scottish history, anyone?

i used to think scotland got nothing to offer beside men wearing skirt (kilt) and a water monster called nessie. after two days of history lesson in edinburgh, i kinda like scotland and would love to go back for more adventures. edinburgh has so much to offer (not just men running around in a skirt). the city is filled up with mystery castles, beautiful palaces and cathedrals, interesting museums, creepy dungeons, romantic streets and lanes and so on.

okay folks... scottish history, anyone? even i've visited most of the historical sites in the city, but there is only one thing i remember... a few of the scottish kings are called kenneth. and now, i'm proud to be called kenneth. i might be one of the kings in my previous life, king kenneth the second. how cool is that?

a visit to edinburgh won't be completed without a visit to the edinburgh castle (the most popular attraction in scotland). man, the entrance fee isn't cheap and they don't give discount to student. inside the castle is where the scottish history lesson begins! inside the magnificient castle, stored many interesting artifacts and even showed the scottish crown to the public. certain rooms in the castle are rather spooky, i did feel like someone was watching over me, maybe it was king kenneth!

the next must-do in edinburgh is walking along the royal mile and admire the architecture wonders. according to lonely planet, it is one of the world's most romantic streets. i actually didnt get it! the street is certainly beautiful but romantic? i'm not so sure! maybe i need to walk with the right person to get that feeling.

along royal mile, there are some very interesting museums and the best part, they are all free. as a budget traveller, nothing is better than a free attraction. they are also the best place to be during rainy or windy day. i gotta to be honest, i was in those museums because of the bad weather. now, i'm feeling a little bit guilty for confessed it but those museums are quite interesting (i'm not lying).

museums along the royal mile aren't the only free attractions in edinburgh! national gallery of scotland which stored paintings by picasso and monet is another free attraction. the gallery is another must visit in edinburgh (not everyday you can see a painting costs around 50 million pound).

the next stop, calton hill! the best place to see the whole city of edinburgh and edinburgh's waterfront. due to the bad weather, the view didn't look as good as shown in the brochure. on a bright and sunny day, i believe it will be a good place to see sunrise and sunset. i'm not a sunrise person (i don't think i can wake up before sunrise). maybe i will go back to calton hill for sunset. calton hill is not just a viewing point, some of edinburgh's most beautiful monuments are situated there.

what else can be the best way to end a day if not shopping? for you guys, i'm not sure but for myself, indulge myself with some goodies is the best way to end a day. in edinburgh, the place for such treatment or therapy is princes street. what did i get for myself? you guys will be surprised! i only bought a t-shirt and a pin from hard rock cafe. not so kenneth tan? well, when you are using pound sterling, you will always think twice before making a transaction.

just before dark, i visited another famous spot in the city, the statue of bobby. who is bobby? bobby is the most photographed dog in scotland and maybe the whole united kingdom. bobby, a skye terrier who maintained a vigil over his master's grave being fed and cared for by locals. a story of loyalty!

i started day two in edinburgh with a walk in princes street gardens and passed by scott monument. after experienced bad weather in the previous day, the sun was so welcoming. but hey... walking at a park on a sunday morning? man... that's so not kenneth tan kinda thing! sometimes, you gotta do something outside your comfort zone and surprisingly, it was quite lovely! fresh air... friendly smiles... nothing can be better to start a sunday morning.

another interesting place in this lovely city is the palace of holyroodhouse, a royal residence. another chapter of scottish/ british history! what captured my heart isn't the big palace but the abbey located beside it. a very charming little abbey! during its heyday, it must be the most beautiful building in edinburgh.

opposite the palace of holyroodhouse is the scottish parliament. i believe my architect friends will love the design of the scottish parliament building. it isn't like most of the buildings in edinburgh. it is rather modern and cool. damn, it closes every sunday and i was only able to admire it from the outside.

have you guys ever wondered where harry potter was born? the answer, at a restaurant called elephant house. jk rowling was having coffee in this place when suddenly the idea of a boy living in a world of wizards hit her brain. i did try out at the restaurant and did hope crazy idea will bang on me but sadly, i walked out of the restaurant with a blank brain. i guess i'm not jk rowling material, sigh!

not far away from the elephant house is the national museum of scotland. another very interesting place for scottish culture and history. guess what? it is another free attraction. i just love those free attractions. you can learn and see many interesting things without paying a penny, what a great deal!

i really enjoyed myself in edinburgh. the only downside of the trip was the weather. autumn isn't a good season to explore scotland... terrible weather! very wet and windy! the weather did effect my performance. i failed to pose nicely, damn it! i believe spring or summer will be better. edinburgh, you better watch out! i will be back for more poses!