Identity Crises

     We do not usually take guided tours or transportation but who can resist a deal? As always John had researched places to visit and things to see. He groups things together on the daily itinerary geographically so we don't waste time zigzagging a city. All we needed was a detailed walking map. We went to the Edinburgh Visitors Center to get one and naturally we were bombarded with visual advertisements for this “midnight walking ghost tour” or that “secrets of the city” bus ride. Every city, it seems, has ghosts and secrets. Anyway as we waited for our turn at the counter we noticed a combination ticket for the Castle, Holyrood Palace, the Royal Yacht Britannia and a three day hop on hop off bus pass. All of these things were on our itinerary except the bus but if someone is going to include it for free then ok. Especially since one of the stops was near our flat in Leith. It was a deal too good to miss even if it meant appearing like -tourists.

     I know that sounds funny since we are traveling around to so many places but I am talking about TOURISTS; people who visit another country or place and complain because it is not like home. They stay in large groups and block the doorway or walkway for other people. They are usually loud, pushy and more concerned about getting back to the hotel for lunch since it was part of the travel package they bought. Some tourists are so busy filming or taking selfies that they don't actually see anything. Invariably, if there is a shop within a hundred yards it will be filled with tourists buying the most ridiculous of things as gifts or mementos. There are those tourists so afraid of being robbed that getting to a wallet is like breaking into Fort Knox..And they always travel in buses.

     But here we were “hopping on” to a double decker open air bus with many tourists. We were given headphones to hear the narration as we drove past significant places in and around Edinburgh. It was awesome. Not only did we get a great view of the city from the top deck, but we were also able to get a feel for the size of the city and what was or wasn't walkable. The narration included some great background information about the city as well as some of the famous and infamous citizens both past and present. With four different lines we were able to traverse the city with ease, at least for three days. It is definitely a good choice when visiting a city for the first time. Now where is the shop with the bagpipe magnets?