Our hostel had sanitary showers and a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs this morning (yum to the max), after which we went on a free walking tour of Edinburgh led by someone who works at the hostel. Stops included:
-the graveyard which contains the headstone of Thomas Riddell, who inspired Tom Riddle (aka Voldemort)
-the Royal Mile
-the Elephant House, where good ol' JK Rowling looked out over the graveyard and castle and wrote the very beginnings of Harry Potter
-Calton Hill and it's (sadly) unfinished national monument (thus the frown)
-a statue of a dog who was buried in the graveyard at least 5 years before they let any women be buried there (no this is not a joke)
-Princes Street, including where the scots created a giant moat to help defend the castle; when they drained the moat, they found over 3,000 bodies of women who had been accused of being witches and thrown into the moat (still not kidding)
At my request, we went back to the Elephant House, and we got to eat lunch where Jo herself once sat. I'm glad I went into the bathroom, because every single inch of the wall was covered in quotes and thank you letters to J.K., thanking her for making their childhood magical. Just because we're friends, in going to confide in you that I teared up reading all of the thank-yous. Harry really has impacted so many lives for the better, including mine. In the words of Severus Snape, "It's real for us."
Tummies full, we hiked up to Edinburgh Castle which was quite a sight to behold.
We took a stroll down the Royal Mile before heading to the Christmas Fair, where we had some delicious carnival food and dessert and got to experience FOUR WHOLE LEVELS of Christmas cheer.
Tired and happy, we returned to our hostel early, ready for our bus tour tomorrow morning.
In the words of J.K.,
"Mischief managed."
that bathroom is amazing!
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