Arriving back in Newport from our Scotland trip just as Labor Day weekend started…so this post was created a bit on the fly, sharing “Postcards,” as I like to call them, providing a personal perspective on this special city where we began our trip.
Magnificent Edinburgh envelops you in a glorious patchwork of historic architecture… each of the major periods of growth that this capital experienced brought with it a new and distinct building style. From the medieval, tower-filled Old Town to the Scots Baronial, Victorian, Edwardian, neo-Gothic…and my favorite, the Georgian (1714-1837). This period is well represented by the grand buildings around New Town ( Feature image) designed by Scottish architect, Robert Adam. We had a sense of this first hand as our boutique hotel, Kimpton Charlotte Square, was created from five Georgian townhouses livened up with a contemporary twist on the interiors.
The Caledonian Hotel features a classic, red sandstone facade in an imposing Edwardian style, though it also incorporates elements of the earlier Victorian railway station upon which it was built.
Other historic signatures include monumental Edinburgh Castle, which goes on…and on…and on (this is only a small corner).
The Waverley Train station, an ode to the popularity of Victorian architecture (with a hint of Baroque) in the mid-1800s.
and the elegant Palace of Holyrood, which has served as the official residence of the British Royal Family since the 16th century. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, King Charles III spends one week in residence at Holyrood at the beginning of each summer.
Add to all this the colorful street scenes that capture the fact that Edinburgh is lively and vital (our visit coincided with the “August Festivals,” for which it is without par in Europe).
Scotland’s oldest oyster bar, The Cafe Royal was opened in its current location in 1863; in 1886, irreplaceable Royal Doulton ceramic murals, painted by John Eyre, were purchased from the International Exhibition of Industry, Science, and Art held on Edinburgh’s meadows. These exquisite “jewels” (set off by a hefty ceiling detail) are your first reason for visiting this Victorian bar and restaurant!
Flower Power in Edinburgh!
An historic converted church, now a bar and entertainment venue, named after Ghillie Dhu, a Scottish folklore figure.
I’ll close by saying that we were blessed with divine weather (which is not always a given).
Happy September….the most beautiful month in Newport.
This, once again, gave me shivers…how beautiful it is!!! I will “look this over, in detail, more than thrice!!!” Now…”Newport!!!” franki
I just gasped with delight at your photographs and commentary. I was particularly drawn to the flower power photo of all the blues and whites. There was a delightful lady who invited us to her garden in Dublin years ago who grew blue poppies. I am wondering if the lovely blue flowers amidst the hydrangeas could be those.
Oh wow, Bette, you got some memory making photos. Thanks for sharing. It’s on my bucket list !
Absolutely stunning architecture.
Lovely photos. We were lucky enough to have stayed at the Caledonian when daughter Courtney was at St Andrews. Loved our rooms’ view of the Castle!
LOVELY LADY,
IN THE SUMMER OF 1964 – I TRAVEL, AS A CHILD COMPANION, TO EUROPE. THE CITIES VISITED WERE: VIEN, BERLIN, MUNCHEN, COPENHAGEN, PARIS AND LONDON. MY PARENTS QUESTIONED WHY I WOULD NOT HAVE PREFERRED TO TOUR THE HISTORIC SIGHTS, OF OUR OWN COUNTRY, FIRST. WITHOUT KNOWING IT, I MUST HAVE HAD (AND STILL DO): ‘AN OLD SOUL’.
TRULY, EUROPE SPOKE TO ME, IN A WAY, THAT NOT EVEN ‘WILLIAMSBURG’ HAD.
PERHAPS THAT IS WHY, YEARS LATER, NEWPORT – IS LIKE … COMING HOME.
YOUR PHOTOS REKINDLED THOSE EMOTIONS.
MANY THANKS.
TOM