[Vacances de Noel] 19/Dec/16 Nicolson's Pub ~ROSE STREET BREWERY~

After the Elephant House, I lost my way near the Old town.  Therefore I was not able to visit another castle in Edinburgh. I just walked around in Old town, and got to the Christmas market once again.

Just next to the Christmas market, there is a National Gallery. This is very smaller compared to London National Gallery,  however, it is still very interesting.  (It is FREE! :-) (And there is only one painting of Renoir!) (And it is closed at 17 PM in winter season)

I went to Christmas market to take aperitif before dinner! 

It was Monday but the restaurant where I wanted to go was full-booked...  So I went to the next door,  It was amazing! 😍😍😍

They have a good bar, a good menu without price.  The waitress was really kind. She let me show whatever I wanted.  I found "LAGAVULIN 16yrs"!!!!!!!  Obviously the 8 years is better, anyway 16 years was also nice.

fish soup Cullen Skink Haddock, potato and onion...  It was very nice!

Nice mood~

Fish and chips  This was really big.  In the photo, it looks quite normal size, but it was really big 👀

Dessert: Cranachan

When I just see the name, I cannot imagine anything. 

This is yogurt with Muesli and red fruits. 

ummmm 😻😻😻

This pub is kind of chain or franchise one. 

You can see it even in London. 

I'm not sure if the menu is also same or not. 

Check the website: http://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/

Conan Doyle bar belongs to this group!

Conan Doyle bar (Click!)

Near Frederick street, there was a beautiful luminarie street. It was also small Christmas market, but most of shop were closed as it was quite late.

[Vacances de Noel] 19/Dec/16 Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

19/Dec/16

The entry fee of Edinburgh Castle is 16.50 pounds.

If you have an "Explorer pass" (24 pounds in winter season/ 30 pounds for summer),

and you have more plans to visit other castles in Scotland (there are 77 castles),

you can save money quite well. 

I bought the explorer pass in Edinburgh Castle, 

and it was really helpful because I went to Stirling as well.

From the main street (Prince street), you can see Edinburgh Castle. 

It was quite romantic. 

Always I can see a castle like WINTERFELL!!!!!!! in the city!

To go to the Edinburgh Castle, you should go to "Old Town".

(Old town is very nice. Walk down the Royal mile street. Actually I didn't know it.... 8ㅅ8) 

The way to go to Old town. The dark building is old college.  

Edinburgh streets. Brilliant! (like Mr.Potter)

A........Church....?

This is Edinburgh Castle!!! YEAH!!

Just in front of the castle, there is a quite good souvenir shop. 

This shop is very big and there are a lot of products. 

I regret.. I was not able to get anything.. 

I'm poor student...

From the top of Edinburgh castle, you can see the Edinburgh city.

There are Christmas market, Edinburgh main station, Arthur's seat, and Calton hill...

My travel mate "Mouteok(Wooly lovely face)" was afraid.  

It is high!

In the Edinburgh Castle, there are too many things to see. 

I stayed there for almost 3 hours, actually it was not enough.

As I was too tired and there are too many thing,

so I didn't see very well at the last. 

Maybe you can visit there twice, this is better.

Chapelle.... (perhaps...)

Something beautiful decoration

a gorgeous room.

The most important thing in the Edinburgh Castle!
The stone, the Crown, the sword and the wand!!!!
After the 2nd world war (maybe during the war), people found the old honours stuffs of Scotland Royal family at the broken tower place.
In the castle, you can see all the process to find the things, history of Scotland
and finally the real Stone, Crown, Sword and Wand!!!!!
It was really awesome!
Photography was forbidden in the room, therefore I bought a post card.
It had really really something special!
And the stone is a kind of proof of a Queen/king.
Before the Elizabeth 2, the stone was in London.
Now, the stone stays in Scotland, whenever the people need, they deliver it from Scotland to England(London).
It's so interesting! like a movie!

All the floors are made up of stones. 

You should be careful of your shoes when you go there.

I took my new shoes and.... 

One of the most interesting place: Prison.

The past prison is always horrible.

Castle wall like winterfell!!!!!!!!

Also, there are enormous record of "WAR".

Especially about the First world war and the Second world war.

How the scotch soldiers did in the battle, 

Their special horse army

and a lot lot lot lot lot of medals... 

I was a little angry. The second world war is really bad memory for Asia. 

I didn't really remember, however, a Castle Edinburgh or Stirling has a record of Japanese flag during the Second World war.

