After visiting Greyfriars Kirkyard, we headed back to our flat. Claire had been screaming in the kirkyard. Basically, she was mad because I wouldn't let her push the empty stroller up and down hills, into people (and grave stones!), and over burial sites. The kirkyard seemed peaceful and there were a few people walking around, so we didn't think we should linger. Once we put Claire and Dani back in the stroller and left she seemed to calm down a bit.
On our way back, we found the National Museum of Scotland and decided to stop in. They were closing in 30 minutes, so we didn't get to explore very long. But, they do have a lot of really cool things there! They have a rocket that goes from the ground floor up to the 5th floor. There's a space suit that you can pretend to wear. They have an exhibit with pedals that you can move with your hands to create energy and light up lights and televisions. And, they have a spinning sheep. Dani thought this was especially fascinating!
We had fun there, and it was free! So, we'll definitely have to head back and explore it more thoroughly. In the meantime, I sure hope that wasn't the infamous Colin the Sheep that we saw spinning in that museum. I might have seen a hint of blue paint behind his ear, but I can't be 100% sure about that.
Greyfriars Bobby is a famous wee terrier here in Edinburgh. He's known as the incredibly loyal dog who stayed beside his master's gravesite for fourteen years. We read a story about him to the girls, and since then they have been in love with him. Katie even insisted on buying a stuffed terrier of her own. With their interest in this cute dog, we decided to go visit his statue and Greyfriars Kirkyard to see where he and his master, Auld Jock, are buried. It's not a very long walk from our flat. We put Dani and Claire in the stroller and walked with Katie there. Claire was being a bit of a grump once we got there, so we mostly made sure that we saw the gravesites for Bobby and Auld Jock. Katie really enjoyed walking around and looking at everything. I even talked her into posing for me behind a black metal fence. Here's some of the information I was able to find about Greyfriars Bobby. In the early 1800's, a man named John Gray moved to Edinburgh. He was universally known as "Auld Jock." According to historical records, he soon joined the Edinburgh Police Force and was required to have a Watch Dog. So, he obtained a Skye Terrier and named him Bobby. After a few years on the Police Force, Auld Jock got tuberculosis and died on February 8, 1858. He was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard. 
Bobby was so loyal to Auld Jock that he stayed on guard at the grave until his own death in 1872. He would only leave the grave to eat. During this time, people would stop at the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard to listen to the 1 o'clock gun and watch for the appearance of Bobby leaving the grave for his midday meal. The book that we read to the girls said that Auld Jock was a shepherd who was fired by his boss and died soon thereafter. This is apparently the story that was told by Eleanor Atkinson in a 1961 Disney movie about the dog. And, while the official Greyfriars Bobby site says that the beloved master of Bobby was a policeman, there is some speculation that he may have been a farmer, not a shepherd or a policeman. With all that said, though, Greyfriars Bobby is one famous little pooch and he's known all over for his incredible loyalty! Our girls now want us to go out and get them a terrier. And, I almost want to do it.... Then, I remember how much work a dog is and think we've got our hands full as it is! So, the stuffed dog will have to do.
On one of our date nights, we hiked around Holyrood Park and went up to the ruins of St. Margaret's Chapel. From there, we saw a lovely loch (lake) with ducks and swans. We decided that this was a perfect location for an outing with the girls. So, we packed up our bread and the girls in the stroller and set out after nap time. Once we got to the park, Claire insisted that the stroller should stay on the paved path so that her ride was nice and smooth. Katie and Dani, however, ran off to the dirt path that Cole called "the secret path." On this path they looked for imaginary treasures and treasure chests. And, wouldn't you know it, they found a lot of treasure! It was a little chilly, but when we saw an ice cream truck on the side of the path, the girls just had to have a little treat! Admittedly, we thought it sounded like a great idea too, so we got 5 ice cream cones. Yum!
The walk wasn't exactly short, but the girls had fun getting in and out of the stroller, pushing the stroller, and dragging Daddy along. Katie insisted on carrying a bag of bread even when riding on Daddy's shoulders! And, once we got to the loch, the swans all lined up for Katie and Claire to feed them.
Dani was a bit timid at first. She didn't want to get anywhere near the swans! But, after a while, she warmed right up! So much so that she was practically hand-feeding them. Then, of course, one nipped her finger. But, she sucked it up and within a few minutes was back feeding them again.
