Merida; the cultural capital of Mexico?

 We visited Merida all too briefly, but during our one night stop over, we managed to catch a re-enactment of the ancient Mayan ball game; whereby the players had to hit the ball through a basketball style hoop, with their hips or thighs. The games was steeped in ritual, apparently with the captain of the winning team being sacrificed at the end of the game. The re-enactment was beautiful; with an ancient Mayan tongue being spoken, copal incense being burned, and of course, a conch shell being blown. Locals and tourists alike turned up to watch the game. It was a beautiful setting and a lovely atmosphere. Merida truly seems to have a lot going on, and a lot of places to buy hammocks, blankets, Mayan clothing, and generally everything Mayan/ Mexican.

We had taken an ADO night bus from Palenque to Merida, coming in at just under 100 pesos and a good shout as it was comfortable enough to get some sleep; thus saving travel time and hotel expenditure. From Merida, we took a 3 hour bus to the town of Piste to visit chichen Itza; again coming in at just under 100 pesos, this time with Oriente bus company.

Palenque Ruins

Palenque ruins; steeped in jungle 

The ruins in Palenque are just a few kilometres from the town of Palenque. There are some lovely hotels both inside and on the outskirts of the National park in which Palenque is situated, as well as El Panchan (see blogpost). Two people can get a basic room for around $250 pesos. I can recommend hotel Canek, near the park in the town (the owners are a lovely friendly couple, the hotel has a nice terrace, comes with internet and is fresh and clean) and hotel Jaguar at el Panchan.

Palenque town

Entrance to the National park is 28 pesos, with an additional 59 pesos to enter the ruins and/or museum. I recommend 2-3 hours to explore the ruins.... we wore casual clothes and flip flops but I would recommend sneakers or walking boots, as there are a fair few steps to climb, and as the ruins and still swathed in jungle, it can get slippery after a little rain.

Palenque Ruins 

Souvenirs are cheaper in Palenque (at the ruins and in the town) than the other places we visited (Merida, Piste/Chichen Itza and Tulum), so stock up now; as its the same things across Yucatan.

In the town itself, there's not so much to do, but in the Palenque area you can partake in a host of traditional Mexican rituals, such as Peyote and Temezcal.... I have contact details for a local guy who hosts such ceremonies; and carries out the same ritual whether its for local, tourists or friends. 

El Panchan, Palenque 

Supposedly a 'legendary hippie hangout', this small collection of cabanas and restaurants nestled in the jungle on the outskirts of the Palenque National park is beautiful, but really just to pass the nights while you explore the National park and ruins.

For someone who loves nature, and the jungle, there is far too much concrete going on here and not enough spots to just sit and enjoy nature. There are two main restaurants and one small eatery - the staff of all three can be rude and tip-grabbing. The rooms are all pretty basic and all smell damp and there is an abundance of mosquitoes, despite there being a beautiful fresh water stream running through the place (probably due to all the concrete and tiling throughout the place).

Having said that, the stream that does run through El Panchan really is beautiful, and despite there being so many people, and live music every evening; there is an astounding array of wildlife. The howler monkeys can be seen (and heard) in very close proximity, as well as various birds, butterflies and creatures in and around the stream.

We met some wonderful locals and I was invited to a beautiful Mayan ceremony for day of the dead; where I learnt a lot about the culture of the Maya and how it is being revived; as well as hearing the most beautiful singing and drumming.

The local area is definitely a mystical place, bursting with energy, and I will certainly be returning; and despite its concrete and bad waiting staff, will probably be staying in El Panchan again!

In conclusion, this place is in a beautiful setting with amazing wildlife everywhere you look, and some interesting and insightful locals. In my opinion it needs a real 're-naturising'; with concrete and old disused structures being removed, trash being picked up, and some more natural structures being built.

New York, New York!!

If you come to New York City with a lot of money, the possibilities seem endless. But, what if you're budget travellers, like us? Well there still plenty you can do....

