EDINBURGH DAY 1

Ahhhhh, as the squeaky strains of Scotland The Brave fades into the background we are greeted by the chilly early morning fog of Scotland’s capital Edinburgh [pronounced “Ed en burrra” not ‘Ed In burg’ – thus Pittsburgh, Pa should be pronounced “Pittsburrra” or so says one of our guides during our stay here].

Since the port of Newhaven is too shallow for the ship, we must anchor out in the middle of the Firth of Forth and tender to the dock.  This will be either a 25 minute or 45 minute ride, depending on the calmness of the sea.

They hand out numbered tender passes in the lounge and call you to the tender by number to control the timing and number of passengers to keep the gangway area from overcrowding. Excursions have priority boarding, then by number.

So, Chucky hustles down to the lounge and grabs a handful of tickets for We4 and whoever of TE10 they meet and then finds out that since D&L are D+ they too have priority so he has 6 tickets for nada, oh welllll. 

After a hurried breakfast We4 head to the tender for a slooooowwwww, rocky ride to the dock where we encounter the delightful Sarah of Majestic Tours who gladly sells us tickets for the HoHo bus, hands us a map of the routes and directs us to the bus stop where we find prime seats on the top for the 20 minute ride into downtown Edinburrrra. 

Spotting a stop we want to get off at, Chucky pushes the stop button, only to be told by the driver, that she can’t stop there, it’s gotta be up and around the corner and down the block… a hike from where they want to be.  So we wait and exit the bus at Waverly Bridge, where we will catch the last return bus by 4:30PM.

Time to stroll and shop along Cockburn street as it winds around and up to the Royal Mile a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town, with an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, pubs and visitor attractions. 

A stop in a delightful little shop nets a Royal Stewart Sash and Tam O’Shanter cap for Chucky’s God-Daughter.  And since it’s quite nippy with the wind along the narrow street, he promptly borrows the sash to protect his frozen neck. 

More shopping and strolling along the mile and Lenny is asking shopkeepers where “the Best haggis” is [not that anyone else wants anything to do with it]. After trudging all the way up to the Edinburgh castle, but not going in – that’s tomorrow’s excursion - it was time to find Princess street where we were told that the buys were cheaper there than the tourist traps on the Mile.

Down the steep and winding Ramsay Lane, to The Mound place, then up the Mound [that’s a street, not a real mound] past the Scottish National Gallery and the Royal Scottish Academy to Princess street.

Where… all we find are big box brand stores, nothing “quaint”. 

All this walking causes hunger to set in and a shopkeeper directs us to Rose Street where all the best pubs and restaurants are.

We4 then walk the length of Rose street looking at each and every menu for “The Best Haggis” – not that its gonna say “The Best Haggis” – and finally settle on the Rose Street Brewery, where the jovial waiter assured Lenny that they DO in fact have “The Best Haggis” and all is well in his world, as he orders a Haggis, Neeps and Tatties starter [neeps = Rutabaga – Tatties = Mashed potatoes].  

The Pub Grub is delightful, with the ladies sharing a baked beef and pudding pie [they have no idea what’s in it but its good., Lenny polishes off a roast half chicken and Chucky devours a crispy fish & chips, downed with a tasty house craft brew that, as it warms, has a grapefruity finish.

Time to stroll and shop some more as they wander back to Waverly bridge for the HoHo bus back to Newhaven.

Once back at the pier Lenny and Chucky head off to find more bottled water and a lovely Fishmonger directs them up the block and around the corner to the local Supermarket.  

The ladies take refuge from the cold wind in the pub at the end of the pier till Da Boyz return, only to later stand in an even stiffer, cold wind to wait on line for the next tender back to the boat.

With the wind at 15-20mph the sea was very choppy making for a very slow and very rocky ride back to the ship with the waves splashing into the gangway.

Once happily back onboard the ship, a quick refresh in the warm cabins and it was time to meet TE10 for cocktails and then dinner.

We'll deal with dinner and what followed in a brief starter in the next post.

Ciao 4 Now

Uncle Chuck & The chilled to the bone,

Dragon Lady