First, I must admit that I didn’t know that Scotland was part of the United Kingdom (UK). I always thought that the UK meant London only. I’ve come to learn that there’s four countries that make up the UK (London, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales).
I spent 5 days in Edinburgh (capital of Scotland) with a day trip to Glasgow. I stayed at the Four Points by Sheraton Edinburgh. I was surprised when I arrived because it looked nothing like a Sheraton-type hotel. The room was very small and had bad lighting. Early on in my travels I realized that I NEED good lightning in the room, especially if I’m staying for a number of days. I also realize that European hotel rooms are not as large as the ones in the States. I accept this and that’s why I do a lot of research before booking.
This hotel was purchased by Sheraton, not built by them (explains what I was seeing). I tried finding a different hotel but no luck. As it turns out there was an issue with the light switch (lights could not be turned off) and management had to turn off the lights from the main light source. The next day, I was moved to another room because they couldn’t fix the issue. This was a much bigger room with good natural lighting (this girl was happy!!).
Now time to venture out. The tram and international train station were about a 5 minute walk from the hotel. I rode the tram into the city every day. They have a great system of tapping your credit card before you board and when you leave. If you forget to tap out, you will incur a higher fee. Needless to say, I never forgot to tap out.
The city is beautiful and just as I had envisioned. The first major site I saw was the Edinburgh Castle from the hillside. I didn’t attempt to reach the castle doors due to the crowds and the 70 steps to climb. I walked through the Old Town and of course hopped on the on/off bus tour, which gave me a much better view of the city.
I also ventured out to Glasgow, which was about a 45 minute train ride. It was a bit cooler there and the people’s accent was a lot stronger than in Edinburgh. However, both areas speak English but with the accents, it may as well have been German. I have to really listen and can pick up enough to make out a sentence. I’ve also been told that my accent sounds nice. What accent???? LOL
Currency: The currency used in Scotland is the Pound Sterling (GBP). This is different from the British Pound Sterling. Both use the abbreviation of GBP.
Note: The cover picture was across the alleyway from the hotel. The lady at the hotel desk didn’t know anything about the building. I thought it was a castle but I didn’t see any signs other than one that said ‘Private, Keep Out’.
