Headless in Edinburgh

After a short ride to a (large) ferry, we spent 2 days riding about 230 km across northern Scotland to Edinburgh.  Into the wind.  Apparently much of of northern Scotland lives on renewable energy mostly from wind turbines which seem to provide relatively reliable power, whereas the few solar panels actually produce solar power infrequently, though we've lucked into good partly cloudy weather.  On the other hand, I can assure you that as a cyclist the wind is always in your face, steady, and strong.  Pretty rolling pastureland, sheep and cows (but, sadly, none of the shaggy highland cattle).  More forest here than in the highlands, where the forests were all cut down 1000 years ago and haven't regrown because every time a shoot sticks its head above the soil, it gets eaten by a sheep.

 Edinburgh is full of steeples and towers.  And tourists.  And cyclists - commuting and recreational.  And Haggis - modern haggis is mutton in oatmeal with spices.  Gotta eat some while you're here.  But once is enough.  Distressing to me there were no bagpipers playing on the streets.

Home of Mary, Queen of Scots, who became queen when 6 days old, later became queen consort to the king of France but he died, and she was left with just Scotland.  But, she was pressured to give that up in favor of her son who was one year old - WTF?  She was implicated in the murder of her second husband, who she apparently didn't like much.  A few other intrigues ended with her house arrest for 18 years by Elizabeth I, her cousin.  Mary was then beheaded, thus ending her part in the dysfunctional English Royal family.  I'm wondering if Meghan Markle knows what she's getting into.

 A friend of mine from Canada, on the trip with us had a father who came from Poland, escaped during WW2 and joined the Polish army in exile which became part of the British army.  He had escaped through Russia, fought in the middle east, and was decommissioned from the British Army in Edinburgh where he married a Scottish woman - so Rich is delighted to have some time in Edinburgh where there is so much family history.  And, I found this placard and statue in the "Princess Gardens" - dedicated to the large numbers of Polish fighters who followed a similar path.  Rich's Dad, however, did not have a bear.

I realize that the placard isn't legible, so here's the summary:  bunch of Polish fighters escaped from the Nazis and found and befriended a bear in Iran.  The bear became a member of the Polish (and later British army) as a private, and helped carry ammunition at the battle of Monte Cassino in Italy (really, that's what it says).  And then traveled with the army (remember he was a private in the army) to  be decommissioned with the other Polish troops in Edinburgh.  The Scots apparently had a less benign attitude towards bears, even those who fought valiantly in the war, and he had to live out his life in the Edinburgh Zoo where he died in the 1960's.

 Jean and I and Nate, our (photographer) son hiked up "Arthur's Seat" - about 800 feet above Edinburgh - fantastic views.  Including a picture of Jean and of a camera with arms and legs attached.
Kinda reminded me of the headless Mary Queen of Scots.  She didn't have a camera, though.