Day 3 Edinburgh

With a well needed sleep-in we were ready for an Edinburgh adventure. There was a spur of the moment decision and suddenly we had joined a 3 hour walking tour of Edinburgh. I was planning our escape from the beginning but Matt and Kate insisted it was great. It was absolutely freezing and I was layered up, Matt had no coat just a sweater. The tour walked us through the city centre, this took a very long time stopping and starting at every statue along the pathway. So snacks were necessary, and we found plenty down this cute colourful street.

 

I opted for a delish rocky road

Matt preferred a whole pig 

A shop full of fromage

A quirky art store

The tour took us through hidden stairways connecting parallel streets together as well as old cemeteries with charm. 

We got a glimpse of the Castle and ended up at Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens which was filled with people basking in the sun. 

After having a little play with the statues on the street we set our eyes on Arthurs Seat. It boasts one of the best views of Edinburgh and we figured if its a tourist spot it mustn't be too high to climb - Wrong! We walked up hill for half an hour and realised we weren't even a quarter of the way. Kate was not happy. 

In order to make this day truly exhausting we went for a 1 1/2 hour ghost tour through the town. I was completely convinced we would see the "raoe" ghost or i would feel a tickle on my neck or something horrendous would happen that would make me fear for my life and cry, but our tour was no good. No sightings, no feelings not even a scary ghost story to make us believe there was once a ghost there. We should've known when the tour started that the man with an aussie accent would no nothing about Scottish ghosts and horror. So tip for Scottish travellers opt for the ghost tour in the vaults apparently that will actually frighten the life from you. We were partly disappointed, i was partly relieved that our tour was a fraud but we certainly made the most of exploring the town during dusk.

View of Edinburgh lit up at night

Day 2 Glasgow with a leap over to Edinburgh

We woke up with hangovers and a hunger to find something great that Glasgow could offer us. Of course we found it, West End, Glasgow's little gem.


In a desperate bid to find a good coffee I  spotted in the corner of my eye a buzzing little coffee shop. We sat on the top level and looked down upon the busy barista and our fellow coffee patrons.

We had a wander along the streets filled with eccentric boutiques filled with adorable homewares and a lovely little makers market set within the library.

At the end of the street is the Botanic Gardens, I must admit they surpass Brisbane's Botantic Gardens by a mile. There was an indoor garden, a pond filled with fish, a section of carnivorous plants and a book fair!!

After falling in love with Glasgow we were forced to catch the MEGABUS to Edinburgh before sunset. We were overcharged in the cab from the station but relieved to find lovely rooms at a very homely hostel, Argyle Backpackers. As a rumble in our stomachs began to grow, we strolled through Edinburgh in search of a good dinner spot. 

Kate piked, feeling exhausted from our previous evening but we powered on to find a good bar and dance floor. After walking down many little cobble streets and random pathways we finally reached a place resembling a club. It was a tacky, dirty club but we figured why not go all out in Edinburgh.

Scotland - Day 1 Glasgow

I had no expectations for Scotland, which is partly why I found it to be such an amazing place. We left Leeds at an early hour but a three hour train journey placed us in Glasgow in the late of the afternoon. So excited to be in such a hyped up city we left the dingy hostel to explore. We found shop after shop which bored us a little, so a hidden pathway that led us to a pub greatly excited us. 

Sandwiches served with an a mound of chips 

With calories asking to be burnt off, we trapsed the streets to find some form of culture or buzz. We found statues and concrete building and building but nothing that ignited our excitement for Glasgow, so we decided to make our own fun. 

To be fair, we did stumble upon Glasgow's GOMA which had some fantastic installations and art-works. 

With thanks to Lonely Planet we pre-booked extravagant dinner at The Corinthian Club. 

http://www.thecorinthianclub.co.uk/ 

Too much wine was sipped which was tripled by our awe of the dining room we sat in. Huge velvet chairs kept your table in your own area of the room. The food was rich and decadent but unfortunately for me I can hardly remember eating it (Hooray for photos!). 

It all started with wine and the bread basket.

My chicken and vegetable dish

Matt claims "Best beef burger he has ever had!"

I do remember eating dessert, a banana bread and butter pudding. I was yet to try a bread and butter pudding, bread and butter are not foods I yearn to indulge in, but this version blew my socks off - actually amazing. 

Kate's Rhubarb Creme Brulee

Too drunk and too full from an intensely decadent dinner we went to a bar for a little nightcap. 

And had a naughty play with the mist on the window

Last minute dash to Bath

A last minute trip to Bath. I had no idea what to expect, I had never heard of it. It is actually beautiful and has a romantic feeling to it. Stone etched buildings, cobbled pathways and stark trees surrounded by lush green grass. We only had a day here and died for another as we felt there was so much more to explore. Its a small, tranquil town but has so many marvels within it. 

We found the Saturday markets and riffled through the racks of vintage clothes. 

The towns main attraction are the Roman Baths built oh so long ago by the Romans. They are heated by natural hot springs, radiating steam off the surface of the water. 

Matt wanted to take a dip in the bath.

Of course we indulged in some wonderous food. 

Lunch

Dinner

I forgot to mention a little gem we found. As the sun was setting and the air was getting colder we stumbled across a cool boutique store with karen Walker Jewellery, quirky notepads, coffee table books and racks of expensive clothing. We spent a good hour chatting to the owners, they were lovely giving us places to go for dinner and drinks, telling us how they came to open a store in Bath. If ever you visit Bath make sure you step into their store.

http://www.foundbath.co.uk/