Edinburgh: all spooky and stuff

A couple of weeks ago I finagled a business excuse to go to Edinburgh, Scotland. I've always wanted to go here and went up early and spent the weekend. Anya was still in Ukraine, so it was a little lonely at times. Still, traveling solo can also heighten the experience. Lots of time for introspection. But I'll spare you the details.

Some people say they hate it when travel pictures never include the traveler. Be silenced!

A couple of profound learnings emerged from this trip. Much to my dismay, kilts are not the standard dress for your modern Edinburgh-ite (Edinburghenson? Edinburgher?). Alas, just tour guides and buskers were sportin' the plaid w/extra venting. But the history here is palpable. The city has a medieval feeling to it and a huge literary history (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, J.K. Rowling to name a few).

The old town surrounds this castle on a hilltop. It's pretty dramatic any time you look up. 

Ghost Tour guide...a little scary even before she started.

It's also a ghoulish place, as my Ghost Tour guide explained (see photo at left).  Here's a torture method I learned (WARNING, don't read further if your are squeamish...........seriously.........):

Take a cage shaped like a mixing bowl and flip it onto someone's chest. Place hot coals on the top of the cage so it heats and slowly melts into the chest. Oh ya, don't forget to toss a rat in the cage. The rat panics and gnaws it's way out, via the softest route possible, as the cage descends toward the body. Mmmmm....history.

 Edinburgh also has a history of more family fun like burning witches, robbing graves and serial murder. Good stuff. It's no wonder the authors of Dracula, Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde all found their inspiration in this city.