On my first day after I checked into the hotel I decided to take a walk into the main city center which was literally 2 minutes away. After a morning flight I was desperate for a good cup of tea so after hunting via Twitter I located a wonderful tea shop called Eteaket, now just so you know I am a huge fan of tea shops if I find one I will often want to pop in to have a nosy! When I arrived at Eteakets it was clear I was going to be upset when I left, knowing that there wasn't one in the Midlands.The tea room looked very cute and modern from the outside with the inside being very similar. With flashes of fuschia pinks and jade greens against the white walls made it uber chic! I was greeted immediately by friendly members of staff and a lovely manager who showed me to the seats. I decided I'd opt for their sofa and as I relaxed I felt envious of the furniture and decorations... they were exactly what I'd love in my own home!
The menu was really long with a bundle of teas and varieties available, (afterall they are tea leaf experts) I won't lie it took me a good 15 minutes to decide what to pick. In the end I went for an April Shower, usually I'd of chosen something with a camomile base but I do feel it's good to try something new sometimes. 
The tea arrived in a little pot, vintage cup and saucer and a timer for when to remove the tea leaves. I also had a little smarties cupcake... which I had promised myself no cakes but my goodness there was so many to chose from and all were homemade... I wanted them all!
I always find tea roomsget really busy making the experience more stressful than tranquil, but this was both busy and relaxing at the same time. I quite happily enjoyed my cup of tea whilst catching up on this months Vogue. 
You can actually purchase Eteakets own brand of tea which I will be reviewing soon as have now got a batch! I decided this week to cut back on coffee and hit the fruity interesting teas instead, so this has come at a very good time... watch this space!
After a needed tea stop I decided it'd be rude not to venture about the shops... luckily they are all very close together with plenty tucked away for you to discover as you continue to explore the city of Edinburgh.
After I'd done a spot of shopping I had got myself booked onto a historical journey at The Real Mary King's Close. If you're wondering what the devil I'm talking about, Mary King's Close basically takes visitors on a journey to the old streets underground from the 1600's. Once into the venue you are greeted by classically uniformed members of friendly staff, then soon would be be escorted down to the close. Being completely honest I hadn't much knowledge of what was going to happen once we started but we had our host called Agnes (who was a maid) to lead us through.
Agnes was in character the entire time telling us all about her extra large family and where they lived, she then guided us through the various rooms showing us the people who had lived there (including mysterious ghost Annie) and what had become of them. 
I was really surprised how interesting it was to hear all about the history but instead of being like a boring lesson at school, the interactive guide and the way it was told made you want to hear more. It was horrible histories without being a childrens book but just as exciting. 
We finally got to go along the close and see how little living space people once head.... you could actually have your photo taken whilst here. It is a crazy concept to think streets that witnessed so much history are now underground but it is an absolutely fascinating tour. 
That's me on Mary King's Close! After visiting I went to the The Edinburgh Dungeons in order to indulge in more history, but with that is basically a children's attraction (well sort of with all the reference to murder and gory details). Whilst there I simply felt even though you had interactive characters they weren't as 'real' as those at Mary King's Close, plus any actual history was glazed over with their need to scare those visiting... their main intention! 
Personally I think Mary King's Close is a fantastic balance of history and fun, so if you're chosing between the two and don't like being singled out (like you do at the Dungeons) then if you're visiting Edinburgh you must stop off here. Are you visiting Edinburgh soon?
xoxo
