Things to do in Copenhagen: Castles and the Little Mermaid

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Hi everyone! I am running behind on some posts but I’m just enjoying myself so much that I thought I’d at least update you on my latest adventure in Copenhagen, Denmark. Copenhagen was a must see for several reasons; I love Castles, I love Princess Mary and I love, the Little Mermaid!

We arrived in Copenhagen airport and took a 13 minute train to the city of Copenhagen. It only cost us 36 crown (approx. 4 Euros) and is super quick so is the best way to travel to the city centre. We dropped off our luggage and made a dash for the Castles.

Exploring the area around Amalienborg Palace

Copenhagen is a walkable city so it wasn’t too difficult to locate the home of the Danish Royal Family, and Australia’s very own export, Princess Mary (she met a nice man at a pub in Sydney, fell in love and then discovered that he was a Prince … fairy tale anyone?!). Ok, so I didn’t see her, but I did go to Amalienborg Palace, which is where the Royal family currently reside. It was a beautiful day so we explored the Palace and then waited for the changing of the guards.

Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

The guards walk around the Palace in perfect precision and when it is time to change the guards, they take their job very seriously! A set of guards walk from across the city to relieve the current guards of their post (I know this as I followed them from one side to the other). It’s definitely a site to be seen.

Marching with the guards on our way to Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen

Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

I also managed to catch a glimpse of Princess Mary and Prince Frederik’s official wedding photo. My grandmother would have been proud!

Princess Mary and Prince Federik’s wedding photo hung in Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

The next royal residence on my list was Rosenborg Castle, a renaissance style Castle complete with a beautiful garden that is open to the public. We spent quite some time sitting in the Castle gardens taking in some much needed rays of sunshine and admiring the view of the Castle.

Rosenborg Castle gardens

Rosenborg Castle gardens

Rosenborg Castle gardens

Isn’t Rosenborg Castle absolutely stunning?

Inside Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen

Inside Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen

Inside Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen

We even caught a glimpse of the Crown Jewels… imagine how heavy this would be on your head!

The crown jewels at Rosenborg Castle

And this as an accessory to your ball gown…

The crown jewels at Rosenborg Castle

The Round Tower

Next on our list was the Round Tower, which is an observatory and an art museum.

The Round Tower, Copenhagen

The walk up the round tower is interesting as there is a ramp that continues all the way to the top of the tower. We decided to make our way up the tower as it is known to have the best views of Copenhagen.

Rick climbing The Round Tower, Copenhagen

The view was beautiful indeed… but the best part was enjoying the view while sitting in the sun and closing our eyes for a little rest. We saw quite a few who had the same idea, so did not feel embarrassed at all.

The from The Round Tower, Copenhagen

Picture Perfect

If you’re a fan of beautiful scenery, then Copenhagen is for you. Whether it be walking through the streets to see the colourful houses along the river…

Copenhagen, Denmark

Enjoying the fountains…

The fountains by the gardens are beautiful in Copenhagen

The beautiful promenade…

Copenhagen, Denmark

and the churches…

Copenhagen, Denmark

Or if you want to hang out with past Kings, then that’s doable too…

Copenhagen, Denmark

There is also the Tivoli Gardens which is a beautiful theme park that has a Disney movie like theme! We enjoyed wandering around the gardens while eating ice cream and being entertained by it’s many acts (there are pantomimes, puppet shows and even a sporting match that is a mix between volleyball and soccer!).

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen

A few hours in Tivoli Gardens can make any person smile, but what made me smile the most was finally meeting Ariel, The Little Mermaid! People travel from all over the world to catch a glimpse of Ariel, perched so elegantly on a stone and looking towards the land, as if longing for her Prince. Many people gathered around Ariel that day but after patiently waiting, I managed to climb onto the rocks and have my moment with her! I happily posed for a photo and smiled proudly at my wonderful husband who was balancing on a rock and desperately trying not to fall into the water, just so he could take this picture. Definitely a wonderful end to our adventures in Copenhagen!

My moment with The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark

What do you think of Copenhagen?

Buzzing Barcelona: why you need to put it on your travel list

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We visited the beautifully buzzing Spanish city of Barcelona a few weekends ago and we’re still recovering from the sheer energy of being in such place.

When I first asked around about Barcelona, my friends mentioned a few key words; amazing culture, delicious food and fun in the sun! Read on to discover why I think these words ring true to Barcelona.

