Wanderers At Heart: July 2013

Caught in a time warp

Edinburgh; Stunning yet spooky

Edinburgh; A wider angle

Visiting Scotland over the weekend was rather an impulsive plan. Since my husband had to attend office on Monday, it was decided that we would explore Scotland’s major tourist destinations only, thanks to the time constrain. Edinburgh, then, emerged as an obvious option!

The English country side

Though, there are various means to reach Scotland’s capital city, we were keener on a road trip as that would have been a perfect way to feast our eyes on the elaborated terrain. We boarded a National Express bus, Britain’s official inter-city service, from Victoria Coach Station en-route to Edinburgh.

The 9-hour-long journey was truly a visual treat. London’s crowded roads and bustling bazaars were gradually left behind. And what came forth was pure serenity. Endlessly stretched green fields, grazing flocks of sheep, hills laden with wild flowers and deep blue sea, the landscape would simply take your breath away!

The splendid coastline

Usually, Scotland remains cold and wet throughout the year and we went all prepared. However, a clear sunny day in Edinburgh surprised us pleasantly. There was a slight nip in the air still it felt far from being chilly. But our joy was short-lived. The drizzling began in late afternoon and continued till the next 36 hours.

Edinburgh is home to numerous heritage sites

Appearance wise London and Edinburgh are similar

With Victorian style manors and cathedrals, the city wears a very Gothic look. Even the quintessential brick pavements, vintage lamp shades on the road corners and kilt clad bagpipers make it a severe medieval set-up.

A bagpiper at Princes Street

The city has preserved its medieval charm. Check out the pavement!

Walking uphill to Edinburgh castle or wandering in lanes would certainly give you a feel of the era gone by.

Being a history enthusiast, I was floored!

A bustling street

The Scottish National Gallery

The Princes Street Garden

Be it the splendid ‘Edinburra Castle’ (as it is pronounced locally) or shockingly old National art galleries and museums, I couldn’t have asked for more.

However, what catches your fancy the most is numerous ‘ghost and witchery tours’ and spooky sites marketed to the tourists. Scotland does hold the title of being the most haunted country in the world with numerous well-known eerie places.

I was amazed how the locals boasted about it being ‘the city of the dead’ and encouraged us to experience the paranormal.

The Princes Street Market

The most happening commercial place, Princes Street, bustles with tourists enthusiastic enough to encounter the ‘dead’ and seek guides to lead them through the dark haunted sites.

You will find an array of ghost and witchery tours to opt from

There are many eerie looking chambers on Royal Mile against the wall of St Giles Cathedral that are actually ghost tour agencies. I was amused to find so many of them promising a chilling paranormal experience through visiting the infamous Greyfriars Graveyard and underground vaults for 10-12 pounds.

However, there is no dearth of spooky places, notorious for frequent ghost sightings, in Edinburgh. Underground vaults are creepy 17^th century tunnels beneath the city where the most obnoxious murderers, criminals and psychopaths operated for 300 years.

A ghost tour agent

There was also a time when the city’s extremely poor population lived in these suffocating dark holes on being unable to afford a house. It holds a terrifying history of gruesome killings and dreaded crimes. No wonder, the underground vaults are known for paranormal activities.

A large group of enthusiasts at the Royal Mile. The tour begins through the dilapidated door (seen here)

Greyfriars Graveyard and Convenanters Prison are also extremely infamous ghost sites in this part of the world. We were told about the legend involving noted advocate Sir George Mackenzie who was buried here in 1691.

It is said that his restless spirit cause bruising, bites and cuts on those who come in contact with it.

A graffiti with pictures of those 'hurt' by the restless spirits at Greyfriars Cemetery.

The walls of Edinburgh’s St Giles Cathedral display a collage of pictures of tourists’ who got injuries they had no recollection of sustaining during the tour to Greyfriars cemetery.

Weirdly shaped pens and other stuff at a store. Scotland sure has a flair for everything spooky

We recommend you not to take children and young teens along and ofcourse stay away if you have a medical condition. Most of the tours begin later in the day and continue till midnight. Since, weather is cold and it pours all the time, carry a raincoat.

Another tour agency promising paranormal thrill

'Extreme ghost tour' too attracts a lot of tourists

Apart from Greyfriars, there are several other graveyards in Edinburgh, very popular among visitors. One such cemetery is the Old Calton Cemetery.

Famous people buried in the Old Calton Cemetery.

The burial grounds are visited by tourists throughout the day as some famous local celebrities are interred here. There are a few astoundingly old graves dating from 16th century or may be older.

A stunning memorial of former US president Abraham Lincoln catches the eye. It signifies the sacrifice of Scottish soldiers in the American civil war

Edinburgh’s serenity and old world charm lurks. Scotland anyway is impregnated with a thousand of unsolved mysteries with every castle and each corner holding one!

Done with our stints with the ‘ghosts’, we moved towards the Edinburgh Castle, standing majestically over the hill. ..