Our first glance of the big apple

We were here for a couple of months, but even if you just come for a week or two, or pass through for a weekend, the following should hopefully give you a few ideas on what to do during your visit:

Where to stay

We were in the Bronx; which can be considerably cheaper than staying in the centre/Manhattan. Look at various options; other than hotels there are hostels, couchsurfing, room shares and room rentals (depending on how long your staying and what you're willing to settle for).  We rented a tiny, stuffy room with no windows and a noisy water pipe in a good location, for about £250 a month but I'm sure there were better deals about.

Getting around

Buy a metro card for a dollar and top it up - it's currently $2.50 for one journey or $30 for a week unlimited (small children go free). Get a map and familiarise yourself with it - it can be hard to unfold  your big metro map at a station or on a busy train.... besides which you will look like a total tourist! The main thing is to know whether you're heading for uptown or downtown, which number train reaches your station and your set....

Riding the subway!  

In terms of taxis, for a short distance (if you don't want to use the subway), hail a yellow cab.... but if the distance is longer, or there's bad weather or traffic, pre-call a taxi as they will give you a set price to work with. The yellow cabs can be financially scary when you're sitting in traffic watching the meter creep up.

The Bronx

Personally I loved the Bronx. We made so many friends, and as is usually the case, those with less were the ones who were ready and willing to offer so much. The local library was a safe haven from our stuffy, overheated room. We were able to set up accounts, borrow books, and use the internet there all for free. We also found a seventh day Adventist church nearby; and discovered how different things are done across the pond. Again we met some real life angels who helped us so much during our time here.

 

Me and J outside Hunts Point Church, the Bronx :)

 

Freebies:

I can only recommend the things I actually tried, but will then give a list of things which are reportedly free....

Grand central station is of course, free to enter... just stroll in and look up at the beautiful ceiling. The station also has a great, but pricey, food market, a whole dining area; with free 'restrooms' and wifi, and a few good store/shops - a rite aid (pharmacy similar to superdrug in the UK), a bookstore, and a cute transit store. It's also beautiful to look at from the outside, and you can easily reach 5th avenue, Bryant park, and times square on foot from here.

 

Grand central

 

 

Transport store at Grand Central

 

We frequented Bryant Park during our stay. Its located behind the New York City Public Library (5th ave), between Grand central station and Times Square if you're walking. We were here in the winter, and so we had the pleasure of using the winter gardens; consisting of lovely market stall type stores selling allsorts; from soaps, to hot apple cider, hot chocolate, turros, to clothing, bags, and a wonderful array of artesian jewellery, plus a beautiful Christmas tree, and a free ice rink! For the ice rink, bring your own lock for the lockers (or pay $8 for them to check your bag in), and bring skates (or pay $19 a time to rent a pair). Check sports shops such as Modells for discounted or last seasons reduced price skates (if you don't ask you won't get). Then hit the ice!

Ice skating (in the rain) at Bryant park

 

Times square is another must see; even though there's really not much to see... just a lot of high buildings, billboards and lights... We came for NYE but to get a prime spot people were reportedly arriving from 7am, and it was certainly filling up by midday! When we arrived at 7pm, the central section of Times square was blocked off, as were most of the surrounding sidewalks. We nestled among the estimated 1million+ people trying to see the ball drop, and caught sight of the ball, the glitter and fireworks, but were too far away to see or hear any of the performances.

Me, at Times Square

 

We did not pay to go up the empire state; at around $30 for me and $20 for Jahzara. But we did enter the lobby for a cheeky photo... and enjoyed seeing the building lit up in the evenings.

Cheeky snap of the empire state lobby

 

We did visit the Rockefeller centre, a few times; to see the ice rink, the lighting of the Christmas tree (again, more hype.... just see it the day after it's been lit), and to sit and sip a Starbucks indoors, use the free wifi and watch the skaters..... it's a good place to rest for a half hour if you are shopping 5th ave (as is the Trump Towers, located close to Tiffanys).

Rockefeller ice-rink

 

We also saw the statue of liberty - for $2.50 you can get on the subway; get off at Bowling Green. The ferry to Staten island is free both ways and there is free wifi while you wait.

