Scotland - Day 12

Wednesday began with a trip to the Edinburgh Crystal Visitor Centre just outside Edinburgh in Penicuik. We were able to watch craftsmen working on various levels on engraving on the crystal.

After we were done shopping, we headed back in the direction of Edinburgh and stopped in Roslin to visit Rosslyn Chapel. Lori had some ancestors with connections to the chapel. There are a lot of stories tied to the history of the chapel. A magnificent pillar in the chapel is said to have been carved by an apprentice mason who was subsequently killed by the head mason jealous of the apprentice's skill. The apprentice was then buried under the pillar. Legend also exists that there are "Secret Vaults" which possibly hide treasure including the Holy Grail.

Our next stop was the Edinburgh Zoo for lunch and the penguin parade. Between lunch and the parade Laney and I took a really fast tour of the middle area of the zoo. My favorite creature was the mongoose. Most of what we saw were primates. We joined the others and watched the rockhopper penguins until the parade started. The zookeepers could only get six penguins to join the parade that day. I think four were king penguins and two were Magellanic. One of the Magellanic strayed a bit and seemed to want to visit our rockhopper friend.

We didn't have time to do much at the zoo because we had tickets for a cruise on the Waverley paddle steamer sailing from Greenock, west of Glasgow, that evening. The Waverley is the last sea-going paddle steamboat in the world, but we did not go out to sea. We sailed from Greenock on the Firth of Clyde to the end of Loch Long and back. It was so crowded it seemed like they overbooked, but there was plenty of time to wander around and explore. There were a cafeteria, a snack bar, and two bars. One of the bars had live music, but I never caught more than snatches in passing. In the other quieter, less-crowded bar, the portholes were right at the water level, and it was neat to watch the water line. In the interior, the cogs were open to view as the paddles turned. They had a cute little purple stuffed dolphin with a top hat riding in the middle of the cogs. Being on the water in a moving boat made the air outside chilly, but near the end of the evening I found the perfect spot to enjoy the fresh, crisp outdoor air while staying warm by hovering near the grate above the steamy cog room.