Out and About

Although on most weekends the kids love staying home and playing with their friends at Blacket Ave, we do try to get them out to experience some of the sights in and around Edinburgh.  Here are a few outings we have taken this month.

We took the kids up to Edinburgh Castle to see parts of Puccini's Italian Opera, "Tosca".  It was an event for families, so they had a story teller and a story board so the kids could understand what was happening during the Opera.   When we arrived at the Castle we were greeted by the Queen's band and a special salute to the Queen because the annual meeting of the Church of Scotland was in session, of which she is the head.

A gun salute to the Queen

The Queen's band

The Captain of the Band, leading the procession

The harp and cello playing music during the Opera



On another sunny weekend we decided to go and explore North Berwick,  a coastal town about 30 minutes north of Edinburgh, and it's seaside Tantallon Castle.

JT, Daddy and Ella exploring the rocks and tidal pools at North Berwick

Bass Rock, the white on the rock is a population of gannets and puffins

JT hunting for creatures in the tidal pools (crabs, anemones, hermit crabs, fish)

North Berwick



Once the beach and tidal pools were explored, it was off to Tantallon Castle.  Tantallon was built in the 1350's and withstood 3 seiges before it crumbled under Oliver Cromwell's invasion with gunpowdered artillary in 1651.


Below you can see JT and Ella running through the fields to get to Tantallon Castle.

JT climbing a spiral staircase up one of the towers in the castle.

Ella making little birds nests out of dried grass and flowers

JT collecting a bouquet of flowers for mum

Finally, this week we celebrated the Queen's Jubilee, her 60 years of reign on the throne.  In part of the celebration we decided to visit Holyrood Palace, which is where the royalty stays when they come to Edinburgh.  (In fact, the other weekend the kids and I were unable to get in because Prince Charles and Camilla were there that week.)

Below are some pictures of Holyrood Palace and the remains of Holyrood Abby and the Queen's gardens.