Lost in the wonders of Edinburgh - literally

• Despite an early start, after driving 20 minutes from Stirling nearly to Edinburgh, we realized we'd left some laundry in a plastic bag back in our motel room when we checked out, so had to backtrack. However the weather was lovely and Britain's classical FM helped the miles fly by
• Edinburgh Castle proved very accessibility-friendly: I was able to book a disabilty parking spot up on the 'esplanade' ahead of time by phone; the courtesy car drove us right up to the top, through a tunnel blasted out of the castle rock 20 years ago; and a 'lift' enabled us to jump into the queue waiting to see the crown jewels
• We enjoyed very much a 'live history' presentation by a musketeer
• However while I was visiting the John Knox museum, having left a tired Yvonne at the car to eat some ice cream, she wandered off in search of an additional snack. An hour and a half later, thankfully, the local constabulary and ambulance managed to reunite us. When she'd become disoriented, some helpful young people hailed a policeman who called in to headquarters and connected with my 'missing person' notification
• Compounding our chagrin was my involuntary purchase of a $60 ticket to a restricted-parking zone (however it's actually a bargain - half-price of the original $120 it would be if I didn't pay in 14 days!
• Must note all the Edinburghians involved in the episode were most friendly and helpful - including the dress- shopkeeper who let me use her phone, and pub owner whose closed-circuit TV camera caught the time at which Yvonne left the vehicle (not to mention the police / ambulance personnel)
• At the end of the day... must say... the crown jewels pale by comparison with getting my wife back! :)

[click for PHOTOS]
[click for video pan from top of Edinburgh Castle]
[click for video history presentation by musketeer at Edinburgh Castle]