Today we caught the number 29 bus from Newtongrange into Edinburgh because we had booked the 'Gold Experience' at Mary King's Close. Edinburgh is built on a spine of rock and down the backbone of the Old Town, from the Castle to Holyrood, runs the slope of the Royal Mile. The Old Town of Edinburgh consisted originally of the Royal Mile and the small streets and courtyards that led off it to the north and south. Generically these are called "closes" or "wynds", Scottish words for alleyways and most sloped steeply down from the Royal Mile. Closes were named after the most prominent citizen or most commonly found business to be on the close. Documents show that Mary King was a prominent businesswoman in the 1630's. At that time she was a widow and a mother of four, who traded in fabrics and sewed for a living. It was unusual for a close to be named after a woman at that time, which indicates Mary's standing in the town. Mary King's Close was partially demolished and buried under the Royal Exchange and because it had been closed to the public, tales of ghosts and murders and myths of plague victims being walled up and left to die emerged. New research and archaeological evidence has revealed that the close actually consisted of a number of closes which were originally narrow streets with tenement houses on either side, stretching up 14 stories high. Our 'Gold Experience' took us on an underground tour of the historic Real Mary King's Close where we learnt about the inhabitants of the close throughout its history, including the residents who got the plague and died. We also visited the room where the ghost of 'Annie' is supposed to reside. Years ago when a Japanese psychic visited the close she apparently felt sadness as she entered one of the rooms and wanted to leave. As she left she felt a tug at her leg and she said it was the ghost of a child called Annie who had been left there and she had lost her doll. The psychic went upstairs and bought Annie a doll, returned to the room and left it there, and then immediately felt happiness. Ever since then people have been bringing toys to leave for Annie or have donated money which is then donated to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation. After the underground tour we had a hot chocolate before heading off with the next guide who took us up the Royal Mile and we learnt more about the history of the Old Town. We got to walk down a number of 'closes' that exist today and she pointed out some of the interesting happenings...and executions...that happened on the Royal Mile which today are marked by gold bricks on the road. It was a great tour and I noticed so much more about the Royal Mile after the tour...a must do while you're in Edinburgh. We caught the bus home...which seemed to take a while tonight...and I had a 'Haggis Supper' for dinner...might as well get it while I can!!!!
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