This morning, as if by some Scottish miracle, the kids slept until 8 am. I’m cautious though as this probably means the jet lag on the way home will be that much worse.
Once everyone was dressed, fed and pottied, we headed out to grab a bus to the National Museum of Scotland. The public transportation system here, like most European countries, is slick, efficient, affordable – and again makes me want to force everyone in America to travel to Europe so we can learn a few things about light rail and other mass transit, instead of reflexively dismissing them.
The bus was easy – there’s a family day pass available for roughly $13. Buses come frequently and on time. It seems to be the most popular form of transit in the city.
The museum was free admission, with just a requested donation of 5£. It offered a bit of everything for all ages and likes – fossils, fashion and funhouse mirrors to name a few.
We started in the fossil and taxidermy exhibit first. #1LittleSister didn’t waste any time begging to be released from the prison of the stroller straps. #1BigSister researched camels, while Amir and #1BigBrother learned about the planets in our solar system. (I still contend that Pluto is a planet).
The museum was surprisingly oriented to kids – each floor has a dedicated kids zone with hands-on activities akin to a children’s museum.
After the National Museum of Scotland, we hopped back on the bus and headed towards the Water of Leith walkway. There’s a footpath down to a small stream that cuts through this little village, Dean village, down in the valley.
Crossing over the bridge and to the left, the trees form a canopy and the path becomes a tunnel of nature. The stream flows just beside the walkway, with wildflowers dotting the banks.
The kids (and maybe Amir too) enjoyed throwing rocks into the stream. This is something every single one of our kids loves. It’s an easy win.
Speaking of easy wins – on the walk back we came across the World’s Smallest Whisky Bar. It’s a kiosk slightly larger than a phone booth, offering tastings and sales of full bottles. The man asked Amir what he liked – Amir said bourbon – and a sample quickly appeared. Amir took it like a shot, and from the reaction of the bartender – clearly it was meant to be sipped. His look of shock was quickly erased by a smile when Amir said he’d take a whole bottle.
The rest of the day was spent playing. We found a playground, a food truck rodeo with kids activities and lastly, a LEGO store. We’re adding three more mini figures to the collection. We definitely need a bigger board at this point.
Tomorrow is our last full day here. We’re hoping to hit a contortionist show tomorrow, but it might be restricted to 5 and up. Edinburgh is a bit funny about that stuff – all restaurants and bars have signs displaying their policies on kids. I’ll try to snap a photo of one tomorrow and give a bit more detail. I have mixed feelings on their approach.
– Steph
TeamLouka 