Wishing you an amazing 2023. I have prepared this short video clip with highlights of last year’s photos. It was fun!
I also want to thank you for all your support last year. I look forward to sharing more Scottish Pearls in this brand new year.
Cheers🥂
© The Scottish Pearl 2023
‘Tis the season! Wishing you a Merry Christmas from Edinburgh!
Yesterday I took a stroll through Christmas Edinburgh.
The Dome on George street looked grand. It always delivers this time of year.
However, other streets were also delightfully festive.
I was avoiding Princes Street gardens because of the crowds but then yesterday I got lucky. The Christmas market was not as packed, so I ventured in for a few mins. It was all sparkles.
It was worth it.
The Ross fountain looked amazing.
Then I strolled through St Andrews Square which ended my wee Christmas walk.
Hope you have a very Merry Christmas 🎄
© The Scottish Pearl 2022
Edinburgh is certainly not short of trails. We have our pick which is a wonderful plus for living in the city. On this occasion, I wanted to do a short walk and so I decided to walk the Warriston path.
Like many walking trails, this path was once a railway. The Edinburgh, Leith, Newhaven railway.
This railway ran above Warriston cemetery.
As I walked across what was once a bridge for trains, I could see the cemetery. It was a little overgrown but still visible.
I couldn’t help but admire the ivy overgrowth on the remaining structures of the old railway. They looked like natural coats bracing for the upcoming winter.
Perhaps that was related to my mood! A coat was very much necessary for this walk 😆
© The Scottish Pearl 2022
In a recent post, I wrote about the building of the Museum of Edinburgh. I love old buildings and so I was compelled to give it its dues. In this post, I touch on the treasures inside the museum. The museum is the primary location for the Bonnie Capital’s local history.
Before entering inside I like to stroll outside. I love architectural artifacts and many can be found in the courtyard.
It is worth taking a stroll to examine the collection. It certainly stimulated my imagination.
Inside the museum, there are many collections representing the city’s rich history.
The current exhibition (running until Feb 2023) is that of Caribbean life in Edinburgh. The exhibit is a result of a collaboration with the Edinburgh Caribbean Association.
On show are cultural displays with links to Scotland.
It is a lovely reminder of the city’s cultural diversity which is an integral part of the city’s overall history. A wonderful step in unveiling the modern-day history of the city.
The Museum does a great job of telling the story of the Old Town.
I was fascinated by the architectural models of the old walled city. Of course, I would be, they are, after all, mini buildings 😄 I was particularly taken by the model of early 16th-century Edinburgh. The model had the following caption:
The model was made to show the position of the Flodden Wall. The English defeated Edinburgh at the Battle of Flodden. in 1513. Soon afterwards, a defensive wall – known as the Flodden Wall- was built around the city to protect it from further attack. The stretch of water called the Nor’Loch shields Edinburgh’s north side. The artificial lake was drained in 1821 to become Princes Street Gardens.
There are also great models showing the road from Cowgate to the Castle. I was intrigued as I tried to make out the Museum of Edinburgh and Tolbooth buildings.
There are also many storyboards telling the story of the city and its people.
I also loved the other models, illustrations and paintings.
The historical journey is also well represented for the New Town.
Again, there are informative storyboards and maps of the New Town.
You can easily spend hours at the museum. In addition to the above, it has amazing collections of Scottish silver, glassware, clocks, pottery, porcelain and more! There is even a display of the archaeological findings from the current Tram construction.
Definitely worth a visit.
© The Scottish Pearl 2022
Have you been to the Museum of Edinburgh? If you have not had a chance yet, I recommend a visit.
You cannot miss it with its yellow and red façade located on Canongate (The Royal Mile) in Old Town, Edinburgh. The city’s historic treasures of yesteryear are housed in this iconic building, the Huntly House.
So even before perusing the city’s historic artifacts inside, the building and grounds are worth exploring. It is a true wonder. I love historic architecture and the museum of Edinburgh definitely delivers. As a result, this post is dedicated to the building. The treasures inside the museum will be described in a separate post.
The Museum building, also known as the Huntly House, is a typical 16th-century built Canongate house. At first glance, you may think that the museum is only the yellow and red plastered building on the Mile, when in fact it is a consolidation of three. An interesting overview of the history is described below.
Huntly House, one of the best old buildings in the Old Town, is a group of 16th and 17th century dwellings, rising to three storeys, surrounding an internal courtyard.
The Castles of Scotland
Huntly House was built or remodelled in 1570 for the Achesons, and was used by the Gordon Earls and Marquises of Huntly, and later became the headquarters of the Incorporation of Hammermen (metalworkers), who had the architect Robert Mylne extend their building. The building was later divided and in 1851 where 323 tenants were listed as living here.
The property went to the City of Edinburgh in 1924, and the building is now the Museum of Edinburgh
Such rich history. I am glad that the city saved, restored and repurposed this wonderful structure. I was fascinated by the above old photo I found. I found several other old photos on the Canmore site.
If you do visit, do take the time to walk around the outside including walking down Bakehouse Close which is located west of the building.
As I walked the Close I certainly got a better feel for its size and structure. The museum was more like a series of inter-connected buildings forming a complex, which explains the “maze” inside. The courtyard was also quite delightful.
Upon entering the museum, you are thrown into a historic maze. You cannot help but be intrigued.
You can easily spend alot of time just figuring out the building layout. While exploring, remember to look up. The beams are amazing.
Apparently, the beams were taken from Pinkie House in Musselburgh, and the wood panelling in the museum is from several old houses from the Canongate area.
The moulded fireplaces and doors were also extraordinary.
These too have been salvaged from other Edinburgh townhouses of the same period. How wonderful that they have been saved and displayed in this manner.
The windows are also well restored.
Many are 12-pane glazing timber sash windows with great views of the Royal Mile.
The entire building, inside and out, is a total treasure.
© The Scottish Pearl 2022
I decided to go for a wee walk yesterday evening and ended up at the Meadows in Edinburgh.
As I entered the park the sun was setting and the sky was suddenly golden.
What a beautiful backdrop. Needless to say, I stopped walking and started clicking. I perhaps went overboard taking photos.
Mother Nature is truly remarkable. It was lovely to see people enjoying the park and admiring the glow of the sky.
While I was there I took the opportunity to revisit the Born-Free Forever Exhibition. I discovered the exhibition with a friend just a few days ago. I was surprised by its installation.
As I returned to the Meadows, I decided to take another look.
I have since learned that the exhibition is to increase awareness to protect lions. Below is a brief description from the Foundation’s site.
In honour of what would have been the 100th Birthday year of Bill Travers MBE, we are celebrating our fearless Co-Founder’s legacy by designating 2022 our ‘Year of the Lion’. Our year of action includes a UK-wide exhibition – Born Free Forever – with 25 stunning life-size, bronze lion sculptures touring the country to raise awareness and vital funds for lions through the Forever Lions Fund, set up in Bill’s memory.
Born-Free Foundation
The statues are amazing. They looked even more life-like under the setting sun.
The exhibition is at The Meadows until Jan 2023.
© The Scottish Pearl 2022