When I saw it, I was really annoyed. 

What the stupid guys started war and a lot of people became victims!

I hate "war".

In the Edinburgh Castle, there are several souvenir shops.

Anyway the price of Whisky is less expensive in the airport in common. 

Especially in Edinburgh airport. not London.

Around 2 PM, finally I was able to leave the castle. 

Then, I go to the Elephant House, the birthplace of Harry Potter!!!

[Vacances de Noel] 18/Dec/16 Conan Doyle bar

The second day,

I went to Conan Doyle bar for late lunch.

The one of very good things in Scotland  (and England) is that you can have late lunch almost everywhere.

In France, most of restaurants stop serving lunch around 14h 30. Therefore if you're late, you should take only snacks like McDonald's.

Here, in United Kingdom, there are a lot of bars (pubs) which provide you of snaks.

Fortunately the snacks have big quantity and good quality like meal.

So, I went to "Conan Doyle bar" which is the birthplace of writer Canan Doyle.

This bar is located close to Calton hill.

I asked 'Ale'. Before, I have never tasted 'Ale', so it was really excited experience.

Ale is similar to beer but it is less sparkling and the texture of drink is more creamy.

Sometimes it has more alcohol or mixed with Whisky.

My first Ale was 'Dark Ale'. It was very good!

Also, I asked 'Haggis', the traditional scotch food!!!

I've heard that it is like boudin (French) or Sundae (Korean), however, it was different. Anyway, it was definitely better than what I heard.

And the companies (potato and... something I don't know) were also very very good. You will be offered barbecue sauce on your dish. 

Conan Doyle bar has a gorgeous mood. Even though you're not interested in Sherlock Homes and Conan Doyle, it is good for you to have little drink or snack over there.

Then, see you soon :-)

[Vacances de Noel] 18/Dec/16 Glenkinchie Wiskey

On the second day, I visited distillery "Glenkinchie" in Lowland.

This distillery is quite far from Edinburgh city center, however, you can reserve 'transport+tour package'. 

The price of transport+tour (1 glass of whisky) was 20 pounds.

And if you taste more, you can pay only 4 pounds more. 

I strongly recommend this second one. 

You can take a small bus in front of Calton hill at the reserved time. 

In the distillery, photography is forbidden.

Therefore I have only a few photos of whiskeys. 

First of all, we tasted 12 years old Glenkinchie.

It has quite nice fruity and honey aromas. 

Also the guide let you taste with a little water to make whisky soft. 

 

If you chose 20 pounds course, this is the end of tasting.

But if you choose 24 pounds tour, you can get 3 more glasses!!!!!!  

So, this was my second whisky; 14 yeards old Glenkinchie. 

It was little bit softer than 12 yrs.

The really good thing is that you can choose whatever you want to taste on the shelf!!!!

I chose a whisky suggested by the guide. 

It has really good coffe aromas. Mocha and chocolate as well. 

Fortunately, I could share my glass with my company. 

The forth whisky is definitely my life whisky!!!! 

The name of whisky is LAGAVULIN and it has really good smoky aromas!!!!! 

Even I finished my glass, I smelled the inside of glass several times more. 

I believe that 8 years is the best. 

Fortunately I was able to taste 16 years at a restaurant after this visit. 

16 years has soft smoky aromas, and it is quite mild to drink. 

I prefer strong smoky flavour!!!!! 

And the price is also actually 8 years is more expensive than 16 years. 

In addition, if you want to buy this whisky, you should buy it at Edinburgh airport. 

I have checked the price in Glenkinchie shop, a bottle shop in Edinburgh city centre, Edinburgh airport and London Luton airport. 

In Edinburgh airport, the price was the least expensive (around 46 pounds something like that).

The last one was a special Glenkinchie which was matured in Sherry cask. 

That's why it has really good fruity and floral aromas like wine. 

It was also very nice. 

And as you know, when you like something, I'm sure that you don't like the price. It was the same..... :-).... 

Sadly I had to go back without my life whisky... it is too expensive for me.... :'(

The visit of Glenkinchie distillery was so nice. 

I was able to learn about scotch malt whiskey. 

If you have enough time and car in Scotland, you can visit more distilleries. 

There are 12 distilleries and you can visit there in free if you have visited Glenkinchie. 

(I'm not sure about it, anyway, they normally belong to the same company Diageo, so you could get some benefits. 

Visit there! 

Visit there twice!