Another Edinburgh Adventure
Last time we went to Edinburgh, we were out of the house before the sun rose, and back home after the sun set. This time, we had light to watch the journey on the train. Doesn't seem like much is between Glasgow and Edinburgh, at least along the tracks. We saw a lot of fields, some sheep, and a few cities peppered near the bigger stations.
Our final stop this time was Haymarket, the station before Waverly. It was closer the the art exhibit and a few other sights we wanted to see. Haymarket was pretty cute, still a part of Edinburgh but a bit flatter. We got breakfast and ate it on the way to find our first stop, Van Gogh Alive. The address was simply "Festival Square" and a zip code. The Scottish do love their squares, but Google maps doesn't recognize half of them. The only thing I found with that was a hotel, so we headed there and walked around the block until we found a giant tent next to a clock tower.
We were a bit early, so we had to sit outside until the exhibit opened, but it was a nice day just like in Glasgow.
(Spoiler Alert) The exhibit was amazing. I know Pedro was only going for me and a trip to Edinburgh, but I think he ended up enjoying it too. We first walked into a room with Vincent Van Gogh's most famous works, with a description of what was going on in his life at the time. There was even a life size 3D walk through of one of his paintings. The main exhibit was the best. Inside a giant dark room of screens and projectors and even fans blowing scents, we saw a play-by-play of his life's works along with music, quotes from his letters, and animations that brought it all to life.
We sat on the floor and watched the whole thing, probably 45 mins, enjoying the snippets on screens all around us. There was also a small room off to the side, full of sunflowers and mirrors, creating the illusion that you were standing in an endless field.
After purusing through the gift shop (I almost walked away with a paint-by-numbers masterpiece), we decided to start walking to Dean Village.
Pedro had wanted to visit this hidden gem to see an the old buildings and Water of Leith. We took a steep downhill path that led to the residential part under a bridge, and I could see the attraction of the little village. It was full of 18th century houses along the river, tucked into a valley with the Water of Leith winding throughout. It was surprisingly quiet and tranquil; we were completely separated from the business of the city above. 
We walked along the water for awhile before heading to lunch.
Under this graffiti, there was another, "It is, Aye?"
We headed back towards Old Town to go to lunch. This time we stayed below the castle and the Royal Mile, seeing a few new landmarks along the way.
This statue was a cool find. I wasn't particularly looking for it last time, but I read about it during our visit to Greyfriars Graveyard. It was just down the street from the graveyard, across from the National Museum. This dog is Greyfriars Bobby, famous for staying by his master's grave for 14 years. His nose has been rubbed into a shiny bronze over the years.
Even though it is still recovering from its August fire, I'm glad I got to walk by it. The elephant house is where J.K. Rowling sat and wrote Harry Potter. And we had lunch just a few doors down! I picked out the restaurant this time. After the fancy French feast Pedro picked out last time, I wanted a more casual atmosphere, right in the heart of Old Town. The Outsider was a very eclectic place, with really good food with a very of the busy street.
Our next stop was the National Museum of Scotland (free by the way). This is probably the largest museum I've been in besides the Smithsonian. Or maybe it just felt that way because we were tired. We didn't get through all the exhibits, we didn't even go past the first floor. The exhibits were very lively, something to see everywhere you look. The open layout made everything look bigger too.
At this point, our feet were hurting. I suggested we go back to Grassmarket, browse the marketplace and sit out in the sun like everyone else enjoying the weather. Pedro let me wander through the market, (losing me several times when I abruptly stopped to look at something) and I bought from a local artist. We went up Victoria's St for some butterbeer, then climbed up the steps just below the castle, and found a spot to stretch out. That little patch of grass was full of people lounging, napping, and eating ice cream.
That enormous queue down there is for the ice cream shop! I bet all their business went to sit beside us in the sun. Funnily enough, my new pin was on point.
