THE ROYAL MILE
Before going out and looking for the Holy Grail at the Rosslyn Chapel, you should relax and explore Edinburgh. The Royal Mile is located just beyond the hotel. It comprises five streets, and is called the Royal Mile because over the ages Scottish and English kings, queens and other royalty have used it to travel between the Palace of Holyrood House (the royals� official residence in Scotland) and Edinburgh Castle. The Royal Mile is actually just over a mile long, and is heavily commercialized today. It�s full of tourist shops selling tartan pattern clothes and shortbread. Like a fool I bought both.

EDINBURGH CASTLE
I didn�t have time to see all of what Edinburgh has to offer (I had to hunt for the Grail), but I did see Edinburgh Castle. It�s the most popular tourist attraction, and is only a 15-minute walk from the hotel � down the Royal Mile, of course. It�s sat atop the famous Edinburgh rock for over 1,000 years; the oldest part (St. Margaret's Chapel) dates all the way back to the 12th century. After a stroll to the top I took in the killer views of Edinburgh (you can see the sea, two miles away). There were lots of buildings and exhibits to explore, but it was way too crowded. I did see the main attraction: the Crown Jewels of Scotland (also known as "The Honours of Scotland"). The jewels consist of a crown, sword and scepter used in 1603 when King James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne. It would have been much cooler without the painfully slow-moving line that began out the door, then weaved around the inside of the building and even up the stairs where the jewels are on display. Next time I�ll get there early, so I can go at my own pace. Admission: adults �9.80 ($17), children �3.50 ($6), seniors and students �7.50 ($13). For more click HERE.