  For a beautiful garden party!

A huge thanks goes out to A and his lovely parents for being so warm and welcoming and treating us to a delightful lunch and gathering in their beautiful backyard. 

Champagne, strawberries and grand company, who could ask for more?

Stirling definitely was the highlight of our trip!

Bins

The "wheelie bins" in Glasgow:

Square

Some randoms from the Merchant City and George Square in Glasgow.

Just a touch

Besides red, a touch of pink works just as well. As seen around Argyle St. and Sloans Market in Glasgow.

Glasgow

First stop was Glasgow, where I was for about a day, until we took the train to Stirling. 

Scotland brings to mind, red, brown and grey.  I even packed my red tartan scarf and trench for the occasion (I didn't have to use my scarf because it wasn't quite so cold) but I did see quite a bit of red, brown and grey.

Here, a few from our walk about town.