The New York City Skyline from the Staten Island Ferry

 

My suggested itinerary is to go on a Wednesday,  arrive early and visit the Museum of the American Indian http://nmai.si.edu/visit/newyork/ . Then catch the Ferry to Staten Island - along the way you see lady liberty. Continue to the Staten Island Zoo which is free on a Wednesdays  after 2pm, then you will also see lady liberty in the dark; along with Brooklyn Bridge and the New York City sky-line beautifully lit up.

Coney Island is supposed to be great in the Summer. Admittedly we went in the Winter, but it simply had the same feel, look and atmosphere as Barry Island in Wales. and, just like Barry Island it's not an Island at all! Nonetheless, the New York aquarium is there, offering  entry by donation after 3pm on Fridays. We walked along the beach and sat with coffee and hot chocolate rather than ice creams, and gazed across the Atlantic, towards the UK. sort of. The aquarium itself is small, and is still rebuilding after hurricane Sandy, but Jahzara enjoyed the sea lion show.... and of course, the overpriced gift shop

some Freebies, outlined:

 

National Museum of the American Indian. FREE

Bronx zoo - pay what you will on Wednesdays

New York botanical garden - free on Wednesdays

Staten Island Zoo - free on Wednesdays after 2pm

New York aquarium - pay what you will after 3pm on a Friday

New York hall of science  Free 2-5pm on Fridays

Childrens museum of Manhattan - Free 1st Friday of the month between 5-8pm

Brooklyn Museum - free 1st Saturday of the month 5-11pm

El Museo de Barrio - Free third sat of the month. Latin American/ Caribbean art 

Studio museum in Harlem - Highlighting work of black artists. Free sundays 12-6pm

 

Bahamas Cruise Review

A four day cruise from a backpackers perspective

Recently, Double Trouble Travel decided to splash out on a four day cruise to the Bahamas, from our nearest port - port canaveral. We found a sweet deal ($200 each - tax and all, food and soft drinks included) on www.lastminutecruises.com) with the enforced 'gratuities' that is so inherent in the USA, it came to around $250 each at the end of the trip (I managed to quell little Js gratuities on account of her being seven, bringing the total to $450 for us both for the four days).
We took the 'Carnival Sensation' - this review is simply of that ship and company, on a four day Bahamas trip.

Below I outline and review the trip - from a budget perspective.

Ching ching ;)

Firstly information was somewhat lacking. It would have been nice to have a good sized welcome pack - but we seemed to get things in dribs and drabs. Prices were also quite concealed. I witnessed a fair few people go for the 'welcome' cocktails on embarking, then look quite surprised at being billed almost $10 each for them.

The first positive was that as soon as we boarded the ship, there was a delicious and varied buffet waiting for us; with salad and fruit options, and an appetising desert cart. Although we had to wait a little for rooms to be ready, the pool, canteen and bars were up and running immediately.

Buffet food on 'Caribbean day'

There was a long and seemingly pointless safety briefing; taking a good hour to tell people that when the alarm goes we must go to our 'muster station' and from there, where the boats were, but I guess thats the law, so....

I didn't realise that we would also have the option of dining (instead of the canteen buffet). Dining was amazing the service was great; a 3 course meal with a different menu each day- again lack of information regarding drinks being offered as if free then charged for (don't accept the bottle of m ineral water they offer you - wait and they will pour some standard water for free, and any alcohol will be around $10 each).

 Brunch, in the dining room on 'Sea day'

The rooms were small, but good - turned out twice daily - but again, don't touch any bottled water in your room - it's around $5 a bottle! and laundry is expensive too - so pack what you need for the whole trip. I am still unsure about the room service and breakfast in bed options. I assume that as there were no prices on the menu that a gratuity is added to your bill, but as I found with the water bottles in our room  - no price tag does not mean no cost.

One of room services finishing touches

There was a children's club which had the children up to 3pm, then 6pm until 10pm for free. Depending on age, 'Camp Carnival' will have children up to 3am, for around $7 an hour, plus gratuity. I would say keep reminding staff if your child has allergies / dietary requirements - J doesn't eat meat or drink coke, and despite this being on her name badge, she was given both on the first day. Also, as with any childcare; exercise caution if your child cannot communicate anything which has happened to them during the day.

