Edinburgh: Our Last Stop

Goodbye, Mum

It was a grey day in Gourock but we had decided not to visit the crematorium where Dad had been laid to rest. Contrary to what we had originally thought, there was no commemorative plaque to visit and we wanted a meaningful resting place for Mum.
So after breakfast we put the rest of Mum's ashes in the Clyde, the river she had lived alongside for many of her young motherhood years and to which she had returned in her retirement.  

We were filled with emotion and drained after the past two days visiting our roots. The rain matched our moods and we saw no point in sightseeing our way across Scotland toward Edinburgh. The one hundred and twenty kilometres were covered in short order on the motorway and we arrived at Dunedin Guest House before many of the guests had finished their breakfasts. 

dressed for the wet, we enjoy a brief respite

 
This B&B was rather a long way from the tourist centre of Edinburgh but we parked our luggage and took the bus into town despite the wind and the rain. Between our long lunch, time spent sheltering in the magnificent cathedral, popping in and out of shops along the Royal Mile, we managed not to get too soaked. 

the windows of the cathedral - light-filled despite the grey day

 
And then we found the museum! Ah what a treasure. We stayed until it closed. I found the stuffed "Dolly, the first cloned sheep" fascinating but it was hard to get William away from Jackie Stewart's famous racing car. All the while Robert was snapping pictures of the architectural wonders of the old building. And to think that the admission was free.

the glass atrium of the Edinburgh museum

At closing time, we were hurried out of the museum and caught a cab to a pub near the flat of Victoria, William's daughter and our niece, who goes to vet school in Edinburgh. Then we went to a lovely restaurant and had a long and rather filling dinner before retiring for the night.  

The wind howled and the rain beat upon the window panes all night long. And surprise, it was still raining when we got up.

 

exploring the byways of the Royal Mile

Not to be deterred, we ventured back to The Royal Mile, investigated George Street and its shops, spent some time in the National Art Gallery, wandered down into the Haymarket area, toured the Scottish Parliament, visited the grave of Greyfriars Bobby and once again finished the afternoon in the museum. 

The Parliament, the Art Gallery and the Museum were all highlights but they couldn't top my emotional attachment to the story of Greyfriars Bobby and the charmingly illustrated books I bought in the museum gift shop.

the statue of  Greyfriars Bobby and my books

 
And of course we ended the day in the Greyfriars Bobby Pub recapping our entire two weeks together before toddling off to a fancy restaurant in a nearby boutique hotel that was probably not quite our cup of tea and whose food was no better than average.

We chatted through our last meal together (of this trip at least) until we went back to the B&B and Rob and I picked up our luggage to travel to an airport hotel. It was a brief night of sleep before our early morning flight.

Our journey back to our birthplaces had been, at times, emotional; always full of laughter and shared memories of our family life; frequently fueled by evening drinks and good food. It was a time together that we will never forget. Our parents, dear Rae and Bob, would have been pleased to see their children on this journey. We hope they are happy with their final resting places and with our commemorative pilgrimage. And we thank you, Mum, for making it happen.

a final "beer hour" in the Pub of  Greyfriars Bobby, Edinburgh

How special it was for us, as three middle-aged siblings, to share two weeks of  love, laughter and stories. It may never happen again but the memories of this time will always sustain our relationships.