Early morning over Edinburgh.
For this weekend’s hike – my 32nd consecutive weekend hike – I decided to make a quick pre-breakfast climb of Arthur’s Seat, an ancient volcanic plug that dominates the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. (I was in Edinburgh to visit the university, and an old friend, in the middle of our Scotland holiday tour.) The gorse brush was blooming brilliant yellow, the skies were a perfect blue, and the sun was rising low in the east. A grand day for a hike!
An afternoon tour of the East Wing.
When offered a chance to tour Buckingham Palace, how can one say no? After all, we live within walking distance, and I often walk past the palace on my way for a stroll in Green Park or St. James Park. Out front, the grand gates attract throngs of selfie-taking tourists, gawking at the grandeur of the palace and snapping photos of the iconic guardsmen. Today, we stood with a small group of others who waited by the front gate for our designated entry time.
David Kotz 