EDINBURGH Spring 2015

Spending the week-end in Edinburgh with Sam also echoed my Autumn jaunt and was just as enjoyable.
Edinburgh is a city that begs to be explored, it's filled with quirky nooks and crannies that tempt you to walk just a little bit further. You're never disappointed by the effort.

Edinburgh Castle-This most famous of Scottish castles has a complex building history. The oldest part, St Margaret's Chapel, dates from the 12th century; the Great Hall was erected by James IV around 1510; the Half Moon Battery by the Regent Morton in the late 16th century; and the Scottish National War Memorial after the First World War. The castle dominates the skyline of Edinburgh.

    No One Attacks Me With Impunity

    Sam

    The Safari Lounge, this quirky place was our neighborhood bar.

    From Calton Hill you have a panoramic view of the city. It's also famous for its collection of historic monuments, which form some of the most important landmarks of the city. The National Monument, inspired by the Parthenon in Athens was intended to commemorate the Scottish servicemen who died in the Napoleonic Wars, it was never completed leaving just the twelve columns you see today.

 Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius) Invasive and beautiful!

                      One of those come-hither nooks....

    A hidden garden discovered

    View of Arthur's Seat and the ruined Holyrood Abby

Street Art

    Local color

Botanical gardens

                            The Edinburgh Marathon

Museum Of Childhood

    Sam and I found this game amusing!

DUBLIN REDUX

Second visit to Dublin in the last year, this time it was spring (seriously the rain was warmer) and I was doing much of my wandering solo. According to my phone, I averaged twelve plus miles per day. Dublin may not be the most picturesque city in Ireland but it has an infectious energy, friendly folk and feels like home.  The following is a collection of images that caught my eye.


Best reason I can come up with for the repeat visit to Dublin.....Sam!

The likeness of Oscar Wilde in St Stephens Green is as colorful as the poet/playwright himself.

The message speaks for itself, and flower pots in the chimney, what's not to love?

modern day gargoyle

Boston/Cambridge needs these.

Swan family in St Stephen's Green

Standing on high ground in the oldest part of Dublin, Christ Church Cathedral (12-13 century) is one of the city's finest historic buildings. Part of the Anglican Church of Ireland, the cathedral is the mother church for the diocese of Dublin and Glendalough. It is one of two Protestant cathedrals in Dublin; the other being St Patrick's Cathedral, just to the south.

Grafitti on a door of Christchurch, at least it speaks of love.

St Patrick's Cathedral

Complete with it's own form of grafitti, yarn bombing!

Ireland becomes first country to legalize gay marriage by popular vote in May, one of the many signs I saw in support.

The Winding Stair Book Store and tea shop. They have a superb restaurant upstairs.

The Grand Canal was down the street from my B&B, a peaceful respite from the hustle of Dublin. No idea who the dude on the bench is!

So many great doors!

I wandered into the "street art" capital of Dublin...some very cool stuff!

Caught in the act....

tools of the trade

Off duty leprechaun ?

Dublin sunset

I have a "thing" for tables and chairs. National Gallery Of Art

Trinity College

Temple Bar is reputed to be Dublin's "bohemian quarter"