Today we were to visit Edinburgh. We lived here in 2008/2009 and know the city very well, so felt somewhat at a loose end what we would do today. It is also Edinburgh Festival time, making the city very busy with people, and also a million things to do if we feel so inclined.
When we lived in Edinburgh, the city was working on installing light rail (trams) running from Newhaven, Ocean Terminal and Leith all the way through the city via Princes Street and then out to the airport. The work was highly disruptive to traffice, especially buses, with our bus routes and bus stops constantly changing. So we wanted to ride the trams end-to-end to see the final outcome of all that we experienced.
Our ship came in the Firth of Forth to a gloomy morning. As as approached the Froth Bridge, we hoped to pass under, but we actually anchored just nearby. I guess we are just too big.
This meant we would be using tenders to get ashore, passing under the bridge and dropping us off at Hawes Pier at Queensferry.
Here we would see our ship parked in the Firth of Forth.
Lothian Buses put on special shuttle buses for us, a great deal where our ticket was good for all public transport all day, including trams! So we got on board and after a short wait had a 30 minute drive into the heart of Edinburgh in George Street.
We quickly learned that recently there was a fire in a historic building in Princes St, and it was requiring careful demolition and stabilistation, so an entire block of Princes Street was closed all all foot and vehicle traffic, including trams. The trams were only running between the airport and West End. Oh Edinburgh, some things never change!
We hopped a bus back in the direction we had just come from, to Stockbridge, a nice area with list of boutique shopping. Helen wanted to visit a stationery shop there. So far it was a pleasant sunny morning, and we were away from the tourist area, so it was a nice leasurely walk.
Next we hopped a bus to Ocean Terminal, taking us right by where we used to live, so we get to see the old neighbourhood.
Once at Ocean Terminal, we were able to catch a bus out to the airport. It took a route we were not familiar with, so we got to see something new.
When we reached the airport, we found the team terminal very easily, and jumped on board.
Once we got off the tram but rain started, so time to put a raincoat on. We walk along to Princes St, until finding the cause of the road closure.
I also since found some interesting news articles about this and the disruption caused to the trams and local businesses.
I also snapped a picture of Edinburgh Castle for old times sake.
We then walked the shops, along Rose Street, and George Street. Our feet were tired so we stopped at The Standing Order, a pub we used to visit, where we spent an hour having lunch and chatting with locals. Scottish people are so friendly.
We then walked some more, checking out a few shops, the only purchase being Helen bought some treats for workmates at M&S Food.
From here, Helen wanted to rest her feed, and I was keen to walk the remainder of Princes St, so we parted ways for an hour or so.
Since lunch, the rain had stopped and I was back to raincoat in bag. I noticed dark clouds roll in, and these turned into a sudden downpour. In the time it took to get my raincoat on, I was alrready wet, the there was instant surface flooding. People scrambled everywhere to get shelter, a challenge because the shops here to not have verandahs. Princes Street was suddenly a dark, gloomy and very wet place to be. I got very wet with water running down my neck, and rain pouring off my jacked soaking my trousers.
This weather event actually made the news!
I eventually reached end the of Princes St, and went into the St James Quarter, a shopping mall. This served three purposes - (1) no rain indoors (2) I could use escalators to bring me up a few floors to George Street level and (3) it had toilets which I badly needed.
Once out of St James Quarter, I walked through St Andrews Square, and along George Street. Here I met up with Helen along with a friend of ours called Hope who were were meeting for dinner. Hope moved here from New Zealand in October 2025 so it was nice to catch up, and for Hope it was nice to have some familiar company. We had Italian for dinner and it was lovely, very authentic.
After dinner we made our way back to the ship, catching our shuttle bus which coincidentally was nearby the restaurant.
Before boarding our tender, I snapped a photo of our ship all lit up.
Tomorrow is a sea day as we have a long way to go to Dover which will be our last stop before heading home.
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