September 1 – The crew threw together a quick breakfast then caught a double decker bus to the dock hosting the Royal Yacht Britannia. This was one of those sites I probably would have overlooked completely were it not for my travel companions.
I guess I was expecting it to be over the top luxurious like the palaces I’ve visited but that was not the case. I suppose gold plated everything would make sailing difficult. Besides, they aren’t as flamboyant as the French, right? It was very tastefully appointed and comfortable feeling.
We took our time touring each different level and even stopped at the fudge shop in the hallway. On our way out we stopped at the gift shop and picked up a few trinkets.
Since we were essentially at a mall we browsed through a few of the Scottish tourist themed shops and got some lunch. Bellies and bags full we made our way back to the bus which shuttled us over to Princes street.
Jennifer and I had our sights set on Edinburgh Castle while Mary and Aeris opted to check out Camera Obscura & World of Illusions. Admittedly I was torn. Both options sounded pretty amazing in their own way.
In our typical fashion Jennifer went in together then toured on our own, occasionally crossing paths along the way. It is a spectacular walled fortress with unbelievable view of the city skyline.
I wrapped up my castle visit and headed back to the World of Illusions to check for the girls. No one was waiting so I wandered down the Royal Mile a little ways. I found this guy playing the bagpipes and posing for photos. Farther along I found cathedrals, tourists, and gelato!
The group reassembled we made our way down the hill to find the bus. We had a little trouble finding the right one to get us near the rental but we eventually figured it out. Once back to the flat we washed up a bit then walked to a nearby restaurant. The place was packed and it was a bit too cold for us to sit outside for our meal. Fortunately folks with a reservation were late and their table was given to us instead. Score!
Mary and Aeris were leaving on an early train the next morning so we spent a little time hanging out and said our last goodbyes before calling it a night.
Mels Random Ramblings 