Edinburgh
This morning a Local Guide (kilt and all) introduced us to the 200-year-old "New Town" Then we went to the "Old Town," driving up the narrow Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle to admire Scotland's Crown Jewels. Edinburgh castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock.

We also visited the Sir Walter Scott memorial. Born in Edinburgh, the ninth child of a lawyer, Scott contracted polio as a child which left him with a permanent limp. He trained as a lawyer but it was his poetry that initially brought him fame. Needing to earn more money, Scott set out in 1814 to write the novel "Waverley", which met with considerable success. There followed a succession of novels such as Rob Roy, Guy Mannering, Ivanhoe, Old Mortality, and The Talisman, each with a Scottish historical setting. Wishing to preserve his reputation as a poet, he always published the novels anonymously. During this time the nickname The Wizard of the North was popularly applied to the mysterious best-selling writer.

A prominent figure in Edinburgh society, he entertained famous people like Washington Irving and William Wordsworth. He was knighted in 1820 and organised the visit of King George IV to Scotland in 1822. He practically re-invented Highland society and clan tartans (which had not previously existed in this form) for the visit. Even the king was bedecked in false tartanry.

Scott's interest in things Scottish led him to rediscover the Scottish crown and sceptre which had been left, forgotten, in Edinburgh Castle. He also fought a successful defence of Scottish Banknotes - his portrait is on current Bank of Scotland notes in memory of that event.

We went to a traditional Scottish night out with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and, of course, the Ceremony of the Haggis.