Beautiful Barcelona, Spain

Fun in sun indeed!

Barcelona’s beach is not Europe’s prettiest beach but it does have a lot of character and that is why I love it!

Barceloneta in Barcelona, Spain

Palm trees and sunshine on the board walk… oh yeah! Barceloneta in Barcelona, Spain

We took the metro to Barceloneta underground and walked down the promenade, while admiring the yacht filled harbour and countless restaurants full of sun-lovers enjoying delicious Spanish food!

Enjoying tapas in Barceloneta in Barcelona, Spain (restaurant is Can Ros)

Paella for lunch is a must! Barceloneta in Barcelona, Spain

We joined the sun-lovers and ate a delicious paella at Can Ros, then danced off to the beach to soak in some rays of sunshine! The warmth of the sun does have some powerful effects so we enjoyed as much of it as we could and sat by the beach to enjoy Europe’s favourite pastime of people watching… there were sunbathers, bike riders, roller bladers, families with prams and people generally enjoying the atmosphere. I especially enjoyed the Spanish style music that the street performers provided. I haven’t heard some of these songs since I watched my family, back in Australia, sing Karaoke!

La la la bamba, la la la bamba…. sing it with me now…

Soaking in the much missed sunshine! Barceloneta in Barcelona, Spain

Gaudi: Madman or Genius?

Gaudi was a great architect who created many of Barcelona’s most interesting buildings. Gaudi was an architect who was commissioned mostly to build beautiful homes for the rich in Barcelona and was considered to be a little crazy! He built things in a way that would look organic and ornate, but always spent well over his budget.

Gaudi was not a fan of riches and people say that he spent his final years looking and living as a pauper. However, his beautiful buildings tell you a different story about the workings of his mind and I’m sure a little about his personality. Here are a few of the buildings that I saw. I was absolutely amazed at Gaudi’s creativity and can see why he was well-respected. Madman or genius, what do you think?

The entrance to Gaudi’s house, Barcelona

The lamp-post in Placa Reial and just off Las Ramblas

Gaudi Architecture

Can you see a mask anywhere?

Even the footpaths he creates are beautiful

Gaudi Architecture

More Gaudi architecture… can you see the seaweed anywhere?

The above picture is the famous La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s greatest known masterpiece. He started building this in 1882 but of course after his death, it still needed more work. So this beautiful Cathedral is 125 years in the making. It may look like a mess but each piece of the puzzle is well thought out. Each side represents a story in the bible from the time that Mary had baby Jesus in her belly to Jesus’ ascension into heaven. I was brought up in a Catholic home so this place was special to me, but I guarantee that if you visit La Sagrada Familia, you will still find each section of this building intriguing.

Underground City

Barcelona is like an onion, as you peel off one layer, it reveals more and more.

Did you know that the Romans found Barcelona? Yes, the Romans seem to have found many places in Europe, but what makes this fact interesting is that in Museu d’Història de la Ciutat de Barcelona (Barcelona’s History Museum),you can see a piece of the architecture that the Roman’s built. We jumped into an elevator that transported us thousands of years back in time to an underground city which housed many of the Romans. I enjoyed wandering through the city and viewing pieces of artwork, crockery and peeking into what was left of the rooms.

The underground Roman city under Museu d’Història de la Ciutat de Barcelona

Artwork in Museu d’Història de la Ciutat de Barcelona

When Old meets New

Barcelona has an amazing history, full of interesting stories. These stories can be told just by looking at their architecture. I found it exhilarating to walk through the old walls of Old Town, where the only way to way to travel through the cobble stoned, narrow roads is by foot or by horse and carriage. The latter was the most popular way to travel back in the old days and I could see why.

Then as we walked through old town, we were amazed to see beautiful churches and farmers markets… the cheeses smelt so amazing that I was almost tempted to have an early lunch…

Walking through old town

Farmer’s market on front of an old church

Barcelona, Spain

We then had a taste of Catalonian culture by witnessing a truly communal affair. During our tour, we stopped to admire hundreds of locals dancing traditional Catalonians dances on front of a beautiful Cathedral. They were being serenaded by an orchestra and cheered on by spectators.

Catalonian Dancing on front of the Cathedral in Barcelona

Sound like fun? Tourists are invited to join as well! I couldn’t help but tap my toes to the music in absolute Glee-style!

The orchestra playing traditional Catalonian songs as the locals dance with glee!

