Another full nights sleep last night. Just bliss…. Up bright and breezy today to get my toes painted and eyebrows done before heading off to Edinburgh to spend the day with Mum.
Mum doesn’t need me to have my eyebrows done and toes painted 😆 but the girl I go to only works a Thursday and Friday, so I’m restricted to those days. She changed my 9.30 appointment to 8.30 which was really lovely of her. We have another wedding on Wednesday night!
So I’m on the 9.12 train from Glengarnock, North Ayrshire to Edinburgh Waverley, via Glasgow Central. It’s been a long time since I got the train and the ticket was £41.40!!! On the grand scheme of things, it’s not that much but I think I expected about £25 😆 times are changing!
For those of you who don’t know, I’m an Edinburgh girl. I was born in Edinburgh at the Simpsons Memorial Maternity Pavilion (I’ve always loved the lilt that has) and grew up in Penicuik about 10 miles south of Edinburgh. I went to Napier University in Edinburgh so it was always my old stomping ground.
Thinking on it, even back then I felt bit different. When everyone was obsessed with going out, partying and drinking, I’d much rather have stayed at home. I did go out but I never really enjoyed it. I think that drinking helped me relax and forget my discomfort and there the story begins…
So back to today, sadly the forecast is pretty wet. It was sunny when I got on the train but spotted this 🌈.
And now it’s raining!
So into Glasgow Central.
Had to hot foot it across Glasgow to Queen Street Station for the Express Train to Edinburgh. It only take 50 minutes.
Honestly Glasgow feels so alien to me now. We are never in the city anymore. There are people everywhere, obviously. Jeez that’s a bit of a scary selfie in Buchanan Street.
The Edinburgh train is heaving! It’s lovely to see loads of tourists heading to Edinburgh.
I am so excited to be on the train. It feels like a real adventure. I feel like I’m on holiday. This is the station from a bridge above it later on in the day.
Met mum and we walked up Cockburn Street!
Made famous by the Avengers movie.
When I was a teenager I used to get lots of my stuff out a shop at by the bottom called Cockburn Market…. It’s not there anymore 😂😂
We turned up on the Royal Mile and headed up towards Edinburgh Castle. That’s St Giles Cathedral where the Queen lay in state in Scotland before flying back down to London.
This is Deacon Brodies pub that I used to go to in my student days.
Looking back down the Royal Mile. Blue sky!
Thought this was a lovely building almost up at the Castle. The Scottish Whisky Experience.
I didn’t think the Castle Esplanade would be open to the public as the Edinburgh Tattoo scaffolding is all set up. It was but we didn’t get in to the castle as it was fully booked. Never realised that it could be but I guess during the Edinburgh Festival, that would be obvious!
Never going to get a photo without lots of people but thought I was pretty lucky with this!
Looking back down the castle esplanade to the Tattoo seating!
It got really dark!
And then the heavens opened!!!
This piper was really good.
Heading down the Mound to Princes St Gardens. This is the Bank of Scotland…. I want to say Head Office. If it’s not, it should be.
Walking down the steps towards the National Gallery and Princes Street, in the pouring rain.
Lovely view of the Sir Walter Scott Monument.
Think this is the best photo of the day as there were no people in it!
Mum took me to the Scottish Cafe and Restaurant for lunch. It was a lovely treat!
I had a buttery with wild mushrooms and soft cheese. It was really lovely.
Looking over Princes Street Gardens. This is where the Christmas Market is held every year. It’s nice to see it uncovered and green.
The Balmoral Hotel looking very imposing on the East End of Princes Street.
The new St James Shopping Centre… it’s streets ahea of what it was when I was a kid. More designer shops that anything else. It’s a lovely shopping centre but I’m not sure I’d feel the need to rush back.
There’s a lovely view from it, down over Leith and looking out to the Firth of Forth.
We popped into Harvey Nichols… way outta my league! We just did a tour of the escalators. The one pair of trainers I looked at were £595 😳 didn’t like them that much!
Mum headed off to the bus station to catch the bus back to Penicuik and I headed back down to Waverley for the Train to Glasgow Queen Street. It was so lovely to get to spend the day with her and do something different!
I passed the Royal Bank of Scotland on St Andrews Square. It’s been there since I was wee… and obviously a long time before that!
Crossing Princes Street looking west. It’s still really quite dark but dry.
Here’s a tram passing.
Back into Edinburgh Waverley.
It was such a lovely trip. I love being on the train and I’ve enjoyed exploring today almost as much as being on the PS Waverley. 🚢 it was lovely to see Mum as I can’t remember the last time we did something like that.
The train trip went really quickly writing this. I should have been a bit more present in the moment.
Back in Glasgow! So many cities!
Love that a seagull sneaked into this shot 😆
It was raining in Glasgow too!
Homeward bound after a lovely day!!
Happy Friday night!
Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️
The Rambling Sloth 🦥 
Lovely tour of Edinburgh, brings back good memories of my trips there. Always wanted to go to Glasgow but not made it there yet! X
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Glasgow is nowhere near as pretty as Edinburgh but I’m biased!! Xx
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