We then went down and wandered the streets a bit to shop.  It seemed crowded to me, but I'm not used to all the tall buildings and narrow streets.  There were quite a few people wandering around, but nothing like on a weekend, I'm sure.  We then took one of Mercat's walking tours.  (I didn't take any pictures on this walk, unfortunately -- no one else was, and I didn't want to interrupt the guide with my flash.)  This one was down Mary King's Close.  (A close is a very narrow street -- there are many throughout the city.)  This street is now located underneath the building that houses the city government.  In the 1500's, during the plague, they decided to quarantine the area by sealing off both ends of the street (which sealed off the residents from the water supply as well), and everyone died from either the plague or thirst.  The guide pointed out that these people did not die in vain, for the government did not try quarantine again -- because it didn't work.  There are a lot of ghost stories associated with the place, and though I swear I did feel something, I didn't see any ghosts.  The most "popular" ghost is Annie -- a little girl who had first been sensed by a Japanese psychic.  People leave Annie gifts and messages.

During the tour, the guide was asking where people were from.  Angus had answered Aberdeen, and the guide just assumed he spoke for the both of us.  I never did open my mouth and prove otherwise.

While shopping, we crossed a street just after one man in a car had stopped short, forcing the man behind him to do the same.  They were shouting at each other through their windows.  About 10 paces down the street, with totally unplanned perfect synchronicity, Angus and I both said together, "Road rage."  That sent me into laughing spasms.

We also saw the gardens below Edinburgh Castle, as well as the Scott monument -- which we were in no shape to try to climb.

From Edinburgh we headed for Glasgow, where we got caught in rush hour traffic.  For some reason Glasgow reminds me of Phoenix -- too crowded and really slow-moving traffic during rush hour.  Needless to say, I didn't like it much.  I'm glad we didn't really spend much time there.  We got a room within walking distance of the terminal, then walked over to McDonald's at the airport for dinner, with a secondary purpose of seeing where I needed to go the next day for my flight out.

25 May (Tuesday)

Leaving day.  The day I've dreaded.  I had to leave this beautiful country -- and Angus -- behind.  It was a grey day over Glasgow  when I took off.  I'm looking forward to seeing this lovely place again.