Royal Botanic Garden and on to Glasgow

Today was our last day in Edinburgh.  After breakfast and checkout, we lugged our suitcases (actually, they are pretty light.  We have really become fairly efficient and light packers in two years) down to the storage lockers at the train station.  

Our first and main destination today was the Royal Botanic Garden.  

Along the way Brandon spots these two street signs.  

The Royal Botanic Garden is Britain's second oldest botanical garden, established in 1670 for medicinal herbs.  Admission to the garden is free.  

One of the gates to the botanic garden

This area is called the rock garden.  There are gravel foot paths that meander through the garden, in and around rock outcroppings.  

Playing with my zoom.

Some of the sculptures in the Royal Botanic Garden

We had to seek out these two sculptures because Brandon knew about the artist from school.  The artist, Andy Goldsworthy, is famous for using the natural materials around him.  

Brandon takes time to sketch what peeks his interest.

We enjoyed a nice lunch at the Terrace Cafe, then headed back into Edinburgh.  

Sir Walther Scott Monument

Katrina decided to visit the National Gallery of Scotland.  It houses a small collection of European masterpieces, including works by Raphael, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens, Thomas Gainsborough, Monet and Vincent van Gogh.  

Brandon and I headed in a different direction.  I accidentally kept our room key in my pocket when we check out this morning, so Brandon and I caught the bus back to the Guest House to return it.  We also made a quick pit stop at the Disney Store Brandon spotted along the way.  

Once the key was returned, the two of us headed to the Museum of Childhood.  Its a 4 story museum, located on the Royal Mile, full of toys from a century ago to today.  

Brandon checks out a display

Trains, of course! 

We met up with Katrina at the National Gallery.  Although the weather has been fairly descent all week, today was the first real warm and sunny day, so...lots of people were out enjoying the sunshine.  

We stopped and enjoyed an ice cream.  

View from our ice cream eating spot.  

This evening we visited a gallery, the Craft House Concept, to attend the exhibition opening for Katrina's friend Rachel.  She does all sorts of cool things with paper and old books - necklaces, art, aprons, and much more.  

It was on to Glasgow this evening.  We bought some food at the train station in Edinburgh so that we could eat dinner on the train ride to Glasgow.  I enjoyed a nice pasty.  I love them.  I especially love the meat and potato pasties.  

We arrived in Glasgow late in the evening, caught a taxi and headed to the Novotel.  One last night in Scotland.  Tomorrow we will wander around Glasgow then fly home tomorrow evening.