Our first stop was Freeport, Nassau  - I thought that it was good that activities were offered for people staying on the ship and that kids club would take the kids while you were off (we didn't do this ourselves, but a few parents did). The excursions which were offered by the ship were extremely high - for example, you could pay $60 (adult) or $50 (child) to go to a beach resort then the market and have a non-alcoholic drink... or you could get off the ship, walk a few feet and get a taxi for $5 each way and do it yourself. We took a taxi (shared mini van, not USA cab style) to Taino beach because it was known as the quietest tourist beach for $7 each way, each - just under $30 in total for me and J. The taxis are great at getting you there and back in time for your ship, and even called us off the beach because they were worried we would be late! The market here is Lucaya but according to other cruisers, the things sold in the market could be bought right at the port for the same prices. I really wish we had taken a boat trip (glass bottom boat), .or done some snorkelling, as I think Freeport is better than Nassau for this (around $40 when bought on the ship - around 2.5hrs)

Part of Taino beach

Back on the ship, you can indulge in plenty of free entertainment - unfortunately there seemed little explanation for a lot of the entertainment, which left a lot of people I spoke with wondering what was actually available. The entertainment was good however; with dance shows, comedians, live music,  karaoke, a singles meet and a GLBT gathering.  

 

Our second and final destination was Nassau. A short walk brings you (through a crowd of tour operators jostling for your business; some with very good tours at ok prices) to the town; where you can buy a wealth of things tax free, and where the jewellery shops may sweeten you with a shot (or two) of rum. We were not in purchase / shopping mode, so we walked past Junkanoo beach (signposted), to the next beach - which we had all to ourselves, on account of there being no hotels or bars there. After this we walked back to Junkanoo beach and sat at the bar with matching cocktails (a non-alcoholic version for J of course). I plugged my phone into the bars sound system and we all rocked along to my soca carnival mix - after I introduced the bar man to the sounds of German reggae artist Patrice.

Beach on Nassau

The last day we spent the whole day at sea; there was so much to do that I frantically tried to get it all in - after a delicious brunch in the dining room,  J went to 'Camp Carnival', I hopped into the steam and sauna, spent time relaxing in the over 21 area, had some buffet food, spend time with J by the pool and had dinner with two lovely ladies I had met, before hitting a comedy show and falling into bed.

The pool at night

So guys, don't feel you couldn't go it alone on a cruise - you meet so many weird and wonderful people from different backgrounds, its amazing. I was a little uncomfortable with the wining and dining as I'm not used to it and kept wanted to help, but for a lot of people this makes the cruise. Bring your own beach towels, as if you lose the ones provided the charge is around $20. Bring some smart clothes for dinner - some people go all out, some people go 'smart-casual', and on the 'elegant evening' you can fully go all out. I loved admiring the beautiful gowns (plus every evening there are photographers swarming the decks to take glamorous pictures). Personally, I would saqy bring your own music and headphones - the poolside music is not for everyone! You are allowed to bring a bottle of champagne or wine on board, plus any waters, soda but NO liquor and no beers - they want you to pay $10 a drink!

Our last view of the Bahamas

If you have any questions or comments, or want further advice, please comment below.

Travelling versus Holidaying

'Travelling' as opposed to 'holidaying' certainly has plenty of ups and downs; especially with a seven year old, and especially on a budget....
Today we packed up the car in France, put on pretty dresses and nail-varnish and thought we could arrive at our hotel for around 2pm in order to casually stroll the streets of Barcelona looking and feeling great!
 We drove four hours to Barcelona, and tried to find the 'hotel' which we booked on 'booking.com'...... after a couple of hours of not finding it, we parked up and tried looking on foot. Too many people told us it was an apartment, to be careful, that it would be hard to find... and sure enough, we did not find it. We gave up and spent another hour or so driving around asking hotels and hostels if they had 'una habitation libre?' Finally at 10pm (we set out at 10am) we found a hostel where we could share a single bed for 30Euro..... Parking is dodgy and I have to move the car before 8am or from what I can make out, it will be towed.... But at least we have a bed. Parking is so difficult in Barcelona, and we had such a rough day that I think we are both eager to get out of the city and head for Valencia area first thing in the morning. I tried to play it by ear last week in Bize, France, where even the camping was fully booked, and hotels were hard to find and had early check in limits... so we tried to book ahead..... This hasn't worked either; so maybe a combination of the two; so tomorrow we drive until we find somewhere nice, and find a hotel; but we start the search early so as to enjoy the day. We are determined not to repeat todays wild goose chase.

One final thought; travelling with a seven year old may seem difficult to some, but today when we were both a little stressed but extremely supportive of each other, I tried to picture various friends and ex partners in the passenger seat. Although another adult may have been practically helpful, I could not think of anyone I wouldn't have fallen out with in that situation. She really is my true travelling buddy :)

Summer Solstice 2013 at Stonehenge

Once upon a time, an eager baby came out six weeks early. Some say she came out early because she knew her mother was visiting her birthplace, and she would only have a small window to have the privilege of being born in her mothers homeland of Wales; home to many wonderful myths and legends.... She also came early because she could sense that a special day was upon us; the Summer Solstice. On that night, a shooting star was spotted as if to highlight the importance of this event.  Seven years later, her mother decided it was about time she brought her little star to Stonehenge; to show her how important this date really is.

And so, she, I mean, I, booked us into a nice looking campsite, packed a tent (later to discover it was without pegs), bedding, clothing and pringles, and off we went. Before we even arrived at the campsite we were feeling positive; I had called  a lady called Elaine up, and she was ever so friendly, giving me a heap of information about the stones, and advice on bringing my daughter.

For full information on the campsite visit www.stonehengecampsite.co.uk

Berwick Rd  Salisbury, Wiltshire SP3 4TQ,  07786 734732-

we definitely recommend it! Camping with a real festival atmosphere at solstice, and no doubt brilliant at all other times too! Extremely satisfied customers.

We arrived, set up our tent, and began waiting for the first bus to Stonehenge; ready to see in the summer solstice.... We missed the 9pm one, and a few after that.... due to essential activities such as face-painting and cake eating! But we were up to the 11pm bus.... just about!

The delicious strawberry one-love cake that caused us to miss that first bus!

The bus is a great service; free for those staying on site, it runs up and down to the stones from about 9pm to 1am, then starts again at 5am; theoretically it has a cut off point but will run until the long queue has been transported section by section back to the campsite.  

The bus drops you at the bottom of a field-come-carpark, and there is quite a walk. We took a friend of mine who has fibromyalgia so it was quite a slog for her; but I'm sure if you speak to the campsite staff they would be more than happy to help, or at least advise somebody with any mobility issues; they are really approachable and no matter how busy they are, will always give you some time.

Happy Campers :)

 

The stones were no-where near as big as I expected, but I think that comes from having visited places such as the astounding Tikal in Guatemala; which is ridiculous in size!  Nevertheless, they were truly mystifying, and we felt honoured to be able to lean up against one and cwtch in for the night (cwtch = a common and much loved Welsh word, like cuddle, hug or snuggle).

Stonehenge

The fact that we were there with Jahzara meant that we stayed in one spot and were sober for the night - an amazing tool for people watching! My friend Natasha and I were very surprised (and disappointed) that there were't more hippies there, but we did meet people from all walks of life and many nationalities, and we were pleased to see a good number of people in wheelchairs, 'older' people and people with children.

If nothing else, security got in the way of a lot of photos that night....

There was of course, tight security, and plenty of police, although they weren't too invasive and did not trouble us (they did, however, escort a lovely lady we had been chatting to us out of Stonehenge, for removing all of her clothing and dancing round the stones; by all accounts, she never recovered her knickers!)

We ended up staying up until the sunlight; and witnesses something rather bizarre; although the sun had clearly risen, but was covered by cloud, there were still people waiting for it to rise..... because their smartphone was still telling them 4, 7 , 9 etc, minutes to sunrise! This was such a strange over reliance/ confidence in technology, that the builders of Stonehenge probably turned in their sacred burial grounds!

Wake me up when my Birthday is here! J with her awesome gift, signed by many at the solstice :)

One last bizarre occurrence was the queue for the bus back to the campsite. It never really bothers me when friends join other friends ahead in the queue; be in for a gig, or boarding a plane and so on.... but people in our bus queue for becoming increasingly irate each time they thought someone was jumping the queue. When the bus stop actually moved closer to the road, and the queue became a little shuffled, normal people became what I can only liken to football hooligans, shouting things like "you ain't getting on that bus, we ain't letting ya". My seven year old knows that is not how you behave, and a few people in the queue wondered out loud where all the peace and love had gone.... The whole affair became a sordid shouting match, and I just hope that those involved were a little embarrassed when they looked back on themselves  the next day.

Our campsite was so nice, we had to stay there twice! Yes, although we initially planned for one night, we decided we couldn't leave, and stayed another night. However, as our pringles supply was dwindling, we had to head out for food. The campsite staff again, were patient and very helpful; there was a burger van and a pizza stall at the campsite, but it was a bit pricey for us, and there was not much available for vegetarians so we were given the rundown of a few places; again by Elaine. We chose the Swan, which turned out to be a spectacular pub by the river, which served us an amazing meal, and a refreshing bottle of wine. We were taken care of by the lovely James, and really could not have asked more of him, or the pub. Their beer garden is across a busy road, so be careful if you visit, but its well worth it as the little river/stream really is a sight for sore eyes... and children currently eat free on a Sunday.... apparently (we visited on Friday, but were well taken care of anyway).

Search for the Swan@Solford, Warminster Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP2 0PR or call 01722 790236  http://www.theswanatstoford.co.uk/

 

 

 

The Swan Inn  and its Delightful Riverside Garden

 

Our last night was simple, yet magical. the sun went down, people got cold. Caveman instinct kicked in and a fire was made.... then songs were sung and instruments were played, and a good night was had by all.

 

 

The end.

Edinburgh; a wee review

Edinburgh with a six year old. 2013

 

This short guide to Edinburgh is written in terms of a single mum on a budget, visiting the city for a weekend with a 6 year old....

I find a lot of reviews/ guides will really hype something up as being totally 'amazing' and fun filled, or that you 'couldn't fit it into a weekend, let alone a day'.... and then I go, and find this is not the case; at least not for my daughter.

So this aims to be as realistic and honest as possible.... with pictures too! I have also included prices that I paid, in March 2013 because sometimes it feels like you are stuck in a maze trying to figure out how much it will all cost.

I found flights from Bristol to Edinburgh for £124 return for me and  J, and with cheap airport transfers that made it cheaper to fly than drive . A train from my hometown in Newport would have cost at least £150 for an adult alone.

We booked the Travelodge  a couple of miles from Edinburgh airport for £36, and paid the £7 for breakfast (kids eat free)... The room was acceptable - very clean, but cold, and no phone, so any room service had to be ordered at the bar, and to obtain our extra duvets I had to go down to reception at 1 in the morning. Saying that, the reception staff were very helpful. The breakfast was really not worth it, and has very little for vegetarians. A taxi from the airport to the hotel will set you back £8; however, the 747 Lothian bus will take you very close for £1.50 adult and 70p child. Take the 747 from the airport and tell the driver you need Edinburgh airport Travelodge at Ratho park. You then walk across the overpass bridge to Ratho business park where you see the Travelodge at the far end. There is a co-operative in the same vicinity (great for when you have forgotten your toothbrush) which also has a cash machine. It's open from around 8am to 9pm.

Just remember; children don't evaluate accomodation the same way most adults do. As long as they have a parent and a bed, they are usually happy!

From the Travelodge, we walked across the overpass and took the 747 to the airport and then the 35 Lothian service into Edinburgh city centre - cheaper than catching the service 100 airport link. Buy a day ticket for £3.50 and ride any Lothian buses all day (children £2.00).

Riding the Lothian buses :)

The buses all drop off at various points along Princes Street (the main street in Edinburgh, separating the old and the new side of town) and your first point of call should be the tourist information point as it contains information on various attractions, and also sometimes offers discounts (see Dungeon section). You can also book tours and accommodation from there. Edinburgh Waverly train station is located next door to the tourist information place, in Princes Mall, along with other shops.

 

 

In terms of trains; if you are staying in Glasgow, you can currently buy a train ticket to Edinburgh for around £12 return (kids go free on all trains), and then have free childrens entrance to Edinburgh zoo, which is normally around £11. We didn't have time to visit the zoo, but have heard it's a nice zoo.

The Royal Mile

 This place must have the most tourists per square metre in the whole of Scotland! There are numerous gift shops, a few museums (Museum of childhood for example), coffee shops, stalls and  jewellery shops where you can buy pretty Celtic designs of various prices and qualities. There are also plenty of places to eat around there although the prices were a little high for us, so we trecked back into town to eat at a reliably cheap Weatherspoons pub! The Royal mile is a picturesque stretch leading up to the castle, whic everyone will tell you "you can't miss it".... although we did not realise it was there until Sunday afternoon!

 

We spent some time looking round the Museum of Childhood; which, ironically was great for myself, at the age of 26 but not so interesting for J at the age of 6 because of course, there were clear instructions not to touch - what child accepts that?! Although there was a section for children to dress up in clothes of old, there is little in the way of things to do, touch and feel here, just to look at. But yes, for us grown folk, it is a truly magical and interesting spot.

 

Edinburgh Castle

Although pricey at around £15 adults and £8 children we really thought we should check out the castle while in Edinburgh. It took us around 2 hours to see the whole castle, with a couple of what I call 'sit down and sulk' breaks because J had gotten bored. There is a lot of interesting information to read on the way round, and a useful map which is numbered and labelled so that you don't miss anything . There is also an audio tour which you can take for around £3. There's a number of places to eat and drink within the castle as well, and plenty of sitting space if you have brought snacks. I think a morning or afternoon spent at the castle is more than enough time.

J's favourite part of the castle!

If you are visiting 3 or more castles in Scotland, enquire about the explorer pass (for about £30 you have unlimited access to a number of castles; enquire at the tourist information place next to Waverley station).

One of the views of Edinburgh

Rose Street

Rose Street runs parallel to Princes Street and is full of places to eat, drink, and shop (this is where we found our cheap weatherspoons).

 

Glasgow

We didn't think a weekend in Edinburgh was enough Scotland for us so we jumped on a train to Glasgow. It was a spontaneous decision so we caught the train for £12.60 return (kids go free under 16years) and wondered round for the day. We headed for Glasgow Green to look at the river Clyde and 'The People's Palace'; a free museum giving you a glimpse of Glasgow through the ages, with a kids room and the winter gardens. The winter gardens is a great indoor botanical space complete with a reasonably priced cafe. Perfect if the weather is cold. Kids meals are around £3, and soup of the day is also £3; main meals are around £5 and are served until 3:30pm. The cafe also serves coffee and cake at the usual prices of around £2 per coffee and £3 for a slice of cake.

The Peoples Palace, Glasgow

One thing Glasgow had which we didn't see in Edinburgh was lots of buskers and budding musicians, giving the city more character.

Edinburgh Dungeons

On our last day I took J to the dungeons, ignoring the advice to take children over 8 years old. Not a massive mistake; but the experience (an hour and a half roughly) really is well done, and a bit scary (and jumpy) for any age. J did cry at the end, and I felt terrible, but now she looks back fondly(ish) at the day. I would recommend that you do take the age 8 plus advice, but obviously you know your child. Whether you have children or not, I would definitely recommend the Dungeon experience, as its a fun insight into Scotland's gory past.

 

To get to the airport, we boarded a (number 35) Lothian bus for the last time and bid a sad farewell to Edinburgh; a truly beautiful city with so much to do; but also so so many ways to spend money, thus we came home rather penniless and a bit overspent!