Edinburgh City Break

...Haste Ye Back!...

Various glimpses of around the main city area and George Street

Sometimes life can leave you feeling tired and wanting to regain and recover the strength that we all need to go on; and that is normal, after all we are all need an escape to feel re-energised. I was lucky enough to do so; so that is exactly what I did. I hit the road to the historical and stunning city of Edinburgh.

Parliament Square

Balmoral Hotel

I was in Edinburgh for a couple of days, I do recommend visiting for more than two days in order to get the most out of this city, there is a lot of things to do and see – from the famous Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Zoo, the Dungeons, sightseeing the beautiful coast line and natural wonders, visiting the old fashioned University, Scottish Parliament, the famous Balmoral Hotel, Botanical Gardens, the Scottish National Museum...the list goes on!

Edinburgh is known for its traditional architecture, very Gothic style and the grandeur is breath-taking. I managed to get away during the early May Bank Holiday and noticed the constant bustle of tourists visiting the city; I recommend getting about on local transport which runs regularly throughout the city as it is very cheap. You simply have to be on foot to explore all areas (£3.50 for a day saver on the Loathian bus service – happy days). 

Snapshots of some of the grandness that surrounds Edinburgh

Shopping is next to none in Edinburgh, Prince Street is a busy hive of lively tourists with the beautiful views overlooking the castle as a perfect backdrop, it is filled with great names from high end to high street such as Zara, the famous Jenner’s Department Store, Debenhams, Fraser Hart, Harvey Nicholas etc. I also visited the more up-market George Street were the atmosphere was slightly less touristy and more upmarket and cosmopolitan – a range of sophisticated boutiques lined up the area, there are a lot of swanky bars and fashion giants from Karen Millen, Coast, Jaeger just to name a few. The architecture really came to live in George Street, stunning and very opulent; I can certainly see how this was once the financial heart of the city with the buildings telling their own story.

           

Edinburgh surprised me when it came to shopping, I can safely say it rivalled that to my usual shopping hangout of the modern Bullring based in Birmingham; simply put shopping in Edinburgh was more of a relaxed experience which treated my eyes to the beauty of the old fashioned building’s that stood against the spell of time, really worth a visit for those shopaholics out there!

Various touristy sights, an American Candy Store, the world famous Hard Rock Cafe, and various shops on Princes Street.

If you don’t intend to go to Edinburgh for the shopping then you must nevertheless visit its department store Jenners – think of this as Edinburgh's own version of Harold’s based in London. The magnificence and old fashioned family heritage was the selling factor of Jenners, it is now owned by House of Fraser although still holds the notable Jenner golden etched sign above it premises and is somewhat of a local landmark. Inside Jenners you can see for yourself the beautiful grand hall of against the Victorian remains of  spiralling pillars that hold each floor. Even if you are not interested in buying or shopping in particular Jenners offers a glimpse of the past and is well worth the visit.

Outside of Jenners Department Store

Inside Jenners located on Princes Street and a little French infusion of sugary treats - Macaroons and slice of cake from Patisserie Valerie (don't worry, they were not all for me)!

You ultimately have to visit Edinburgh Castle; with stunning views from across the city far and wide it dominates the whole city horizon, sitting at the top of the whole town both new and old. It was not too busy when we ventured up there, I do recommend dressing appropriately by wearing a jacket/blazer with the odd scarf (perhaps a tartan would fit the occasion); the wind was notorious at the peak despite it being May.

Scotland in all its glory

Edinburgh Castle

The National Scottish Museum is well worth a visit too; not only is it free but it offers something for everyone (recently refurbished) with great open indoor architecture and countless worldwide exhibitions from the animal section filled with an enormous T-Rex skeleton to the white Iranian inspired hall filled with exotic monuments – there is something for everyone to be excited about. There are so many amazing photograph opportunities inside the Museum; it left me feeling very inspired for an amateur/novice photographer.

Various snapshots of inside the Scottish National Museum

Overall there is more to Edinburgh than just the beautiful scenery and history, it is a rich cosmopolitan city that is definitely worth the visit, although I would pass on the Scottish Haggis and whisky I shall definitely be back and perhaps celebrate the world famous Hogmanay celebrations later on this year (yes I know a tad too early to be talking about new years eve celebrations yet)! There is so much more that I could write about what I got up to in Edinburgh  but I feel as though I would be here forever typing it all out. Simply put you should venture up North yourself to find out for yourself. If you a looking for an affordable city break that offers more than just the usual modern gimmicks then Edinburgh is for you. I would recommend planning in advance if you are going to get the most out of your visit; the Visit Scotland website offered me a great insight into booking tickets and costs regarding my trip to the City.

Main square

Quirky Police Station

   

Anyone ventured into Scotland’s wonder city before?

The Scotsman

…ArA…

Grazing into a Healthier 2013…Graze Box Review

...Modus omnibus in rebus...

Trying to lead a health conscious life can be a chore for most of us, but it is the simple changes that can have the biggest impact in terms of improving your health and wellbeing. I like to think of myself as trying to lead a health conscious life (again with the trying) but my down fall has to be when faced outside my “safe zone” of the eat clean perimeters of home, especially when dining outside with friends and family or at work. The task of knowing what you are eating and how much of your guided daily recommended allowance you are consuming can be a bit of a mine field especially when on the constant go.

The team at Graze have come up with a nifty solution to this; they have devised a clever little Graze Box which can be posted to your home or work address providing four punnets (pockets) of healthy snacks in a postable box (which can be easily posted through the letterbox without any hassle or awkward early morning looks from the postman towards my neon bright PJ’s). There is a wide range of snacks available (from savoury crackers, dried fruit, nuts and seeds, flapjacks, marinated olives) which you can rate and decide whether you want to be included in your box or not. There are various types of box plans you can opt for (whether a low calorie style box to an all-inclusive style box), which gives you total control and flexibility over what you consume and when you want it to be delivered (fortnightly, weekly, twice weekly).

Depending on your what type of Graze Box you choose there are various different snacks you can opt for, there is a ‘BIN’, ‘TRY’ and ‘LOVE’ button on your online account which enables you to be the regulator over what you want to be included in your personalised box…I like this genuine care that the team of Graze Box have given to its subscribers, it enables you to choose what you want according to your taste rather than a generic box shipped to all (variety to the taste buds is key) and it shows how the team at Graze are actually listening to what subscribers have to say/want.

Once I opened my Graze Box I also found a leaflet containing all the nutritional information of the four snacks I received alongside a sweet introductory booklet about the ethos behind the Graze Box. Overall I found the concept of a Graze Box quite useful for the modern person who is always on the go; the selling factor for me is the convenience of not having to worry about portion sizes and whether I am eating healthy…besides it makes a better (and dare I say it tastier) swap compared to junk which will not leave you feeling satisfied in the long run.

Graze Box costs just £3.89 for one box (which includes delivery). Grab you first and fifth Graze box for free by entering this code: CJFG16Z

What are your healthier snack swaps?

...ArA...