Enroute to JFK from EDI

Thankfully, my flight out to LHR from EDI wasn't until noon and the tram ride to the airport was just a little half an hour.  There were a few other spots in Edinburgh I hadn't seen like Calton Hill and the Holyrood Palace so I did it in a hurry before my departure for the airport.  A decent walk from where I was staying but the weather was nice and it wasn't that cold and the sun even came out briefly.  

At the Holyrood Palace

The magnificent view of the city from atop the Calton Hill.

Of course, I had to sketch the tram ride and the airplane view at the airport.

In the short few days of stay in Edinburgh, I walk away richer in experience and feeling grateful and happy to see such a beautiful city filled with rich and interesting history.  Glad I was able to visit and do a "sketching holiday" in Edinburgh, Scotland.

A Vacation in Scotland: Part VI: Day 5

On my last day in Scotland, I took a day trip by Rabbie's Tour called "The Loch Ness, Glencoe and the Highlands Tour".  To get to the Loch Ness, we traveled about three hours one way including a couple of stops along the way.  We first stopped at Callander, Scotland for a quick breakfast of coffee and pastry before the bus made the ascent to the Glencoe Scottish Highlands.

At Callander, Scotland for a quick breakfast stop.

The landscape views and the mountains are breathtakingly beautiful!  I made some quick sketch impressions of what I saw but it will never be the same as what visually stunning natural treasures these are.

The majestic Highland Mountains.

Spectacular views of the mountains.

Fresh air and rejuvenating sights!

Then we got to Loch Ness where I took the one hour boat tour on the lake, hoping to see "Nessie", but just the same, "Nessie" was a no show!  

A boat trip to see "Nessie".  

The closest "sighting" of Nessie.

At a little waterfalls area that's so peaceful and nice.

The trip was long but seeing the country side was a refreshing break from the familiar modern city sights we are all accustomed to seeing.  It was a long day and I thought I'd get myself a nice dinner before leaving this magical city of Edinburgh the following morning.

I enjoyed that last dinner in Scotland at a Whiski Bar and this interesting view.

A Vacation in Scotland: Part V: Day 4

It rained heavier that Sunday morning but it eventually let up to a light drizzle.  To get to the other museums, I saw a different path leading to it through the train terminal. I saw a nice spot inside the Waverly Terminal where I did a sketch of the platform before heading to the National Galleries of Scotland.  

The other street leading to the Waverly Station from the hotel.

Inside the Station for some challenging perspective sketch.

My other planned activities that day were to join the Edinburgh Urban Sketchers meet at the National Museum of Scotland from noon until 2:30 PM, eat a pulled pork sandwich at OINK Hog Roast shop on Victoria Street and then visit the St. Giles Church before it closed for the day.  Checked off everyone of them and even got to see a free concert at St. Giles Cathedral.  Got inside the church in time before they closed and saw a music rehearsal going on.  It turned out that there would be a free Classical Baroque Music concert at 6:00PM.  They told everyone to exit the church and wait outside until they reopen at 5:30 PM.  And when they did, I made sure I got a front row seat.

A quick sketch in one of the galleries.

The main performance.  It was a fun exercise in sketching live musicians.

The OINK sandwich shop. The place was tiny and packed with patrons when I got there.

The whimsical clock tower that I sketched which came out to be so complex and difficult to make sense of especially when there wasn't much time to finish it.

My interpretation of the scene.

Amazingly beautiful museum in the heart of Edinburgh.

 

A Vacation in Scotland: Part IV: Day 3

I had a late start getting out of the hotel but I made it to Ocean Terminal, by tram, where the HMS Brittania Museum is docked.  Got to do a commuter sketch in Edinburgh!

First page sketch on this new sketchbook was on the bridge.  I must have spent a leisurely time doing so that I forgot there were other sections of the ship to see.  Note: I chose to use my phone and internet connection to listen to the tour audio guide but my connection was so bad, I had to ditch the effort.  Instead I just walked through the whole tour in a hurry.  In hindsight, I should have taken their audio unit instead.

On the return trip back to the Center, I got off at St. Andrew Square, walked into the park with the light drizzle falling.  Found a Costa Coffee shop and went inside asking the two ladies behind the counter if okay to stay in one corner as I sketched the scene.  They were nice about it.

