Day 3,The Gathering Day 2

A picture of the Gathering from near the top of Arthur's Seat...


OK I am getting confused as I cant remember what day I did what...its that CRS(Can't Remember s&^%)creeping up on me again. Anyways...the first day at the Gathering was wonderfully sunny and so very crowded.But day 2 of the Gathering was chilly and very wet.No problem as I came prepared with raincoat and umbrella but someone should of told me to bring some boots cause it was very muddy but that was OK.We listened to pipers warm up....




And then we found this piper having some fun with his pipes...


Since it was so crowded the only real way to watch the games was from this huge,did I say HUGE? TV screen.It wasn't the same as being in the stands but like I said it was very crowded...


Now the Gathering was held at the base of Arthur's Seat which is in fact a 'hill' as they say and what I call a 'mountain'.When does a hill cease to be a hill and become a mountain? When you're walking up the blasted thing that's when!!! 'Ah,come on Carol you can climb it I know you can' If I heard that once,well ya know how it goes,tell me 'no don't' and I have to do it even if it kills me in the process.Now this 'hill' is only 823.5 ft high...ppfftttt 'just a wee bump' as one person told me on the way up the blasted thing.A 'wee bump' my arse... But I did it so take that boys of mine!!! See here's a picture of David standing near the top....just a little more dear...there ya go...one more step...perfect!


And to prove I was really there....


OK now to just give you an idea of just how high up we were see those little dots down there on the thin gray looking strip which is the sidewalk? Those are people,not little people but full grown people....and we weren't even up to the top!



And a view of the ocean and Edinburgh...





Another picture of that blasted 'wee bump'


Here's some heather for ya to look at...



And a thistle flower...




And these are the 'full fledged nuts' who decided it would be 'great fun' to RUN up that 'wee bump'...



After that fun filled trek up that damnable 'wee bump' we left the Gathering and started up the Royal Mile.Have I mentioned that Scotland is all up hill? Not a flat spot anywhere...except those spots that I sank into while following two specific males in my traveling group...But that story will come later.Nite ya'll...

Day 2....Part 2

Okey Dokey ...we're back from dinner so here's the rest of the story... We stayed at the Gathering for a few hours then decided to go get some dinner and spend the rest of the night on the Royal Mile before the big Clan Parade.I think all of Edinburgh is up hill,absolutely NOTHING goes down hill.I swear its ALL up hill even when it looks flat its up hill.Ok enough complaining...by the time we walked up the Royal Mile and went into every shop,well it felt like every shop anyway,I was pooped.By this time we are at the top of the Royal Mile the parade had started.So we found a spot up near the castle and waited for the first of the parade....and waited....and waited...and waited some more.But while we waited I found another kilted speciman for my daughter. this one is a starving artist kinda guy....



Now here comes the first of the parade....



And some more kilted marching by...




Then came ALBA (Scotland) with a William Wallace kinda guy leading the pack.



Now after about 45 minutes or so we start getting bored as the Wallace clan is surely going to be at the end of the parade if not 'the' end and they were still only on the clans starting with 'M' and well....isnt that just about everyone in Scotland? So we decided to start making our way slowly up to the castle to our reserved seats for the 'big' show.So there we were walking up the sidewalk to stay out of the parade and weaving in and out of the crowds and we come up to a gate blocking the sidewalk.I politely ask these two little old ladies if they would 'excuse me and let me pass so I can get to the other side'.Well you'd of thought I was commiting a major sin or sometihng when I did as they both looked at me and one of them says 'And where is it you want to be going and how many are ya?' I replied 'Just me and my husband,we would like to go up to our reserved seats for the show'.I should of taken her picture,the look on her face was pricless.I dont know what she thought I was wanted but she sure didnt want me to go past her and her friend.It was like they were guarding the sidewalk or something.I finially decide that I was going to have to be gutsy and just push my through when she gave me a digusted look and mumbled something and let me go on,it was close there for awhile as I thought I was going to have to go nose to nose with a little bitty old lady.

Now once inside sitting in our seats I found I was being paid homage too by some kilted fellows....a couple of them had a difficult time finding me...maybe they had too much beer or something...



But this guy just kept bowing.....



Then they had William Wallace(again I think it was)



He started fighting something and then the trees swallowed up him and spit him up and out and they carried him away....



Now after the trees doing their thing they lost me. But it went on for several minutes then the bagpipes came marching out...that was the best part...wish I knew how to put up a video cause it was really neat...



That was it for day 2 and since I didnt always have excess to the internet the dates and the day we did them are not going to match.Just so you know....I'll get to day three as soon as I can.I just hope I can remember everything cause I know our wonderful guide Alistair is gonna test me on all this....I just know it and I already failed once.Too much was seen and my brain is still on info over load...