Rick and I standing by the Catalonian dancing on front of the Cathedral

What I loved about this experience is that this dance was organised in true flash mob style. The locals, young and older, meet at a particular time on a weekend to practice their moves without a care in the world. It was amazing to watch and a memory that I’ll treasure dearly.

If you’re not into traditional Catalonia dancing, you can also be entertained by the extremely charismatic street performers that dance to modern music. They are also a few metres away from the Cathedral and not too far away from a piece of the old Roman walls that used to surround Barcelona. Take your pick, Barcelona has everything for everyone!

Street performers in Barcelona, Spain

If I could only eat one type of cuisine…

It would be Spanish cuisine. The food is amazing in Barcelona (almost amazing as the food I experienced in Madrid – click here to read about it). During our time at the beach, we did enjoy a delicious paella, but if you feel like taking a calculated risk, I would also try the noodle version of the paella (at Can Ros). My husband tried this and it was just as delicious as the rice version!

Noodle based paella at Can Ros in Barceloneta, Barcelona

Naturally, it goes without saying, that you need to try the sangria and the wine as the Spanish sure know how to make a good drink!

What I also love about the Spanish is that they enjoy their meat, especially pork! If you walk around, you will notice that the majority of restaurants will hang legs of pork all over the shop!

They hang pork everywhere in Barcelona!

If you’re not a pork eater, the seafood is also delicious. Try the fried calamari tapas and wash it down with a glass of sangria. We ate dinner at Jai-Ca (thanks to the suggestion of our tour guide) and was greatly impressed by the delicious, home style tapas and equally appetizing sangria which was rich in fruit and wine! It was quite fun sitting in this charming restaurant full of locals while enjoying a nice meal. My suggestion is to go there early (in Spain this is 7.30pm) as it can get busy and very noisy… but the noisier the better!

Tapas and sangria at Jai-ca, Barceloneta in Barcelona, Spain

If you’re feeling a little crazy, you can also try some delectable dishes at Pura Brasa. We started the meal with a platter of traditional Catalonian cold meats and garlic-buttered bread. I’m not sure what the meats were but I think it’s best not to ask. Either way, this was my most enjoyable dish during this meal.

Catalonian cold meat platter with garlic bread at Pura Brasa in Barcelona, Spain

Rick took a ride on the wild side and tried the grilled pigs cheek. Surprisingly, it was tender and full of flavour. I’m not a huge risk taker with food and went for the pasta and prawns dish. We shared a chocolate bomb for desert which was an excellent alternative to the traditional Spanish churros.

Grilled pigs cheeks at Pura Brasa in Barceloneta in Barcelona, Spain

Chocolate bombs at Pura Brasa in Barcelona, Spain

There’s magic in the air…

I cannot forget the most popular street in Barcelona… the famous Las Ramblas. I walked through this street during the day and at night and I must admit that it was not as I expected. Perhaps I came there at a good time, but this street was charismatic and playful and not like the often dangerous, tourist-trap that people describe!

Street performer at Las Ramblas, Barcelona in Spain

There were street performers down the strip of Las Ramblas and the beautiful Placa Reial just off to the side. Albeit, the restaurants are overpriced as it’s a touristy area and pick-pockets are rampant, but if you keep this in mind, you’ll enjoy the experience!

Placa Reial, Barcelona in Spain

Placa Reial

Barcelona is definitely one of those cities that never ceases to amaze me! On our way back to the hotel, we used to walk past what seemed like an average fountain by day.

But looks can be deceiving as this fountain is a magic fountain. The water cascades into the air in perfect, synchronised movements to the background music! Hence, its name: The Magic Fountain. This is a must see at night for those who want to experience a little magic!

The Magic Fountain in Barcelona, Spain

The Magic Fountain in Barcelona, Spain

What do you think of Barcelona? Let me know in the comments below.

If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to click on the subscribe button and follow me on twitter. Next stop is Copenhagen.

Other posts you might find interesting:

  • Madrid – read about my food adventures in Madrid… and other things to do there too!
  • Budapest – read about my favourite city in Europe. Food, culture and architecture!
  • Venice – click here to read about Venice as a romantic retreat or click here to read about Venice during masquerade season!

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal: more than “meats” the eye!

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So we went to Dinner by Heston (a very fancy restaurant) and we ordered a piece of fruit and bread… times are tough…

Fruit and bread anyone? Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Doesn’t it look delicious? Well it was, and it actually was not just a piece of fruit and bread, but a very artistically formed piece of pâté that was created into the shape of a mandarin. Heston Blumenthal, you really are an artist!

