Just a regular start to the morning- if your regular start is waking up, not quite remembering where you are, not knowing the source of an extremely loud blaring or the red lights flashing...Oh, it's the fire alarm! I wonder if it's for real?
No joke.
I opened my room door- didn't see a soul out there.
Tried calling the front desk- no answer.
Started to get dressed because I knew it was super cold out there. Then I realized that I needed my contacts in since I didn't pack my glasses. Something like 5 minutes later I was finally out my door ready to face the day should I have been kept out of my room for some time. As I walked by the man in a robe waiting for the elevator (yep, during a fire alarm) mumblings from other guests were pretty much the same as those floating in my head: How did I have time to get dressed and this guy is still in his robe? Shouldn't there be some kind of loud speaker announcement?If this is real why isn't there a fire truck?
Queue flashing lights, siren, and fire truck.
I still don't know the reason of the alarm; no one seemed to want to inform us guests but as we filed back into the hotel I was reminded that we were an hour behind Italy and that I have a major issue with time changes. Two plus hours of news, music videos, and ESPN later plus a 30 minute nap I started my day- with tea (hey, when in the UK) and cookies.
Our second start to the day took us up the hill to the Edinbugh Castle. There we froze in the drizzling fog and strong wind as we were lead around the various building atop the hill. Eager to get inside, despite a glimps of blue sky, we visited the gem room and the room where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James, the future King of both Scotland and England.
At 1 o'clock we naturally lined up with all the other guests to watch the 1 O'clock Gun be fired. The tradition dates back to 1861 when it was established to serve as a time signal to boats in the Firth of Forth (the water way). After the shot was fired, and our spot of tea consumed, we headed back over the dry ditch and walked along the Royal Mile. Destination? The Palace of Holyroodhouse. Distance? You guessed it, 1 mile away.
Our second start to the day took us up the hill to the Edinbugh Castle. There we froze in the drizzling fog and strong wind as we were lead around the various building atop the hill. Eager to get inside, despite a glimps of blue sky, we visited the gem room and the room where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James, the future King of both Scotland and England.
At 1 o'clock we naturally lined up with all the other guests to watch the 1 O'clock Gun be fired. The tradition dates back to 1861 when it was established to serve as a time signal to boats in the Firth of Forth (the water way). After the shot was fired, and our spot of tea consumed, we headed back over the dry ditch and walked along the Royal Mile. Destination? The Palace of Holyroodhouse. Distance? You guessed it, 1 mile away.
Once arriving to the Palace, we walked around the perimeter but all agreed we were castled out. So, in true Katie touring fashion, we walked towards the grass covered extinct volcano we had spied on from the hill the day prior. With the sun peaking out from behind the clouds we sat in the park area for a while and watched the most adorable dog splash in the fountain until we declared it time to walk back up to the castle and find ourselves a pint of beer.
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