Queensferry - October 7, 2008

Today would be the last time QE2 would ply the waters and enter a port in Scotland.  We anchored off the Forth Bridge in mid morning in overcast and drizzly conditions.  I had scheduled a simple shore excursion " Edinburgh On Your Own" today which would have us taking a Cunard chartered motor coach from the pier below the Forth bridge into Edinburgh, dropping us off at Charlotte Square for the good part of the day, letting us explore and shop in Edinburgh, then returning us back to the pier in the afternoon.

It was a good thing that we had already visited the new Parliment Building and the beginining of our epic trip to the UK and gotten excellent photographs in the sun because today turned out to be almost a complete washout. 

Despite the weather, my plan for today was to first visit Edinburgh Castle and then visit the various shops along the main street before heading back to the motor coach and then the ship.  We can prepared with our mini umbrellas that tucked into my travel bag when not in use.  With umbrellas furled and us fighting a breeze that threatened to bend them beyond repair at every gust, we headed for the castle.  It wasn't raining partiularily hard, but it was a definite nuisance to using the camera without getting rain on the lense.

Edinburgh Castle, which would be our second castle of the UK visited so far, is a sprawling assembly of buildings, built throughout the history of Edinburgh, on top of a plateau overlooking the city center.  You could easily spend a complete day here visiting all aspects of the castle.  We only had several hours in less that perfect conditions to view it all.  Compounding this, today Ryan was completely drained and the pace of the entire vacation and lack of sleep finally caught up to him.  Not getting to bed til after 2:00AM probably has alot to do with his lack of energy today as well. 

For lunch, we grabbed a bite to eat at the gift shop, where there was a small cafeteria style restaurant with views overlooking Edinburgh Center. 

Heading back to the bus drop off, we stopped at a few shops that we had previously checked out on the way up to the castle. 

More later.......