Tag Archives: Edinburgh

Photo Of The Day From Scotland: Golden Light On The Royal Mile

The photo of the day for today is from Edinburgh, Scotland.

The sun was beginning to go down on this cold Spring day when suddenly the sun blasted through the clouds, creating a golden-white light on one end of the Royal Mile and deep shade on the other side.

A blast of golden-white light illuminates one end of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland on a brisk late-winter day.

Happy New Year Wherever You Are!

Drink from the Well of Life, the Well Of Pity, the Well Of Comfort, and two other wells that are no longer visible in the worn away engraving at the top. Drink Ye All Of It — grab onto life, embrace it, ingest it, and never forget to feel alive on each and every day that you are here.

Auld Lang Syne is the traditional song heard in many places around the world and reminds us to not forget old friends — no matter how far flung they might be. This tombstone in the Dean Cemetery in Edinburgh, Scotland goes hand in hand with the sentiments in the song and prompts us to immerse ourselves in life and good companionship.

Inscription "Drink Ye All Of It" on Tombstone in Edinburgh, Scotland

On this final day of 2011, may all of my readers have the happiest and safest of New Year celebrations.

See you in 2012!

Pictures Full of Words

Today’s post is another photo break — and we examine the words on signage that aim to catch your attention. Both of these signs were seen on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Enjoy!

Do Angels With Bagpipes Create Sottish Foodie Heaven?

And in the sign below, it’s nice to imagine that some cranky old miser can’t always dictate his spin on the news — or pick and choose what he wants ‘the masses’ to know or think or believe.

Can it be that there is still some freedom in today's media?

How Wonderful and Quirky Is Edinburgh

Look up, look up! Re-tune your eyes so you fill your memory with the many snippets of marvelous things scattered about the city — tiny pieces of poignant sculpture — partial bits of quotes or poems — monumental architecture with almost-hidden carvings — all of it weaving a mysterious cloak that wraps this city up tightly.

Quirky, quietly beautiful, and never failing to amuse with the non-stop parade of ‘interesting’ residents and visitors alike, Edinburgh has so much going for it as a travel destination.

Squeezed between the shopfronts on the Royal Mile is a perfect example — the carving over Paisley Close which commemorates the survival of one young lad who was found amidst the rubble of several collapsed buildings in 1861. “Heave awa’ chaps, I’m no’ dead yet” is inscribed above the arch.

"Heave awa' chaps, I'm no' dead yet" sculpture above Paisley Close arched opening in Edinburgh, Scotland

Under the category of sweetness, where else in the world do you expect to see three charming teenage boys walking across a bridge in the heart of a city, two of them holding hands, and one of them wearing his kilt. It put a smile on the faces of everyone that they passed.

Kilt wearing, hand holding teenagers in Edinburgh, Scotland

Stereotypes exist for a reason, and the sheer determination, outright stubbornness, and frugality of the Scottish nature were all on display in bits and pieces on our travels. Our 2 week visit certainly convinced us that the lovely Scottish friends that we had back in Australia derived their fearless attitude and ferocious tenacity from their ancestry as well as their general personality.

The beauty of Edinburgh manages to mask the occasionally simmering resentment of the governing powers down in London. That historic anger was certainly on display in the National Museum of Scotland where the arresting poster below found quite a few people stopping, nodding their heads up and down in agreement as we watched, and creating a strong impression on me that those decades old resentments are still not forgotten.

National Gallery of Art & Edinburgh Castle Atop The Hill

Margaret Thatcher 'Oil Vampire' poster

But under the category of just-plain-quirky, how about the whiskey store right next door to the health food store? Or the wine shop that is an ‘homage’ to the old sci-fi film, Planet Of The Apes? Click to enlarge them and have a giggle!

Odd choice of shops to be side-by-side

A quirky homage to Cornelius from Planet Of The Apes

Calligraphy on wall of National Museum of Scotland: Declaration of Arbroath - 1320 AD

My most recent visit was my 4th time in Edinburgh and I have still barely scratched the surface of what there is to see and do. Trust me, I’ll be going back!

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Vikings and Romans and Scotsmen, Oh My!

Alive with the echoes of thundering hooves, the ringing sound of sword against sword, and the cries of economically deprived or displaced people, Scotland as a nation has survived much turmoil throughout the centuries. And that turbulent history is well-examined in the comprehensive displays at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh

Roman panel in terracotta

Warrior's Gravestone

Guillotine

Juxtapositions abound since the same nation that crafted weaponry such as swords like the Claidheamh Mor that stood the height of a man were also creating beautiful objects such as jewelry and sculpture. This overlap of warlike behaviour with deep levels of spirituality or religious faith may seem contradictory when viewed from our less perilous times.

The pictures in this article are a tiny sample of the distant time periods which are represented. The upper floors of the museum cover more recent decades and are full of items such as advertising artwork and period clothing or furniture.

Long sword known as a Claidheamh Mor or Claymore

The museum is completely free of admission charges, has a stunning range of exhibits spread out over 6 floors, and is housed in a building of architectural interest. I would highly recommend this as a ‘must see’ for anyone who visits Edinburgh and who has a sense of curiosity about the Scots and their background history.

Heavy silver links

Angels carved on timber panel

Walking Amongst The Departed

Dappled light danced amongst the stones and sought out every opening in the mature trees overhead. Gravel crunched softly beneath our feet and birdsong filled the air in that quiet place.

Large Monument at Dean Cemetery in Edinburgh, Scotland

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Our original destination had been the Dean Gallery to view more modern art on display in a historic setting. But alongside the former orphanage from the 1800s, we discovered a wonderful surprise that made us delay our entry to the gallery for awhile.

Dean Cemetery is entered through a small gate in the stone wall that separates the Dean Gallery grounds from the graveyard. Many of the resting places are marked by relatively plain stones with an urn or engraving on the side. But some of the statuary was quite poignant and reflects the Victorian sentiment of the survivors of the occupants of those graves.

Grave statue detail in Edinburgh, Scotland

Grave statue in Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh, Scotland

It wasn’t a long side trip — an hour at most. But the serenity left a lingering impression and I could understand why families still wish to add their deceased loved ones to this tranquil village of the departed.

Praying grave statue in Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh, Scotland

When The Sun Comes Out In Edinburgh…

When the sun comes out in Edinburgh, Scotland — a rush is on for any available seat outside to soak up the rays as you eat your cafe lunch. At least that’s what we witnessed yesterday at the National Gallery of Modern Art. And as we drove through the park-side areas along Queen Street on the way to and from the museum’s two massive buildings, we could see that the paths were filled with women pushing strollers, children were playing on the grass, and people were sitting atop benches and low stone walls everywhere as they ate their lunch in warmth for a nice change.

Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh, Scotland

Architectural details: exterior steps of Dean Gallery

Afternoon light in the museum cafe - Photo by Mark Harmes

Each of the museums, one formerly an elegant boarding school and one a former orphanage housed in a rather impressive building, had vast rooms with high ceilings that were perfect for displaying the art in the collections. I was unable to take photos inside due to the rules of each museum, but I quite enjoyed the massive metal sculpture by Eduardo Paolozzi as you entered the gates of the Dean Gallery.

Large sculpture by Eduardo Paolozzi at Dean Gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland