In 2019, I decided it was time, took the leap, and made my first trip to the U.K. Since I was a kid, I had grown up on a steady diet of British television, movies and music. Now it was time to see it for myself.

Starting off this trip was an all too short visit to Edinburgh, Scotland. My main reason was to attend the annual Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Taking place during the month long Edinburgh Arts Festival, the Tattoo is a music, dance and cultural performance featuring Pipe & Drum bands, Scottish dancers, and other performers from around the world. Every year the theme of the performance changes, and the theme for 2019 was Kaleidoscope. I really wished I’d taken more photos of the event, but I was enjoying it too much to realize I’d even brought my camera! The end of every show concludes with a solo performance by the Lone Piper from atop the castle’s ramparts. Another real treat is to stand just outside the castle along the Royal Mile and watch all the performers march out and hear the entire Pipe & Drum corps playing Scotland the Brave. This was definitely the highlight of my time in Edinburgh.

Though my time here was short, I did manage to find plenty of things to do, including a visit to the Edinburgh Gin Distillery, the Scotch Whisky Experience, and hike up to the top of Arthur’s Seat, an 823 ft high extinct volcano, which offers a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. Of course, I would pick the windiest day to hike up there, and had to hang on to the stone marker for dear life!

Another couple of local attractions I found very fascinating was Mary King’s Close (alleyway) and the Camera Obscura. Mary King’s Close is similar to Seattle’s Underground tour, in that it was an old part of the city that had been built up over. It’s said to be haunted since the 17th Century, but I didn’t get that vibe on the day I was there. Curiously though, none of my pictures turned out…. Just up the street on the Royal Mile is the Camera Obscura. These were popular in the 1800’s, and could be described as an early form of CCTV.

If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend spending some time in Edinburgh, especially in August during the Edinburgh Arts Festival.