As monuments go, this one is pretty cool so we took lots of photos of it 🙂
This is the Balmoral Hotel clock tower on Princes Street beneath Castle Rock (where Edinburgh castle is perched). It’s right by the train station so the clock is set 3 minutes ahead to help ensure that passengers don’t miss their train!
Edinburgh Castle
A view from Edinburgh Castle
It was so fun to see the seagulls all around Edinburgh. When I was in the city, it was easy to forget how close the ocean actually is!
I think this is a really fancy rain spout? It’s also on the Scott Monument.
This one is also on Calton Hill and it commemorates Admiral Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar. I’m not sure who they were fighting…probably the British.
This is the National Monument of Scotland memorializing the Scots who died fighting in the Napoleonic Wars. It’s on Calton Hill across from downtown Edinburgh.
The City Chambers
Another view of the Adam Smith statue and a better view of St. Giles Cathedral.
Deanston Distillery and the Scottish Kelpies
The wash is distilled repeatedly in order to separate the alcohol from the water. This creates a liquid known as “high wines.”
Yeast ferments the mash converting the sugar to alcohol. This makes a liquid known as wash.
Barley grist is added to warm water to make a liquid called mash
Oak casks mainly sourced from the US and Spain (previously used to age whiskey & sherry) are used for aging scotch whiskey
The Kelpies
Flying baby!
Check out his license plate!
Yummmmm
Aging the casks is where the magic happens. The vault includes casks from other distilleries, a common practice to protect against losing everything in a catastrophic event such as fire.
Whatchu lookin’ at.
Oak casks are filled with a mixture of the high wines and water.
Geyfriars Bobby and Kirkyard Cemeteries
That’s Abraham Lincoln…I don’t know why.
A statue of Bobby, the loyal pup.
Stirling Castle, Scotland
The unicorn is Scotland’s official animal – I think that’s awesome.
Beautiful tapestries
painted ceilings
So many lovely details
Stirling Castle
Northern Scotland and the isle of Skye
Highland Cattle
Giggling teenagers?
A seriously cute little village by Loch Lomond – there were several streets lined with these adorable cottages.