“Meat Fruit”….Definitely more than meats the eye… at Heston Blumenthal

The reason why we decided to eat at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is because a friend of ours was passing by London to visit us. She started in Melbourne, visited our friends in Singapore and then passed by London to dine with us on her way to Hawaii. Tough life she leads indeed!

She is a lover of food and Heston Blumenthal is one of her favourite chefs, so we decided to do an early birthday celebration for her.

Myself, Tu and Nathalie enjoying some wine at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Dinner by Heston is located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge and it definitely earns its first class status. When we first walked in, we were greeted by friendly staff who are only happy to assist with anything. The inside of the restaurant is classy and the lighting gives it a very romantic ambience, yet one that you can still enjoy while drinking wine and eating good food with friends.

My friends and I at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

The restaurant was interesting enough, but it becomes more interesting when you order the food. He has some interesting takes on some classic or not so classic meals. Here were some of our selections:

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Fillet of Aberdeen Angus with a side of triple cooked fries at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Rice and Flesh (calf tale, rice and saffron) at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Buttered Crab Loaf

Tipsy Cake at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Chocolate ganache at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

As a starter, I had the crab loaf which was an interesting way to present crab. For my main, I had the steak and triple cooked chips. Steak and chips is one of my favourite foods in the world, and this definitely did not disappoint. As dessert, I enjoyed the tipsy cake which is a fancy version of pineapple up side down cake! Delicious!

Which dish would you eat?

Beautiful Budapest: why you should visit

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Budapest in Hungary has become my favourite place in the world. I have been to many cities in Europe and other parts of the world and every city has its charm, but let me tell you why Budapest is beautiful and why you will never go hungry in Hungary.

Hungry in Hungary?

Food is key when visiting any city. It not only stops you from feeling tired but it also gives you a feel of the culture. We tried many cuisines in Budapest and I dare say that I was never disappointed. I even tried the Street food which I rarely venture out to do.

On the Pest side, where we were staying, we ate delicious risotto and pasta at an Italian Osteria called Osteria. Budapest is close to Italy so has many fine Italian restaurants. We enjoyed listening to the live singer and pianist playing Michael Buble and Beethoven Classics. Quite a romantic night out!

Enjoying pasta and risotto at Osteria, Budapest, Hungary

Cheers to our first night in Budapest, Hungary!

On the Buda side, my favourite place to eat good Hungarian food is called Pest Buda. I still cannot stop thinking about the Chicken Paprikash with Buttered noodles, the traditional goulash soup and the stuffed cabbage. It was my favourite meal in Budapest as it gave me a great feel of Hungarian food. What I love about Hungarians is that they love their meat! They eat meat  with every meal, and eat meat with meat. Meat is stuffed with meat or “vegetarian” style dishes are garnished with meat …. or bacon….!

Stuffed Cabbage i.e. stuffed with meat and garnished with bacon at Pest Buda in Budapest, Hungary

Chicken Paprikash with Buttered Noodles at Pest Buda Bistro in Budapest, Hungary

Did I mention that the Hungarians love meat? Well, they also do a great Kransky and the best one that I tried was made by a street vendor next to our hotel, the Le Meridian (highly recommended by the way!). The aromas were enticing as we walked past these streets vendors and we could not resist sampling the menu in between lunch and dinner. If you want to have a taste test, I suggest that you wash it down with some freshly brewed apple cider.

They make the food fresh in these traditional ovens. The aromas are amazing!

Focaccia with Hungarian sausages just before dinner!

Traditional Hungarian Kransky for my brunch!

Did anyone say Castle?

If the food doesn’t entice you, then the Castle district will. The Castle district is located on the Buda side of Budapest. The Buda castle is not as beautiful as it once was as it was destroyed in the war but the Castle districts remains Budapest’s main treasure. The Castle district has such a fairy tale feel to it. The best part of the Castle district is the view of Budapest from the Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church.

The Buda Castle in Budapest, Hungary

Wandering around the Castle District in Budapest, Hungary

Enjoying the view from Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest, Hungary

Fisherman’s Bastion, Budapest Hungary

Fisherman’s Bastion, Budapest, Hungary

Matthias Church in Budapest, Hungary

Just a stroll in the park

Although it rained a little during our visit, we didn’t mind because the walk around Budapest is scenic. The parks are clean and the streets feel safe and because it is Spring, the flowers were in full bloom.

