On route to Edinburgh - May 8

We travelled the Northumberland Moors, saw small fragments of Hadrian's Wall before walking the narrow streets of Heddon on the Wall, to Swan's Pub where refreshments were available; not to mention the facilities. Out behind the pub one of our group spotted an odd looking goat - WAIT - Sorry, not it was not James our lost companion - so we all rushed over to take his picture. He had a double set of horns.

Back on board our history lesson continues as we cross over into Scotland. The landscape changed from flat fields to rolling hills and at one point along the road a yard dotted with sheep was so steep if one had layed down, rolled onto its side it would have rolled onto the road in record time and beyond with no chance of stopping.

We stopped at Jedburgh and Melrose where King David I had built abbeys in honour of his mother, Queen Margaret. Although destroyed, the stone structures still stand in her memory. I was most curious about the heart of Robert the Bruce. Legend said it was buried in Melrose around 1590. Someone found a metal container in the early 1920's while the town was digging to install pipes of some sort. It did contain an embalmed heart. The container was secretly reburied and in the 1990's it again surfaced while more digging was needed. This time it was reburied in the abbey yard with proper markings telling visitors what it was.

We arrived in the historically beautiful Edinburgh, took a tour of the Old City into the New City and on to our hotel. Amazing architecture again and tomorrow we get to explore it more fully. As we reached our hotel I spotted James on the streeet about a block from the hotel. The lost was found, but apparently not till he arrived in Edinburgh. The police and hospital in York must be relieved. We are not.

Our room here is magnificent! We have a view of the castle out our window, staying here two nights. We're glad to have all the space. Gloria-Rose has settled in, and as I never do, we have lots of space for more. Off to the Britannia for a tour and supper at four o'clock.

The Britannia was the ship built for Queen Elizabeth II, now docked here as a tourist attraction.

Afterwards we go to dine at yet another fancy restaurant, Mal Maison. We'll have more about Edinburgh tomorrow - unless I pull a "James" and run off with the bus driver.

Leslie. to be continued......