Well, we made it to Edinburgh on Saturday, May 14th, but unfortunately our luggage was lost again.  We are batting 100% failure on getting our luggage.  Next we leave Edinburgh for Chipping Campden, England on the 28th of May, and fly direct to Birmingham, England to pick up a rental car.  I can’t imagine our luggage being lost on a direct flight, but…….this appears to be the Olmstead’s fate on this trip.  Keep thinking positive thoughts about our luggage.

We love our rental place in Edinburgh.  We are in New Town as opposed to Old Town, but we don’t know how you tell.  Our New Town neighborhood is several  hundred years old (est. late 1700’s). The neighborhood is quite lovely,  but it’s still peculiar to me that “New” Town is that  old.  Below are some photos of our neighborhood and our rental apartment.  We got it through Home Away Rentals and are extremely pleased – fireplace in almost every room, tall ceilings and windows, and lovely old buildings.  What’s not to like?

We have been our typical busy bees catching the top attractions, but doing it at our own pace.  We were so happy to have had Ed and Kathy Grober visit us for a few days last week, and waited to do some things so we could enjoy them together.  Clay is writing a description of some of tourist activities. One of the things I enjoy most about just “being” in Edinburgh, besides the obvious touristy things,  is simply living the way the locals do.  Already I have already fallen in love my neighborhood in Edinburgh – Stockbridge.

Once upon a time it was a sleepy village on the outskirts of Edinburgh. It was incorporated into the city of Edinburgh in the 1800’s.   I love walking on  its cobbled streets, shopping at the small shops which runs for several blocks.   The closest I can come to comparing it to Austin would be S. Congress, but better.  More shops, more restaurants, and the classical architecture of a city established in the 1700’s.

The current “Stock Bridge,” built in 1801, is a stone structure that spans the Water of Leith.

If you go down the stairs at the base of the clock tower, you can follow the Water to Dean Village, a World Heritage site.  We did that, and found that it’s hard to tell a World Heritage site from the rest of Edinburgh. As far as we can tell, they could put that designation on the whole city.

Every Sunday morning there is a farmers’ market. We have made it both Sundays that we have been here.  I bought some pheasant soup that was delicious, and not gamey at all.  It is definitely the place to be on Sunday

There is a great selection of artisan food stalls, including one with pulled pork and another that serves freshly made paella.

We had a good time in Edinburgh, but now it’s off to Chipping Campden. I hope our luggage enjoys the trip as much as we do. Maybe it should have its own blog to tell about the adventures it’s having.