This is a lovely place. Busy, and full of tourists, like us, but a nice place. It’s even managed to sneak into my famous Top Four Cities I’ve Visited. Loads to do, loads to see, loads of history, loads.
Ok, now it says Edinburgh on the tin, but we didn’t actually stay here. We did a Sun Holiday. Collect tokens from The Sun newspaper, even though it’s a load of nonsense, a waste of paper in fact. Collect some tokens, get a cheap holiday place. Lake Garda went alright. We also did Llandudno or somewhere, but it was nothing to write home about. This one was though.
Haven
We stayed in Seton Sands, which is about 25 mins from Edinburgh. A nice caravan, with two bedrooms and all mod cons. What does the ‘cons’ bit stand for? Modern Convenience is what Char reckons. She’s just popped to the kitchen, so will prob come in and tell me the right answer after she googles it. *waits*. Oh, her phone is next to me on the sofa. Fine, I’ll google it. Turns out she was right in the first place. Great.
Seton Sands is, as the name suggests, on a beach, or over the road from a beach. Me and the kids went there on the first morning. We got to the caravan quite late on the Friday. Stopped off at Windemere on the way, had a look at the lake, and went to a chocolate cafe. On the lake, Stan got bitten by a swan. Bleeding and everything! Nice old lady gave him a plaster. The reason he was bitten was, Char had seen summat on the tele about not giving ducks and swans bread and that. So in Tesco (yes we went to the shop to buy them some food) we bought porridge oats. Porridge. The swan bit him because of porridge.
Sorry, I digressed. Oh, also we stopped at Gretna Green, for like 12 minutes. So, on Saturday morning, me and the kids went to the beach. Had a nice walk and play and that. On the way back to the caravan, had a play in the park on the camp thing. Then, we drove to a train station, and got a train to Edinburgh. Got out at the other end, and walked up loads of stairs. We had a walk up the Royal Mile, so many street performers and that. Ended up just short of the castle to our first proper stop. Camera Obscura.
We used Tesco vouchers to get in here for free. It’s a museum/interactive science gallery/illusion hall thing. Lots of cool things to look and and bend your eyes. 6 floors of fun, culminating in a telescope thing at the top. I think it used to be an observatory. You also get amazing views up there, all around the place. It’s about £15 for adults and £11 for kids, so I probs wouldn’t spend that much to go in, but would defo use Tesco vouchers again! Double up and that.
Oh also, there is a TUNNEL OF DOOM or whatever it’s called. It’s horrible. A tunnel, that spins, and makes you fell sick as you walk through it. So disorientating. Pics and vids don’t do it justice.
We had a walk around again, ended up near Grassmarket, which is also the name of an E.P by a band called Boat to Row, a local band. Then got lunch at Pizza Express, using, Tesco Vouchers! Nice. Finished our meal, and had a walk back up to the castle. We didn’t go in or anything, just had a sit outside in the sun. It’s probably really nice inside. A walk back down the Royal Mile, saw some more street performers and then got train home. Lovely day out.
Edinburgh Zoo
The next day was pretty much the main draw for Charlotte. We went to Edinburgh Zoo, one of the only places in Europe to see a Giant Panda. Well, 2! Tesco vouchers, I think, got us in, and we had to book time slot to see the massive black and white bears. We were lucky! They were inside when we got to the enclosure, but then decided to come out. The keepers have no say on when they come out and that, and they are proper fussy weird animals aren’t they.
Rest of the zoo was alright. Nothing too special. If it wasn’t for the pandas, could have been any generic zoo. Quite spread out too, but you do get a nice view from the top of it. I’m sure I did a Trip Advisor for it. Hang on. Yeah, turns out I wasn’t that impressed then either. Oh, take your own food, the cafe prices are ridiculous! Criminal man.
After the zoo, we drove home. We were gonna drive back past Newcastle to see the Angel of the North and that, as hadn’t seen it before, but time was pushing on and we just went the way we came. Was a crash or summat and put on a fair bit of time t’other way. Really enjoyed Edinburgh. Loads more to see too if we had a bit longer. Arthur’s seat, ghost tours, other things. Will defo go to the Fringe one time I reckon.