Cannons and HP

Would Rosco like one of these?

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

Victoria St

There is a Scots version
of Harry Potter
could barely work out the words

Thomas Riddle grave
I wonder what his family think
of this modern day obsession

At The Elephant House cafe
French mother and daughter
I had fun with as we did our
Harry Potter graffiti photos in the tiny toilet

Angels playing bagpies in
Thistle Chapel at St Giles

St Giles

The morning weather reports are going on and on and on about the heat. Apparently yesterday it was hotter in the UK than Bali and that is a big deal. But we cant be worried about the weather as one of the brochures says we run tours in rain, sleet and even sunshine.

Out the door, we go turn left and straight up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle. The castle is heaving, tour groups from every nation all converge at the top of the Royal Mile to storm the castle. In we go and up, and up to check out the royal jewels, then onto the Royal Hall. There is even a whisky experience to dabble in a few tastings at the top of the castle. The cannon is massive and a ball can be shot for 2km, it is affectionally known as Mons Meg.

Now we are off on a tour of Old Town, down a hill, oh that looks pretty, snap, snap. Warning Harry Potter shop, warning another Harry Potter shop, what fun. More views of the castle, up another steep hill and better views. Around the old school and onto explore the Greyfriars area.

Edinburgh is a dog lovers paradise, and here is a memorial to Bobby, a dog who guarded the grave of his owner for 14 years. All the tourists take his photo and then touch his nose, must be for good luck? If you think I am sharing germs with all those tourists you are sadly mistaken.

Into Kirk (graveyard) on an important mission, Jane does not have a clue why we are here, it's quite an old cemetery with big trees and a happy mix of tourists and a sketching class. But I have a secret mission we are here to find where J.K. Rowling got the inspiration for names of some of the characters in the Harry Potter books. With help from 10-year-old Jessica and her Nan, we find Thomas Riddle at the end of the path and then onto McGongall, Moody and Cruickshanks.

Its time for a cup of tea and I know the perfect spot nearby. The Elephant House is one of the many cafes J.K. Rowling is rumoured to have spent time writing the first Harry Potter book, it seems to have cornered the market and is a really nice place to enjoy an elephant shortbread.

The final stop for the day is St Giles Cathedral, 2 pounds for a photo permission sticker and we are in. Its worth it for the stained glass windows alone. But what I am really here to do is find some room out the back with angels playing the bagpipes. We find it, its called Thistle Chapel and people of Scots ancestry, who have given distinguished service the guide shows us Robert Menzies (Australian Prime Minister) and his crest has the Southern Cross on it. Now that was unexpected.