Christmas comes to St Andrew’s Square, Edinburgh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Hello Hello Hivians

A walk and a history lesson and perhaps an educated guessing game if you accompany me today.

I grew up in Edinburgh and would pass by all that you are going to see in this post on a daily basis.

Being Christmas we have to start with a few shots from the building where this soldier is stationed outside.

Do you recognise the soldier?

Nutcracker ballet

He is of course from Tchaikovsky's famous ballet, The Nutcracker which debuted in 1892 and is set on Christmas Eve. As the nutcrackers came to life they become synonymous with the Christmas holidays.

It does guard a good looking building but I think pride of place goes to the two reindeer who guard the building next door!

The former Linen Bank now The Gleneagles Townhouse

The Gleneagles Townhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland is located in a former branch of the British Linen Bank, which was later the Bank of Scotland.

It is located at 37-39 St Andrew Square, in the New Town Conservation Area of Edinburgh's World Heritage Site

Designed by David Bryce and Alexander Handyside Ritchie the building was built in 1846.

The bank closed in 2016 and the following year Gleneagles bought it. I think it was late 2021 it opened as a fluffing posh hotel!

It is now guarded at Christmas anyway by a pair of golden reindeer.

For me though you need to look up....

The six Corinthian columns

The building has six Corinthian columns that support statues representing Navigation, Commerce, Manufacture, Science, Art, and Agriculture

How did you get on?

I did say there was going to be an educational guessing game!

Did you match up all 6 statues to what they represent?

Now though we are taking a gentle stroll down the hill to Princes St.

In the distance you can see Arthur's Seat which is actually an extinct ancient volcano.

But today we are looking at the manmade tall structures in Edinburgh.

The Christmas market is in full flow now.

I have absolutely no idea what the thing is called the wheeks the people up and spins them round and round.

But they get a cracking view of Edinburgh Castle if they aren't too scared to look that is!

Together with that modern day ride, the Sir Walter Scott monument is flanked by a big heel.

This year was a big year.

200 years ago Sir Walter Scott was one of the founders of my old school The Edinburgh Academy. We pretty much read all his works at school.

I think Ivanhoe is probably his greatest novel. Have any of you bookworms read any of stuff?

It was a gorgeous day and I actually was heading down this picture.

But you have to be careful of the fluffing trams. It was a project that cost a fortune and I didn't see the need for it.

When my father went to school here there were trams, when I did there wasn't.

Some numpty decided it would be good idea to bring some back. Mega money mega delays and mega frustration to residents and shopkeepers for the years of lost business as the streets were dug up!

Yes this was where I was going, to Calton Hill. Do you know the two structures that you can see in distance?

If you do, then can you name the third much bigger building that is on the hill but obscured by the buildings on the left?

Wait a minute - Do you see the time?

It was rapidly approaching midday and I know it is winter time, but Calton Hill gets crowded with toursists and I wanted to try and avoid the worst of the crowds!

Catch ya later.