A walk near the park in Budapest, Hungary

The flowers are in full bloom… Budapest, Hungary

Spring is in the air…. Budapest, Hungary

Strolling through Pest in Budapest, Hungary

We especially enjoyed the atmosphere around St Stephen’s Basilica. St Stephen’s Basilica is named after the first King of Hungary. Since we visited in Easter, St Stephen’s Basilica was closed, but it would have been interesting to see the mummified hand of King Stephen which is stored inside. Either way, St Stephens is definitely a sight worth seeing in Budapest, if not just to sit and enjoy the architecture.

St Stephen’s Basilica… Budapest, Hungary

We even spent some evenings strolling to the Chain Bridge to just enjoy the view of the Castle district. The city has a completely different feel at night, especially next to the Chain Bridge. We sometimes stood by the Danube River and looked out into the Castle district feeling a sense of calmness. It’s definitely the most romantic spot in the city!

Enjoying the view of the Chain Bridge from the Pest side of Budapest

Hungarian Kings and Bath Houses

Where in Budapest can you see some Hungarian Kings and visit a Bath house? The Pest side of Budapest of course! When we made our way to the bath house, we made sure to stop by Heroes‘ Square. When we first set eyes on Heroes’ Square, we were amazed at how grand the Millennium Monument was. The Millennium Monument was built in honour of the 1000th anniversary of the Magyar conquest – Budapest was initially settled by 7 Asian tribes called the Magyars. I really enjoyed looking at the statues of Hungarian Kings and famous Hungarians and could feel the pride that Hungarians have in their culture and history (whether good or bad).

Heroes’ Square… Budapest, Hungary

Heroes’ Square… Budapest, Hungary

After admiring the Heroes at Heroes’ Square, we then made our way for a relaxing time in one of Budapest’s famous bath houses, Szechenyi Bath and Spa. The bath house has indoor and outdoor pools. Though the indoor pools were warm and relaxing, I had the most fun in the outdoor pools. The outdoor pools are fitted with a spa and on that particularly day, the spa was working overtime and was causing a whirlpool… so we swam round and round and round… until we could swim and laugh no more! If you decide to go, keep an eye out for the old men playing chess in the pool and don’t forget to bring your slippers as the tiles are cold!

Inside the Szechenyi Bath and Spa… Budapest, Hungary

Outdoor pools in the Szechenyi Bath and Spa… Budapest, Hungary

Paddling (and jumping around) the Szechenyi Bath and Spa… Budapest, Hungary

The Opulence of the Opera

After a fun day at the bath house, we went back to our hotel and got changed for the Opera. The Budapest Opera House is one of the most famous Opera Houses in the world and has many magnificent shows all year round. The design of the Opera House is impressive on the outside as it is on the inside.

Budapest Opera House

I remember standing outside the Opera House in anticipation for the Ballet. Then when I stepped inside the Opera House, I was even more amazed by it’s opulence. The Opera House had a royal feel with grand red-carpeted stair cases, interesting statues, marble pillars, chandeliers and high ceilings. We spent some time wandering around until it was time to find our seats, and enjoy a magical evening at the Ballet. I loved watching the ballerinas effortlessly tell a story through dance while appearing to defy gravity. It was definitely a night to remember and the best end to a beautiful long weekend in Budapest!

Inside the Budapest Opera House

Stunning performance at the Budapest Opera House

Don’t they just defy gravity?

Rick and I at the Budapest Opera House


Next stop is Barcelona! Can you recommend any nice places to eat there? 

If you enjoyed this post, click on the subscribe button and follow me on twitter. Have a great week!

English high tea at The Ritz London

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They say that if you get bored of London, then you get bored of life. I completely agree! There has been so many things to do in London and beyond, that I have had limited time to write about it. I can say that I’ve never smiled or laughed so hard in my life, I have seen and done things that I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams, I have met some wonderful people (during work and play) that really put life in perspective and I have been able to enjoy this experience with my husband and some long time friends.

Today my girl friends and I spent the afternoon at The Ritz London drinking tea and eating cakes and scones. We chatted about our travels and giggled over our adventures in Europe.

