Fringe and Tattoo
We had a small reunion at the train station at 7:30 this morning. Many of the people I met on the West Highland Way were taking the same train down to Glasgow. Clive and I sat together and I learned much more about the young man. He is incredibly well traveled.
The first portion of the train ride into Glasgow was away from the trail, and the landscape was full of bogs. I was grateful our walking path did not include this section. About one-third down the way, the train began to run alongside much of the trail we had walked in previous days. Hikers waved to the train as we passed by. It was fun to pick out the hills we had climbed, and to see the hotel at the Bridge of Orchy and pass along the opposite shore of Loch Lomond.
Along the way, Judy shared with me that her ancestors were given title to Jersey by George the Fourth, as a reward for his family’s allegiance to the crown. That did not translate down to ownership for Judy and her family.
Changing trains in Glasgow couldn't have been more convenient. Everything ran on time and the connecting train was just on the other side of the platform. Judy and Andy and I all boarded the same car to take the 45-minute ride to Edinburgh.
It turned out we were staying at the same hotel as well. Signage in the train station made it simple to pick the right direction. After taking a series of four escalators, we were no more than a couple of hundred yards from the entrance to our hotel. It was just beyond the Sir Walter Scott memorial.
We arrived at 1:00 p.m. and check in was not until 3:00. We checked our bags and went out for a short walk and a beverage. The streets were filled with entertainers, part of the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Everything from people making balloon animals, to magic acts, and any number of musicians. Crowds gathered in large and small groups and would often toss coins to the performers.
After getting halfway through my beer, again, I walked up the stairs to the central area. One day I'll learn to only order half a pint at a time.
Crowds flowed up and down the streets and guided tours tried to keep their charges together. Within 50 yards I saw two separate Harry Potter tours. It's pretty easy to spot the people with capes and wands.
Every few steps I ran into people pushing hand bills in my direction. Some were more interesting than others. I actually purchased a ticket for one of the events tomorrow afternoon. That makes three already on my list.
I got back to the hotel, checked into my room, and finally got my shower and a nap. It turns out I have a balcony facing the street with a view of Edinburgh Castle, and the facility for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The weather couldn't be better. The slight chill in the evening is a refreshing change.
A quick dinner and a hot coffee get me ready for the Royal Tattoo, which was a full 90 minutes of spectacle. It opened dramatically with a countdown clock projected on Edinburgh Castle. Children in the crowd screamed out the last 10 seconds as they rolled off the clock. Punctually, at 9:30 p.m., what seemed like hundreds of bagpipers spilled onto the parade grounds.
As they entered, an RAF jet hit the afterburner overhead and wowed the crowd. There are only about a half dozen fly-bys scheduled for the month of performances. I was lucky to be in attendance for one of them. In my Air Force career I did a couple of fly-bys. I truly believe these screamed overhead at a lower altitude than I was ever allowed to fly.
Drill teams and bands and dancers performed with little interruption between the acts. Sound and lighting were at a professional level that would match any rock concert in the US. There was a huge variation, but the same spirit of celebration was on display among performers from Trinidad and Tobago, the Irish Guards, and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Dancers.
The show concluded with all the bands occupying the field at once and spooling up to a crescendo highlighted by a brief fireworks display.
As the last of the band members left the field, the stands began to empty and all 8,800 attendees began the slow shuffle out. The stadium seats are only erected for one month, and then disassembled to provide an unobstructed view of Edinburgh Castle.
It was midnight by the time I got back to my room. The city was quiet, as if recovering its strength for the next day. I felt the same way.