Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost: In Edinburgh

I've just spent a restful couple of days in Edinburgh, and am heading off for another couple of restful days in Hawick, Scottish Borders, hopefully connecting with some Turnbull clan distant rellies along the way.

It's been strange being back in a city, the last one was Derby over 3 weeks ago. There's an anonymity to a city. No one stops to talk to you simply because you have a backpack on, no one noticed when you walk into a bar because everyone's a stranger anyway, you're just another tourist. There's no other hikers to recognise, and commiserate over the progress and challenges of the day. I shouldn't feel so put out really, but it is a big shift from a only a few days ago. All the same I made some new friends at the hostel, and we went out to see the Tolkien movie just this morning.
Yesterday, despite spending the morning chatting, I made it out to Edinburgh Castle. When I got there it said tickets were cheaper online booked for a time slot - so through the wonders of modern technology I booked a ticket and then had an hour or so to spare. I wandered up and down the Royal Mile, and had a look around in St Giles Cathedral. It's beautiful but not so incredible as Westminster. I did enjoy the figures carved above the main door, two of whom are leaning rather nonchalantly against the arch itself.
As I started to exit the building I got caught in a human traffic jam and wondered what was the hold up. Fighting my way to the doors I found the cause - it had started raining. I rolled my eyes, stomped into the street and found d a shop with enough room for me to extract my coat from my bag. Honestly, you would think people had never been rained on before. To continue this small rant I must express my dislike of umbrellas used in dense pedestrian zones - they're going to take an eye out, just wear a jacket. A long one if you want to keep your trousers dry (unlike me later that day!)
Heading back towards the castle I stopped to admire a large owl and his handler - for a donation I was offered the opportunity to hold him. Thus I was introduced to Beethoven (2.5kg) and Guinivere (4kg) both European Eagle Owls, their small mustachioed friend whose name I've forgotten, and spent a good 20 minutes in conversation with Helen their handler. They all belong to Falconry Borders, an organization that maintains the medieval art of Falconry, and combines it with public education and rehabilitation of wild birds of prey.

Edinburgh Castle is another place steeped in long history, the oldest part of the building, St Margaret's Chapel, dating to 1100s. The rest has been built and rebuilt over the centuries, and appears to grow from the very rock it is built upon. Unfortunately I wasn't actually feeling very well that afternoon, with my foot and achilles beginning to ache, so wasn't in full history-absorption mode. However I can highly recommend visiting in the afternoon, and staying on until closing time. Suddenly the ramparts were empty of people, and the views of the city would be lovely in the evening glow. I didn't get evening glow, I got rain, but that seems to fit the castle better than sunshine anyway.

Looking out over Edinburgh I was struck with how similar it feels to Dunedin, as I suppose it should, being its parent city in a way. The harbour in the background and the gothic buildings, I confess made me somewhat homesick. Strange that bagpipes and kilts can make me miss a city on the other side of the world, from this, the place where such things were born.