magical Edinburgh

Without a doubt the highlight of this trip was the Mackenzie ghost tour. This tour has been running since 1999 at the graveyard of the aforementioned mad man. It is now the most documented area of poltergeist activity in the world and there have been over 400 physical attacks since it opened in 1999. The tour guide (David) is also extremely informative as well as very entertaining.

Edinburgh Castle is, of cours,e a must see on this trip. It is simply amazing and oozes history as it towers over this great city. It also only costs £6 to tour the castle at your own leisure.

One of my favourite places in Edinburgh is a little cosy cafe called the Elephant Room. It's located just off the Royale Mile. It's serviced by friendly, laid-back staff in a comfortable ambient atmosphere. An interesting point of fact in respect to this cafe is that it's where JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book. It's easy to see why, as the view is magical. It overlooks a large school, which is more akin to an old castle and the aforementioned haunted graveyard. Surely enough to stimulate the imagination of even the most mundane person.

Quick Tips:

Stay as close to the city as possible as taxis can prove quite expensive.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking is definitley the best way to see what I think is the most beautiful city in the world. It's not a big city, so it's also easy on the feet.

From Edinburgh Castle itself as far as The Worlds End bar (which serves a mean Aberdeen Angus steak) you can just feel the history all around you. This area is steeped in culture and history, some of it bloody and destructive.

The Castle itself is absolutely magical, and one would imagine it best suited in a childrens fantasy book rather then perched on a cliff overlooking a major modernized city. It's also very possibly the inspiration for the castle in Harry Potter as J.K Rowling actually wrote the first book in a little cafe called The Elephant Room only two minutes from the Royale Mile.

If you think the castle looks impressive from the outside then you should definitely take a look at the inside. There are some lovely gift shops just inside the main gate and is a good choice for picking up little mementos. The view of Edinburgh from the castle walls is not to be missed, and the view carries on as far as the eye can see.

My favorite room at the castle is in the center of the courtyard and is tecnically a large, beautifully decorated hall dedicated to every soldier that has died fighting for Scotland over the last 200 years.

On your way out don't forget to get a free sample of some of Scotland's finest whiskey. You'll need it to protect you from the harsh Scottish elements.

The Royale Mile itself is as you would imagine a dedicated tourist area with a variety of gift shops, bars, and restaurants. Don't miss it though as the buildings on this road are hundreds of years old and the architecture is world class. The world famous ghost tours also start on this street and don't leave Edinburgh without trying one as they are full of historical and cultural information, as well as being scary as hell.

Without doubt the highlight of the trip was the Bloody Mackenzie ghost tour. This tour has been running since 1999 at the graveyard of the aforementioned mad man. It is now the most documented area of poltergeist activity in the world, and there have been over 400 physical attacks since it opened in 1999. The tour guide named David is also extremely informative as well as very entertaining. The tour itself consisted of a brief trip around the darker, more historic areas of the Royale Mile and then swiftly to the graveyard. Imagine 20 people couped up in a pitch black, ancient tomb with a documented history of supernaturallly inflicted physical assaults. Scary to say the least, but extremely entertaining.

Edinburgh Castle is of course a must see on this trip. It is simply amazing and oozes history as it towers imperiously over this great city. It also only costs £6 to tour the castle at your own leisure. This wonderous castle is home to a plethora of great historical moments, many bloody and destructive. An amazing place to visit, and don't forget to taste the free whiskey on the way out. You'll certainly need it to protect yourself against the harsh Scottish elements.

One of my favorite places in Edinburgh is a little cozy cafe called the Elephant Room, located just off the royale mile. It's serviced by friendly, laid back staff in a comfortable, ambient atmosphere. An interesting point of fact in respect to this cafe is that it's where JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book. It's easy to see why as the view is magical. It overlooks a large school which is more akin to an old castle and the aforementioned haunted graveyard. Surely enough to stimulate the imagination of even the most mundane person.

No trip to Scotland would be complete without a day at Loch Ness. We took a day trip that only cost us £29 and included round trip to Loch Ness from Edinburgh accompanied by an extremely funny tour guide by the name of Fred. We also took a gondola up Ben Nevis on the way (which is the largest mountain in Britain). The view from the top was breathtaking. Loch Ness at 24 miles long and 750 meters deep was awesome to say the very least. We toured Urquart Castle overlooking the lake and took a cruise down the length of the lake. The weather was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky, but alas no sighting of Nessie.