The Athens of the North

THE ATHENS OF THE NORTH

THE NATIONAL MONUMENT
Edinburgh, Scotland
Built: 1822-29
Architect: C.R. Cockerel and William H. Playfair

The National Monument commemorates the Scottish soldiers who died during the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815.

By the late 18th century Edinburgh was enjoying a remarkable reputation as a city of intellectual brilliance and beautiful architecture.  Many new public buildings were built at great expense in the Greek neo-classical style. The National Monument, based on the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, kept up the tradition, but when fund ran out in 1829 work ground to a halt and the monument was never completed.

The buildings in Calton Hill were instrumental in gaining the city the title of “The Athens of the North”.

(just for comparison:  Parthenon, the Acropolis, Athens, Greece)

 

(all photos from Calton Hill)

Statue Pétrifié 1: Crocodile Dundee?

Petrified?  Croc statue at the Taronga Zoo, Australia

Pimp My Ride III (Bonding Bondi)

Australia's Bondi Beach famous for its locals and foreign tourists alike specially in summer, of course.  Once a location for TV series, BONDI.  Visit this place and expect a movie star sightings! 

Bondi Beach, NSW, Australia

Travel Quote Of The Day #1

“When you travel, lay down all your clothes and your money, then half the clothes and double the money”.

CHOCOLATE HILLS, Bohol, Philippines

SCOTLAND: My Scottish Adventure

Visiting Scotland was a relaxing retreat as there were a lot of attractions at stake just before you reach its capital city, the Edinburgh. The beauty of the countryside's scenery, along the way on a Virgin Train, offers good view of the hilly landscape of Scotland. The sheep grazing on a grassy land added with shallow rivers running under a footbridge gives me thrills all alone. I suddenly felt immersed in nature.

Upon reaching Edinburgh, through the Waverley Station, you can find magnificent views of the city boasting with a lot of many wonders that makes this city really worth a trip for sight seeing. From their gigantic monuments to castles that once enveloped with many sweets and scary histories made Edinburgh a place to return back to times as every corner has its own story to tell about the past.

Today, Edinburgh is one of the vibrant cities in the United Kingdom, I should say; I am trying to visit as many cities as possible and tell you later which one is on top of my list. Let’s see which will topple the City of London in terms of beauty of the place and hospitality (Hospitality that is… is still in question!) of its people!