The girls and I at the stair case at The Ritz London

There were a few things that stood out at The Ritz. I was 5 minutes late for afternoon tea and I had to ask the doorman where the afternoon tea was held. The foyer was opulent, like a palace with a grand staircase, flowers everywhere and gold gilded everything! When I walked towards the door that lead to afternoon tea, I was greeted by two very smartly dressed doormen who smiled and simultaneously opened the doors to another hallway filled with light. I thanked them and wandered through the hallway while marveling at the high ceilings, intricately designed walls and the harp player playing classical music. I then sat myself down while the waiter asked me for my coat, complimented my outfit (they must say that to all the girls!) and then gave me a numbered key for the cloak room. Even their clock room keys are fancy!

The cloak room keys at The Ritz London

Since I had so much fun at The Ritz, I thought that I would share the photos as my words alone could not do justice to this experience. Enjoy the photos and have a great week!

Do you have any other suggestions for experiences in London? I’m keen to do everything that I can while I’m living here!

Absolutely opulent entrance to high tea at The Ritz London

The menu at The Ritz London

The girls eager to order their teas at The Ritz London

Delicious cakes at The Ritz London

Decadent desserts at The Ritz London

Care for some jam and cream with your scones? - The Ritz London

The girls and I enjoying afternoon tea at The Ritz London

The harp player at The Ritz London

I wouldn't mind a bathroom that looks like this - The Ritz London

Keep your face towards the sun and the shadows will fall – Edinburgh day 1

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What do you think of  when someone mentions Edinburgh?

When my friends asked us to join them on a trip to Edinburgh, I was most excited to see the Castle. Little did I know that I would be in for a fabulous food experience and one of the most interesting cultural experiences I would ever have in the UK.

Firstly, I want to explain the title for this post. While wandering through Edinburgh, we walked past this bird statue. For some strange reason, this statue is the first thing that I think about when I think about Edinburgh. It looks like an ordinary statue of a bird, but just below it is the inscription “Keep your face towards the sun and the shadows will fall”.

To anyone walking past, it’s just a statue like any other, but to others who stop to look at it carefully, it’s a unique statue with a positive message. Edinburgh to me is unique and although the people of Edinburgh had a sometimes turbulent past, they have managed to stay positive and keep their traditions alive. Read on if you want to hear more about this wonderful city!

Keep your face towards the sun and the shadows will fall... bird statue in Edinburgh, Scotland

The Royal Mile

The Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland

We started our day in Edinburgh with a tour. We met our tour guide at a meeting point on the famous Royal Mile. The Royal Mile signifies the start and finish of Edinburgh’s Old Town. When we first walked through the cobble stoned roads of The Royal Mile, we noticed the interesting architecture and statues placed sporadically along the streets.

We noticed the magnificent St Giles Cathedral standing tall grand and then looked to the left to see a heart which was set into the cobble stoned roads.

St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland

The Heart of Midlothian in Edinburgh, Scotland

This is the Heart of Midlothian. It was placed in the cobble stones as a memorial for the hearts that would have been beating before they were executed in the Town Hall. The heads of the prisoners were then placed near the Parliament Square for all to see. The Parliament Square was torn down in 1817 but the memory of these people will still remain when you look at the Heart of Midlothian.

According to my tour guide, people will spit on this heart as a sign of respect and if a tourist spits in the heart, it means that they will find their way back to Edinburgh once more. We walked past this heart at night and giggled as we could tell the difference between locals and tourists. The people of Edinburgh would walk around the heart, whereas the tourists walked straight through it.

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a beautiful castle set in the hilltop and was used mainly as a fortress for the military.

Edinburgh Castle

We did not go inside the Castle during our tour, but did go back to visit it the next day. There is so much to see in the Castle that I think it warrants its own post but as you can see in the picture, it’s a definitely worth a visit, even if you just stand along the walls and look out to enjoy the views of Edinburgh city.

The Cemetery

From the Castle, we were taken through to the Grefriars Cemetery which probably sounds a little creepy to you. However, the cemetery was a beautiful sight. The grass is green and the graves well maintained but the interesting parts about this cemetery is that it represents a dark side of Edinburgh’s history.

Our tour guide told us the story about the body snatchers in Edinburgh. Many years ago, people were paid large sums of money if they provided the bodies of their deceased relatives to the Medical University. The University was renowned for schooling the best doctors in the world so needed corpses to practice on.

