BOBBIE

Poster from 1961 movie.

I vividly remember from my childhood the Walt Disney movie 'Greyfriars Bobby'. It was about a dog, a Skye Terrier, named Bobby, whose master had died and was buried at Greyfriars. The loyal dog spent every day lying beside his master's grave. It was pretty special to visit Edinburgh and to be staying just around the corner from Greyfriars. 

The story of Bobby has been kept alive in oral traditions and has become the subject of various books and films. Bobby's owner was John Gray, who worked for the Edinburgh City police as a night watchman. When John Gray died he was buried in the Greyfriars Kirkyard. For the next 14 years his faithful dog, Bobby came and sat by his graveside. In 1867 the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir William Chambers, who was also director of the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, paid for Bobby's license and bought him a collar. This collar is in Edinburgh Museum.

Bobby died in 1872 and was buried inside the church yard, near John Gray's grave. A year later Lady Burdett-Coutts had a statue erected of Bobby. The monument of Bobby was created by William Brodie; it is listed as Edinburgh's smallest building. Originally it was a drinking fountain. At the top for humans and at the bottom for dogs. However in 1975 all Edinburgh's fountains were shut down because of health concerns. The statue was daubed in yellow paint in 1979 and then hit by a car in 1984 before being restored that same year. It is claimed to be the most photographed statue in Edinburgh.

Of course there has been much discussion of the story and several attempts to disprove it. In one version Bobby's owner is a farm worker, 'Auld Jock'. It is this version which is used by the Walt Disney movie. Others suggest there was no story and Bobby was just one of many stray dogs which hang around cemeteries all over Britain. A red granite headstone was erected on Bobby's grave in 1981 and many visitors to the cemetery leave sticks, balls and even airline tickets on Bobby's grave (the idea being he spent fourteen years in the cemetery now his spirit can travel the world). 

Statue of Bobby

Greyfriars Kirk

Bobby's headstone.

John Gray's headstone.

Tavern near the Greyfriars Kirk

EDINBURGH

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second biggest populated city in Scotland (482,640 in 2012). When I was here I took a tour around the city. It is full of historical buildings and everywhere there is a story. This heart in the pavement represents the heart of the area. It has also become associated with the government and taxes, therefore many Scots will spit on it as they go bye. I watched this happen. Many of the locals won't walk on it but will walk around....so as not to step in the spit.

 This is a typical street scene. The city is full of twisting and turning roads and lane ways. In the centre of many Scottish cities the roads have been made one way. To get to places you need to drive around the block.....though many blocks are irregular. Edinburgh is a very old city and many of these areas still stand. There are little alley ways, stairs and winding streets everywhere. Many of the streets in the Old Town section are also cobbled. Running through the centre is The Royal Mile.

The city is also full of small and large pubs and taverns. The one pictured is billed as the smallest pub in Scotland. It is beside a pub called 'The Last Drop'. Prisoners were hung near here. So its not sure if 'the last drop' refers to prisoners being allowed a drink before they were hung or the actual act of hanging....'the last drop'. Another pub by a woman who was hung for the crime of 'concealing a pregnancy'. She did not die from the hanging and so was free to go, she later prospered.

Edinburgh Castle. The castle is located in the centre of the city on Castle Rock. There has been a castle there since the 12th century and it was used as a royal residence until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. The castle has been successfully and unsuccessfully besieged a number of times. In the 16th century most of the buildings were destroyed by bombardment. These have been rebuilt and the castle is visited by over 1.2 million tourist a year and is the site for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

 The Elephant House cafe in Edinburgh. This is where J. K. Rowling wrote some of the chapters for Harry Potter. Although it was claimed that she went to the cafe because it was warmer than her unheated flat she later denied this and said that going for a walk was the best way to get her daughter to fall asleep. Rowling took inspiration for some of the characters in the book from names in the nearby cemetery and the school nearby is a model for the school Harry Potter attended.

 Tour guides touting for business in the city centre. There were a multitude of tours that could be had around Edinburgh. These ranged from historical tours, ghost tours, underground tours to pub crawls. A number of the tours were free and people who went on them were simply asked to tip what they thought the tour was worth. I good tour operator could make an above average wage just from the tips.....and it seemed this was all cash in hand. the tour I did go on was excellent.

 A city busker.  I did see a number of buskers on the streets of Edinburgh. There were groups performing and even a punk rocker, complete with spiked mohawk hair-cut but singing beautiful folk songs in Gaelic. More noticeable were the homeless beggars on the streets. This appeared the same in every Scottish city I visited. Men and sometimes women would sit in the street in the cold with cups or a hat in front of them. maybe this is not surprising as the rate of unemployment amongst the youth is extremely high.

This was a skating ring in the open in the middle of Edinburgh. It was part of the Christmas markets which seem to have been operating for about two weeks. They included all sorts of side stalls, each stall having its own little shed or hut. There were also a number of giant ferris wheels and rides which propelled people high into the sky. They were well attended despite the cold and the extreme winds that were frequent across the country.