STAR GAZING

A date with celebrities at Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, London

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum at Marylebone Road.

Upon reaching London, Madame Tussaud’s was on the top of my ‘must visit’ list. Thanks to the much hype created around it!

Luckily enough, being put up at Good Wood Court on Devonshire Street makes it super convenient for me to walk up to Marylebone, where the iconic wax museum is located.

However, it was not a wise decision to visit Tussaud’s on a weekend.

Waiting for hours at ticket counters is very tiring.

I was taken aback by unbelievably long queues and mismanagement outside the ticket counters. Things would be easier for you if bookings are done well in advance for weekend as hundreds of tourists flock the venue on Saturdays and Sundays.

Long queues to buy tickets

Sadly, despite living just a few blocks away, we had taken the attraction for granted and didn’t care about advance bookings. However, standing in the pathetically long queue for more than two hours, we learnt that on weekends when the footfall is massive, the number of ticket counters is deliberately reduced. This is done to ensure that enthusiasts get to spend more time in the museum and crowd inflow remains in check.

Interestingly, all the while one waits outside the ticket counter; there are entertainers and artistes dressed in the quintessential Victorian style to keep one amused. Quick skits were performed to distract visitors from prolonged wait.

Once inside, the delightful ambience makes up for everything else. There are not just wax statues but an amalgamation of various cultures, music, politics, royalty, , chamber of horrors, cafes, film theatres, souvenir shops and much more.

Prince William and Kate Middleton

The place is very crowded, so come mentally prepared.

The museum is strategically divided in as many as 10 levels for guests to explore according to their individual tastes and interests.

Indian actor Salman Khan

Amitabh Bachchan

Hritik Roshan

One begins with the top storey featuring wax statues of the world’s most popular filmstars. From Hollywood biggies to Bollywood heartthrobs, you would get to ‘meet’ all here. Immense care has been taken while shaping the statues up and it shows! There lies a meticulous detailing of a celebrity’s height, body proportion, skin colour, hair texture and even wrinkles and nails. Every wax model is accompanied by a brief description about the featured celeb.

While some were simply breathtaking, a few looked not so perfectly done to me. For instance, amongst the Bollywood stars, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s statue appears a little ‘fake’, pun intended. J The facial features are overtly done and look unconvincing.

Former Miss World and Indian actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Let me also mention that Indian stars are the most ‘hugged’ and ‘kissed’ by enthusiasts.

Fans of all ethnicities make a beeline to pose with Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Hritik Roshan and recently added Madhuri Dixit’s statues. I was amazed to see European and American visitors seeking pictures with Shahrukh. So is the power of cinema, I tell you!

Fans get pictures clicked with Shahrukh Khan

Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit

Hollywood stars like Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks etc too enjoy extreme popularity amongst fans from all age groups and how!

Tom Cruise

People go berserk to get themselves photographed with their statues. It was nice to see elderly women striking romantic poses with Hanks and Johnny Depp’s wax models.

Women were the most enthusiastic of all visitors

A group of young girls pose with pop star Jennifer Lopez

A real looking statue of funny man Jim Carrey

Titanic actor Kate Winslet

Australian stunner Nicole Kidman is also very popular among young guests

In other sections, various prominent people from the world of music, politics, spirituality, sports etc feature.

Hollywood actor couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

The chamber of horrors ‘Scream’ is a must see if you have a knack for spooky thrills. Live artistes, dressed as infamous murderers and victims of the French Revolution would scare the hell out of you. There is thunder, darkness, screams and all other essential ingredients to make it a horrifying experience. Not suitable for faint-hearted and patients.

A rare photograph of French rulers King Louis X and queen Marie Antoinette beheaded in the French revolution. Madame Tussauds, a wax sculptor, was asked to make a cast from their severed heads

Madame Tussauds is shown working on a corpse's head

One section I really liked was that showcasing celebrated scientists like Albert Einstein, Issac Newton, Stephen Hawking etc and great authors including William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. Interestingly, there were instructions for international visitors written in numerous languages including English, Chinese, Arabic, French and Hindi J

A breath taking model of Albert Einstein

Authors Shakespeare and Charles Dickens

The place is a happening one with lots of activities going on simultaneously to attract tourists. One amongst many was a chance to get a cast of your hand done in wax, truly the Tussauds style! It is an expensive yet exciting activity for enthusiasts.

You can get a wax cast made of your hands at the museum for a few pounds

The super-hero section and 4D-movie theatre will be a real treat for your kids. However, one thing not to be missed here is the ‘Spirit Of London’ ride.

The ride, modeled on retro black cabs, journeys from the medieval eras to the modern times. Trust me, it felt as if I ‘time-traveled’! An amalgamated history of London is displayed through wax statues, re-created events, smells, sounds and sights. No photography is allowed in the ride but inbuilt cameras in the tunnel like auditorium will click your pictures, which you may buy later.

Don’t forget to keep your eyes and ears open throughout the ride or you might miss out on the narration and scenes. Also, smile heartily for CCTV cameras J

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