Claire, on the other hand, never really showed much fear. She was happy to get right up in their faces. And, she even knew that when she was given a piece of bread, she should break it up and throw it. She didn't just throw the whole piece! She watches her sisters and wants to do everything they do!Katie definitely enjoyed feeding the birds. She kept trying to throw the bread over the swans so that some of the ducks could get some, too. She's always concerned that everyone gets treated fairly. And, she seems to root for the underdog. (Or should it be underbird here?) She kept hopping around from place to place to try to make sure that everyone got food. And, in the end, when her sisters were eating the bread, she was a little miffed. She wanted to throw that bread to the birds!
After all of our fun, it was a little later than we expected. So, we stopped at a restaurant on our way back to the flat. It was a Mexican place with typical burritos, tacos, and nachos. It was the same as any Mexican restaurant you'd find in the states. The food was good, but a little expensive. And, wouldn't you know it was Katie's favorite restaurant so far!
We mentioned at the end of our trip to North Berwick that we returned with a broken stroller. This was a bit crippling, since sometimes all three girls want to be carried or ride when we go places!!! So, we knew that we wouldn't be able to make it through the rest of our time here without any kind of stroller.
After much searching, I was able to find something on the internet that looked like it would be perfect for the kids, narrow streets, and cobblestone/brick paved roads. It's a proper UK stroller! It's rather versatile. It came with an add on seat for the back bottom so that it can easily be a single or double stroller. It also folds down, so I should be able to take it on the bus or through the airport.
I was excited about getting the stroller and talked it up a bit. It arrived when the girls were sleeping. When they woke up and saw it they went NUTS! Claire, Dani, and I had to immediately go to Starbucks. However, it started raining. So, we returned to the flat soaking wet without coffee. And, would you believe that the girls refused to get out?!?!
Since then, they've tipped it over several times, but they still fight over who gets to ride in it. And, the biggest deal is who gets to ride on the bottom. We thought that nobody would want to ride down there since the visibility is so low. Once, we even fit all 3 girls in the stroller! And, it handles so easily any of the girls can push it (with a little guidance from us)! What a wonderful purchase! I hope it endures the rest of our trip here and the flights back home!!!
Oh, and the brand is Phil & Ted. So, this is our Phil and Ted's excellent stroller!
One benefit of going to the gym is the kids club (called Club V). I'm able to get about an hour a day to exercise and have guaranteed quiet. And, I've met some nice young ladies in Club V that have agreed to babysit our girls! The girls are excited whenever we have a babysitter over. They know that they get to stay up a little later and they really seem to have a lot of fun. And, Cole and I really enjoy going out to explore the city without the kids. This means we can eat in nice restaurants and more importantly we can walk our own pace without lugging around 40 pounds worth of stuff.
The first night, we went for a long walk down to Princes Street. We walked to an area of the old town that looks kind of like an Acropolis and climbed around. We then walked through an old graveyard and saw the gravestone for the philosopher David Hume. The next two times we went out Cole's foot was not feeling right. We still walked around town, but we tried to take it a little easier. On Tuesday night, we climbed Arthur's Seat! It was so wonderful to be outside hiking again. We understand that it is merely a hill, but it was definitely a workout. After our trek, we went to a wine store and purchased some beer to take to Kismot (the Indian restaurant). They don't sell alcohol there, but you are allowed to bring your own. We had such a lovely time.
After visiting Greyfriars Kirkyard, we headed back to our flat. Claire had been screaming in the kirkyard. Basically, she was mad because I wouldn't let her push the empty stroller up and down hills, into people (and grave stones!), and over burial sites. The kirkyard seemed peaceful and there were a few people walking around, so we didn't think we should linger. Once we put Claire and Dani back in the stroller and left she seemed to calm down a bit. 
On our way back, we found the National Museum of Scotland and decided to stop in. They were closing in 30 minutes, so we didn't get to explore very long. But, they do have a lot of really cool things there! They have a rocket that goes from the ground floor up to the 5th floor. There's a space suit that you can pretend to wear. They have an exhibit with pedals that you can move with your hands to create energy and light up lights and televisions. And, they have a spinning sheep. Dani thought this was especially fascinating! 
