Tuesday 16 June

We go and see the hotel management because 1. the shower head is broken so water just runs straight down and 2. all night, every second there is a motor going thump, thump, thump, thump …. (2 thumps a second). It turns out we are beside their beer cellar. We are offered a new room, accept and go back to pack. When we ring reception for help to move we are told the room won’t be available until current guests move out and it is cleaned. But we have to go on our day’s activities and Tina has undies hanging up. The hotel offers to move these but TINA SAYS NO!!!! There is no way Tina is going to let that happen! So we stay in our room. The shower is fixed by the time we get back. Interestingly, to fix the shower head the repair man would have had to go into the bath where Tina had her undies hanging!!!!!!!!!

We start with an excellent bus tour of Edinburgh to get orientated (well, some of us do – keep reading) with a great guide and good photo stops. The tour includes Edinburgh Castle and ends at the top of the Castle. We are now free for the rest of the day. Tina leaves with others to go on an optional tour of Britannia. She loved the tour and managed to help ring a fire alarm when two women pressed a button thinking they were ringing for a cup of tea … and then she commits the greatest sin – being late for the bus.

Meanwhile I am exploring Edinburgh Castle in depth.

I then go to the grave of the wee dog, Greyfriars Bobby. Goodness knows how many times I read the story and I have saw the movie as a wee lad.

I then go to The Last Drop pub for lunch. The Last Drop is where criminals were hung (the last drop!). They have haggis on the menu with tatties (potatoes) and neeps (turnips) which I pass on but I do have a hot whisky toddy (cloves, lemon, cinnamon) as it is raining heavily and is cold.

I now make an error. I decide to be nice (that’s the error!) and try to meet up with Tina. There are things I want to do and we have decided to go our separate ways but, to repeat, I am a nice, devoted husband. BIG MISTAKE.

Tina says she is on her way. I wait and wait. An hour goes by (remember I want to do things). More texts. We decide to meet on the George IV bridge. I go there and I wait and wait. Another half hour goes by. Tina cannot find George IV bridge. A local tells me to get a new wife!!!

Finally, contact is made and the plans to see Hollyrood are gone. Walk the Royal Mile, take photos of the area.

We go to the optional dinner. Lovely walk around the gardens. Go to the school that is Hogworts in the Potter movies.

Meal average although desert was very pretty and delicious. Cranachan. Imagine a cup cake but instead of a paper cup the shells is hard chocolate. Inside is a beautiful moose, raspberries and whisky.