St James NonRestaurant

Mike's Post:

If you enjoy a strong sense of history, you must visit Scotland. The high cost of everything is balanced by the tremendously friendly nature of the people.There is one unfortunate thing to be said for a visit to Scotland--you can't suspend your body's need for food.I found no pleasure in dining in Bobby Burns's land. Karen and I determined to have a good meal on our last evening in Edinburgh, so we studied the Sheraton-supplied brochure describing at least 50 dining establishments with words and color pictures of the ambiance.We settled on the St. James Oyster Bar at the foot of Princess Street off Lister Road. The brochure's description glowed with warmth.

Our cab driver needed a little help from us in finding it, which should have been our first clue that something was wrong. When we walked in and the waitress saw these two nicely dressed middle-aged people, she was as dumb struck as we were. The appointments were too decrepit to believe. This place might have served as the dining hall for the lowliest soldiers who lost the last siege of Edinburgh Castle. And no one had cleaned or refurbished it since.

We beat a hasty retreat, as much to the relief of the waitress (who explained that the "live band" would have been loud if they had shown up) and her six lippy customers.

That is how we got to see Edinburgh Castle at night.We walked two miles up Princess Street past Waverly Bridge to Rutland Number 1 where we had the normal unappetizing fare, but with reasonable hope of its having been prepared under sanitary conditions.

By Karen:

We walked through the door of the St. James Oyster Bar, hit the brakes. Eeeew. Did the Department of Health know about  this place? Rats and cockroaches must have trampled each other to death trying to get out of here, I wouldn't so much as suck on a lollipop in here.

Walking the two miles in high heels to a better restaurant seemed a small price for me to pay just to get out of there. .As Mike said, that is how we came to view the Castle by night. It is an imposing sight, towering over the city, bathed in lights. It sits high on a huge volcanic rock formation, dripping with history and ancient atmosphere. Earlier in the day, I had visited the room where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to King James VI of Scotland (James I of England). It was a tiny room with barely room for her to lie down, much less to spread her legs and give birth. No wonder the Scots are proud of their history.