Round Arthur's Seat and Duddingston

6月7日我们走了很长的路。我们沿着绕山腰的马路走，是一个挺轻松的路程。不过，途中，我们下山去看了一个小村庄和它的教堂，花园和湖泊。我曾经搭巴士带靖恒去过那里的。只是那时时间太赶，我们没有去到村庄。其实村庄很小，没设么好看的。我们到花园和湖泊走走， 靖恒还在花园里睡了一个小时。在游湖泊时他的手指被荨麻叶刺到，吵了许久。之后他就常吵着建明抱他。我们爬回山腰的路继续走，经过两个人工湖，在山脚下的那个湖就是我们常去的。这一天走了有六个小时吧，走到第二个湖泊就算走完整条绕着山腰的马路，可是想到还有一段路要走回家，脚就软。靖恒还想去游乐场！（当然，他睡醒后就吵着要抱，所以没有大人累吧。）





On 7 June we decided to walk to Duddingston Village. I had been there with Ethan but it was by bus. That time we didn't get to see the village itself. Jianming chose a new route via the mountain road. He thinks the road will lead us to the other side of Arthur's Seat, where Duddingston Village is. We later found that this road went all round Arthur's Seat, and was quite popular.
On the way we saw some women in summer dresses by a long limo. They saw Ethan and wanted him to take a look inside their car. Ethan stared within for quite some time. We later found out that it was the TV within the car that caught his attention.
We came across the path that led us downhill and right into Duddingston Village. The village itself is very small and uninteresting. It has a history as being one of the first settlements in this area, and is preserved as a heritage site thus. But despite the pretty cottages, it is mostly a residential area and has nothing much to offer the visitor. The garden is rather nice though. The last time Ethan and I came here, flowers were just beginning to bloom. They are now in full bloom and add much vibrancy to the garden. There is also another part of the garden that Jianming brought us to which we had missed the other time. There, Ethan had his one hour nap on Jianming's lap, overlooking the lake. Later, we went to Duddingston Loch for awhile before making the breathless climb up back to the road.
We continued down the road and passed by two other lakes - Dunsapie Loch and St Margaret's Loch. St Margaret's Loch at the bottom of the hill and the end of the road is the one we have been to many times. Now I finally know its name, and that it is not a natural loch, but both lakes were built for recreational purposes.
We had spent nearly 6 hours (or more) walking, and I was really exhausted. When I thought of the half hour uphill walk back to our flat, I felt like collapsing then and there. And Ethan still wanted to go to the playground! Of course, I must add that he asked to be carried more often after he woke up (perhaps due to being nettled by the nettle - there is a photo of him in agony by the Duddingston Loch, holding onto his finger), and hence was probably more charged up than either Jianming or me.