I walked back to the tram station and saw an interesting building across the street.  I had to sketch it!  It was the Royal Bank of Scotland building.

From here, I walked toward the concert venue before it start at 6:00pm.  It must have been an easy 30-40 minute walk.  It was a Candlelight concert with a quartet on strings playing a tribute to Coldplay songs.  Of course, I made some sketches before and during the performance.  No photos or videos allowed but I saw several people do it anyway.  Me, I was happy with my sketches.  In fact after the program, I got a nice complement from the lady that sat next to me.  She said she also draws.

After the concert, I walked about 30-40 minutes finding a suggested restaurant in another neighborhood but I ended up going inside Henderson's, an upscale vegetarian restaurant.  Well, I did enjoy the main dish and the time I sketched while they prepared my food.  After dinner, I showed this sketch to the lady at the desk and was delighted to see it.  She also asked permission to take a photo of it.

On the walk back to the hotel, I saw this interesting restaurant.  I had to take a picture of it because an Urban Sketcher friend of mine in the West Coast share the same name.  I eventually emailed her the photo, much to her surprise.

Lastly, a couple of blocks away from the hotel, there were two red telephone booths that I had to sketch.  In the background was the John Knox House, Moubray House, and the Scottish Storytelling Center.  It was getting late and some few passersby had to stop and look at what I was doing.  A full day of sketching but I really enjoyed all the sketches I did on that day.

 

 

A Vacation in Scotland: Part III: Day 2

All day Friday I spent it at the Edinburgh Castle.  Arrived at the entrance gates around 10:00 am.  First thing I did was to show my pre-purchased ticket online and they just scanned the ticket barcode to let me in.  It was a cold windy day so anything to get out of the open air was a welcome relief.  Lots of different areas to explore until I settled on a spot to sketch the "Mons Meg" siege cannon near the St. Margaret's Chapel.  It was a good strategy to hang around there to have a nice view of the One o' clock cannon firing.  

I got some quick sketches done in areas where no photography was allowed.  When I did the Crown Jewels of Scotland (Crown, Scepter, Sword and Stone) visit in one of the buildings, I was asked what I was doing and what I was using and even checked the annotated notes on my sketchbook before I exited that room.

At the bridge entrance to the Castle. 

The Crown Jewels of Scotland

The St. Margaret's Chapel and the Mons Meg.

A sample Armour

Interesting buildings inside the Castle grounds.

Waiting for the One o'clock Cannon firing.

The Mons Meg Cannon.

  

A Vacation in Scotland: Part II

The flight to Edinburgh went on smoothly and made it to the city by tram.  Got off at St. Andrew Square and walked my way toward the Aparthotel Adagio on High Street.  The one beautiful street I saw on video clips many times before (Jeffrey Street) came into view.  I was very much in awe to see it in real life!  After the hotel check-in, I rested a bit before heading out to the 6:00 PM Thursday evening sketch meet-up at The Scotsman Hotel with the Edinburgh Urban Sketchers.  It was a short 8 minute walk to the location from the hotel.

Edinburgh arrival.  Right outside the airport terminal.

The beautiful High Street scene.  I like the character of this old city.

Fun group to sketch with!

After the sketch meet, I walked back toward the hotel and passed by a local bar, The Canons' Gait, near the hotel.  There was a band playing so I decided to walk in and have a Haggis dinner.  I like the folk band song selections and I kept busy sketching them while waiting for my order.  Finally, after scarfing the delicious meal, I continued sketching and showed The Chilli Dogs band my sketch of them.  I was able to take down some names and the keyboardist, Sally, took a picture of my sketch!

The Chilli Dogs group playing folk music at the Canons' Gait Bar.

Okay, I tried the Haggis meal which I like.

A Vacation in Scotland: Part I

Toward the end of February last month, I had been pretty much restless and wanting to go away for some relaxation. The opportunity to visit Edinburgh came into play and I made a go of it.  There will be several entries I will be making here but let's start with the delayed flight I had from JFK to EDI.

The waiting game at T8 Gate 18.

Once airborne, the obligatory cabin sketch. Lucky, I got the aisle seat.

At LHR, we waited a while for the terminal shuttle bus to arrive. 
Many restless passengers were ready to disembark.

They rebooked my flight for a later flight.  Here I was sketch-waiting the game.