Woke up at our usual, very respectable 10 AM, feeling fresh after completing my 4 AM blogging ritual. We stepped outside expecting the usual Scottish gloom, but lo and behold— California sunshine! It’s almost as if Professor Dumbledore himself had cast a weather charm, keeping the rain at bay.
Egg McMuffins & A Train to Stirling
After days of indulging in grand feasts, we decided to keep breakfast light (relative to our usual). Enter: Egg McMuffins from McDonald’s. Quick, easy, and just enough to fuel the first leg of our journey.
With three tickets to Stirling secured from Waverley Station, we hopped on the train and prepared ourselves for some countryside views. The Scottish countryside? Expansive. And also… empty. Nothing but rolling farms, sleepy villages, and the occasional sheep living its best life. The ~50-minute journey flew by, thanks to constant announcements about upcoming stations—some of which I swear were in Elvish.
Stirling Castle: A Tale of Contrariness
Upon arrival in Stirling, we were met with gloomy skies—Edinburgh had played us with its sunshine. But the uphill trek to Stirling Castle soon had us peeling off jackets and regretting our layers.
Figure 1: Queen’s Apartment, Stirling
At the castle entrance, the ticket keeper suggested a guidebook over an audio guide—apparently, it makes for a better keepsake. £66 later, Vanya was officially appointed our guide. Some choice learnings:
- Queen Anne’s Garden: “She never actually saw it”.
- Queen’s Apartment: “I can lock the bedroom on my side”.
- King’s Apartment: “I sleep in the closet though.”
- Great Hall: “Let’s have sugary fish feasts… on a boat.”
- Kitchen: “Look! People cutting veggies and making soupy buns.”
A confusing yet intriguing castle experience, summed up best as: “What even was that?”
Done with the Stirling Castle debacle, we decided to head back to Edinburgh’s sunny realms. We left in haste, only to realize we had just missed the last train and had to wait another 30 minutes at the station. Classic.
Franco Manco & Edinburgh Rescues the Day
Figure 2: Carb comfort!
Back in Edinburgh, we sought comfort carbs in Italian pizza at Franco Manco. One sun-dried tomato pizza and a mushroom truffle pizza later, we were revived. Both were chef’s kiss —suddenly, the day felt lighter, the birds chirpier, and our moods significantly improved.
Figure 3: If carbs aren’t enough, lets add sugar.
To keep the high going, we opted to hunt for some authentic European gelato. Basement Gelato delivered the goods—Belgian chocolate and caramel sea salt were the flavors of choice, and they did not disappoint.
The Great Water of Leith Debacle
Feeling adventurous, we thought, “Let’s go see the Water of Leith!” A scenic riverside walk sounded perfect. Except.
Figure 4: the day of almosts
Two miles into our walk, we realized something important—the Water of Leith was another 13 miles away. A collective sigh followed. This was not happening.
Figure 5: How we felt at the Museum
Determined to salvage the outing, we rerouted to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) 1 & 2. Just as we reached, we saw the sign: “Open Daily 10 AM - 5 PM.” It was 5:15 PM. I kid you not, every single plan today was designed to fail.
Encore: The Whisky Quest
Defeated, we began the 20-minute trudge back to the hotel. The plan? Sleep and forget the day ever happened.
But Wait… There was still time for one last adventure—a proper whisky experience.
Dragging our tired selves out of the hotel, we first tried the Guildford Arms—only to find they don’t do whisky flights. Not giving up, we then aimed for Whiski Rooms (based on a random TripAdvisor picture) but accidentally ended up at The Devil’s Advocate.
And honestly? What a win. The bartender confirmed they did whisky flights, and finally, we had our victory moment.
- Vanya got her much-needed restroom break.
- Nidhi sampled five whiskies from various regions (and confirmed that they were, in fact, “too alcoholic”).
- Ordered sweet ginto-strawberry-syrup cocktail for the girls.
- Finger licking foods included: French fries, vegetarian haggis, and truffle mushroom balls.
Absolute bliss. A rocky day saved by a smooth finish.
Edinburgh Adventure Ends – Onward to the Highlands!
Tomorrow, we depart beloved Edinburgh and set off into the great unknown.
Just kidding. We catch a train to Inverness and drive to the Isle of Skye.
Onward, mates!