I Want a European King Bed: I’m Seeing Hogwarts!

Saturday, May 11, 2013

I’m Seeing Hogwarts!

This trail was ridiculous.
Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland

Our 2^nd day in Scotland was easily my favorite. We started out with a hike in Holyrood Park, the very large nature park adjacent to Holyrood House, the Queen’s residence in Scotland. We rose early and spent some time climbing a ridiculously steep path shortly after sunrise. We walked for about an hour before returning to our hotel for a shower. This park is one of the many reasons I want to return to Edinburgh; the views were great from midway up, but I want to reach the summit.

The view from the midway point.
Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland

Our next stop was the Elephant House, an unassuming coffee shop with views of Edinburgh Castle. The castle sits high on a rocky crag and has various towers and turrets rising from the rocks. Below the castle is Prince’s Street Gardens, a park on the site of a former lake. The Nor’ Loch was drained when the residents realized the health hazards associated with using the lake as a sewage dump.

I ordered a jasmine tea and a shortbread cookie in the shape of an elephant. Snack in hand; I wandered into the back rooms of Elephant House to see the castle. Looking out the windows at the castle, and imagining a clean lake below it, I saw Hogwarts Castle appear in my mind’s eye. And perhaps I was looking at the inspiration for Hogwarts; before the mania, JK Rowling used to sit in this café and write.