This method worked well, until people started selling the bodies of people they did not know. Body snatchers would roam the cemetery and dig up the bodies of people who had just had a funeral. They would then sell it to the University for a hefty price and leave the graves open. People were so worried that their loved ones would fall prey to the body snatchers that family members took turns guarding the grave site at night . This would continue for a few weeks after the burial until the body was no longer useful to the body snatchers. Those who could afford it placed mortsafes across the grave to protect the body from body snatchers.

Mortsafe in Greyfriars, Edinburgh

On a happier note, this cemetery was also home to the honorary gravestone of a dog named Bobby. I want to introduce you to our friend Bobby. This statue represents Greyfriar’s Bobby; a little dog with a big heart. When his owner died, he would sit at the gravestone every day until his passing 14 years later. Bobby was so heart-broken that he made the cemetery his home and became such an inspiration to the people of Edinburgh, that they created this statue and head stone for him as a reminder of the love that Bobby had for his owner.

Gravestone in memory of Greyfriars Bobby, Edinburgh, Scotland

Dog statue put up by the people of Edinburgh to remember Bobby!

The Elephant House and JK Rowling

I love a great story so when we walked past the cafe that JK Rowling sat in to write the Harry Potter series, I was intrigued. Her story is a “rags to riches” story where she transformed from a single mother living on welfare to a household name worth a reported US$1 Billion. She’s richer than the Queen of England! JK Rowling used to sit in The Elephant House cafe because it was cheaper than to sit in her home and pay for heating. She would buy one cup of coffee a day and proceed to write the story of a young, orphaned boy who would soon become a powerful wizard.

The cafe where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter - The Elephant House in Edinburgh, Scotland

In fact, our tour guide said that JK Rowling used many of Edinburgh’s sites and historical figures to write her story, such as George Heriot’s School, which was once a school for orphans and is now a prestigious school in Edinburgh. Many of the gravestones in Greyfriars Cemetery also resemble names of characters within the Harry Potter series. I made a special note of this as my little brothers love Harry Potter and it is nice to know that people, such as JK Rowling, can get inspiration from her surroundings!

It’s also story about persistence - she experienced many rejections from publishing houses (a book about wizards – are you crazy?!) until one gave her a chance and the rest is history!

Princes Gardens

Princes Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland

Our tour ended in the beautiful Princes Gardens which showed all the signs of Spring. The daffodils were littered across the gardens, the trees were in full bloom and the grass was vibrant and green!

Princes Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland

Princes Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland

As we said farewell to our tour guide, we made our way through to the next tour; a walk through the underground vaults of Edinburgh. We walked past many beautiful buildings and saw many signs of spring…

Walking through Edinburgh, Scotland in Spring

The Scottish Monument in Edinburgh, Scotland

We then walked through some narrow alleyways to the meeting spot of our tour…

View from the bridge in Edinburgh, Scotland

Walking through the alleyways of Edinburgh, Scotland

The Vaults

The vaults tour took us underneath the bridges and into a whole new world. The vaults were once used by the people of Edinburgh for storage of food and other products. However, as it rained outside, the water would seep through to the vaults underground, and would cause significant flooding. The shop keepers were eventually driven out of the vaults and in came people who used the vaults in much sinister ways. In came all types of criminals who had something to hide and the vaults saw its darkest days.

When the body snatchers robbed the graves, they would use the vaults to store the bodies until it was time to sell them to the University. To this day, the vaults remain known for its paranormal activity. People have claimed to see ghosts and hear sounds from the past. The vaults were eventually taken hold of by the council of Edinburgh, cleaned up and made a tourist site but that has not stopped the ghost sightings.

The vault tour was worth a mention in this post because I am sure it would have been fun if it was a ghost tour. We were given interesting facts about Edinburgh during this tour, but since I had already heard this during my morning tour, these facts did not generate much excitement.

However, we told our own ghost stories later that night as we walked through Edinburgh in the fog. It was a completely different Edinburgh to what we had seen during the day but hearing about Edinburgh’s past made it all the more exciting! We did, however, huddle a little closer to each other as we walked…

A witch's saying in the form of artwork in Edinburgh, Scotland

So to make the most of the fog, we ran a race down The Royal Mile…

Running a race down The Royal Mile with your friends = Priceless

… and ended the night listening to Scottish music and downing Scottish whisky and cocktails!

Listening to Scottish music in on a foggy night in Edinburgh = perfect end to the day

Next stop is Budapest! Do you have any suggestions for things to do in Budapest?

