Day 3: The Castle

A piper and a drummer on Princes Street

The Balmoral Hotel, right in the middle of the city. J. K. Rowling finished writing the last Harry Potter book here.

The Balmoral and a view of the Scott monument

View from the bridge (pretty sure it's Calton Hill)

The Castle as seen from Old Town

Another view of the Castle

View from the Castle



They do a one-o'clock gun every day (except Sundays)--apparently little Greyfriars Bobby used to go for his daily meal at the sound of it




Royal apartments, where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI


War memorial

The Royal apartments




The Great Hall




Richard and me in front of the Castle entrance





Me at The Elephant House, "The Birthplace of Harry Potter"


Nice wide shot--this is the room where J.K. Rowling used to sit


Richard & me in the Elephant House

Outside shot of the Elephant House

One last piper before we went home...

German Market Dinner

Our evening's entertainment...they did some songs in German, but it was mostly covers of classic UK/American music. They even played "Sweet Home Alabama"...too weird!

Sarah's trying to figure out how to eat this sausage in a dignified manner

The tuba player was hilarious--kept getting up on tables, and he even stood on ours at one point!


Look at the size of those steins!


Aisha & Sarah

Sunny & the tuba player

In between songs, they played this little "Ein Prosit" song and told us to raise our steins :)

So we did!

The accordion player...it just made me think of how Grandma wistfully said once, "You know, nobody plays the accordion anymore."

Richard & me under the influence of sauerkraut, bier and polka music

York

Friday night in Leeds, on the way to the pub

Victoria Quarter's decorations are different this year--all silver

A cathedral right next to the Palace pub, all lit up at night :)

A church in York

Every building in York is old and beautiful, and I was taking pictures constantly, so I might not be able to remember all the names for the labels...

This was an old church that is now a pub called "The Parish"

The International Christmas market--This stall served Dutch Pancakes with Bailey's and whipped cream!


We had lunch at a cool old pub in Lendal Cellars--this was the view on the way out

We stopped at this riverside cafe for Belgian hot chocolate (didn't sit outside, though!)


The River Ouse

York Castle Museum


Clifford's Tower

York Castle Museum






The Shambles

York Minster





City wall gates

York Art Gallery

City Wall



Railway Museum--royal trains and Christmas tree


I loved this poster--so great! "There is a great similarity between Cornwall and Italy in shape, climate & natural beauties" :) Fantastic tourism promotion...