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Related links

  • Where to eat in Edinburgh. Click here for my previous post
  • Free tours that are tip based (we gave 20 pounds as he was a great guide but feel free to give what you like, if any)
  • Vault tours (they also do ghost tours) we paid 9 pounds each
  • Read about the history of the Stone of Destiny

Food glorious food…where can you get a good meal in Edinburgh?

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Food, glorious food!
Hot sausage and mustard!
While we’re in the mood –
Cold jelly and custard!
Pease pudding and saveloys!
What next is the question? [Oliver Twist]

Where did I go for this glorious food? I went to Edinburgh on the weekend and sampled so much food glorious food! We also visited some amazing sites and learnt some interesting things about Scottish history, but that is for my next post. Today, I will take you on a food journey… It’s been 3 days since I have left Edinburgh and I am still thinking about the food…

The Doric

  • Website: http://www.the-doric.com/
  • Great for: Fancy pub food. Try the haggis and the Scottish Salmon for a true Scottish experience
  • Read more reviews on Trip Advisor here

Rick on front of The Doric, Edinburgh

My friends and I enjoying our meal at The Doric, Edinburgh

This place has delicious, “fancy” pub food and is great for a quiet drink and a relaxing lunch with friends. After our 3 hour tour, it was nice to be escorted to our table by a very polite waitress who helped us select a number of dishes that would give us the Scottish food experience. According to our tour guide, Haggis was the most Scottish meal that you could try. It’s basically sheeps pluck (minced heart, liver and lungs) with lots of herbs and spices! Sound tempting? 

I didn’t think so either so I opted for the Haggis Spring Rolls just to give me a sampler, followed by a perfectly cooked Scottish Salmon dish. I then washed it down with Scotland’s favourite soft drink, irn-bru. It gave me quite the sugar hit, but like they say “when in Scotland, do as the Scottish do!”…

Haggis spring rolls at the Doric, Edinburgh

Scottish Salmon at the Doric, Edinburgh

Sugar hit from drinking Irn-Bru, Scotland's favourite soft drink

My friends also tried a selection of other delicious foods! I am not exaggerating when I say that we spent a good amount of time discussing the amazing food that we were eating.

Haggis Neeps and Tatties at The Doric, Edinburgh

Home made game pie with truffle oil chips at The Doric, Edinburgh

Traditional Cullen Skink at The Doric, Edinburgh

Tigerlily

Vi, Nat and I sampling our girly cocktails - Tigerlily, Edinburgh

Tigerlily is the place to see and be seen. This was my first impression but  not the reason for our decision to dine here. My friends suggested this place for it’s exhaustive cocktail list and tasty menu. Tigerlily is an award winning restaurant that oozes charm and grace. When I first walked through the restaurant, I immediately noticed the romantic, yet trendy feel of the restaurant. There were chanderliers swinging from above our table, ornate table decorations, soft lighting and funky music playing in the background.
We enjoyed freshly shucked oysters, fish, meats and tried to sample every cocktail on the exhaustive cocktail menu…

Chandeliers hanging from the ceiling at Tigerlily, Edinburgh

Sampling delicious cocktails at Tigerlily, Edinburgh

Rick, me, Vi, Nat and Cuong at Tigerlily, Edinburgh

Yum... oysters at Tigerlily, Edinburgh

Tigerlily, Edinburgh

Tigerlily, Edinburgh

Tigerlily, Edinburgh

The Witchery

After visiting Edinburgh Castle, we were absolutely famished but extremely excited to dine in the restaurant which is located right next to the Castle. The Witchery was a classy place to eat lunch with my friends on Sunday. Sunlight was shining through the large, wooden windows and as I cast my eyes across the room, I could see centre pieces and decorations that reminded me of the Garden of Eden.

I also had what I now proclaim is my favourite dish of all time… *drum roll*… pigs trotters and pigs cheek tourine served with pickled vegetables and toasted bread. I remember seeing this dish on TV last year while watching Jamie Oliver and I swore that if I ever went to the UK, I would try this! Who would have thought that this would become my favourite dish of all time? I just love traveling! It opens your eyes and your stomach to so many new things!

The Witchery, Edinburgh

The Witchery, Edinburgh

The Witchery, Edinburgh

The Witchery, Edinburgh

My favourite food ever at The Witchery, Edinburgh

The Witchery, Edinburgh

The Witchery, Edinburgh

What odd but absolutely delectable dish have you tried?

I’d love to hear your comments below, let me know on twitter and don’t forget to click the subscribe button… Happy travels!