Edinburgh - a conveniently located hotel

Edinburgh is close enough to here that we don't do any of the tourist things... don't venture into town that often either.

Things to see:

Edinburgh Castle - the most popular fee-charged visitor attraction in Scotland by some considerable margin, they can't all be wrong, can they?

Mary King's Close - a tour in the subterranean world of the Old Town where the poor lived and died (and when plague struck they just bricked up the closes)

There are a number of guided walks - the Rebus one is a good one, and if you're particularly lucky, Ian Rankin might show up - he does do that from time-to-time.

The Scottish Seabird Centre - just a short train ride away at North Berwick (about £8 return)

Trip on the Forth out to the islands (departs from under the Forth Bridge at South Queensferry - not been on it for about 25 years, so no idea on when it goes or what it costs).

Rosslyn Chapel - it's get-attable (by bus - Lothian route 15 - it's in Roslin confusingly) and you've read Dan Brown's Davinci code so really you ought to go, probably.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.edinburgh.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.edinburgh.org/</a><!-- m --> is the official visitor portal for Edinburgh & the Lothians.

Tip/Watchout: Lothian Buses (ie. most of the buses in Edinburgh) do not give change under any circumstances, so if you jump on and only have a £20 note, your £1.20 (at least it was £1.20 last time I jumped on one) fare will cost you £20). The fares are flat fare and a day pass is about £3. Also all Lothian Bus drivers are miserable bastards and may pretend not to understand your non-Edinburgh accent. You can also be a complete numpty and buy a 20-journey carnet with a massive discount of 0%, not sure why anyone would want to pre-pay Lothian Buses though.

Conversation starter: Mention to as many people as you like, especially shopkeepers on Leith Walk how much you love trams and can't wait for the number 22 bus to be replaced by a tram.

EDIT - Totally forgot about the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of Scotland, HMY Britannia (it has a bell on it I'm sure) - and of course the shed-like structure that is the Scottish Parliament.
 
Been in every high-end fashion/culture/travel mag recently:

Supposed to be the dogs b******s
They, like many places, have various 'offers' on at the mo.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.hotelmissoni.com/#/0;0/hotel_missoni_edinburgh" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.hotelmissoni.com/#/0;0/hotel ... _edinburgh</a><!-- m -->
 
That website infuriates me on so many levels. Inordinately long to load up, progress bars that get to the end and then go back to the beginning and start again (this in itself is jailworthy), music that I don't want without an obvious "off" button, slightest movement of the cursor causing other bits of the window to move and new things appear.... grrrrr. Someone needs to go on a Human Interface Design course.

Am I being grumpy?
 
Wooops. Sorry. I don't have speakers at the mo so had no idea what music they play. And yep, too many progress bars. But it does look pretty swish (thought I'd try a new word).

That bloody hotel is in like every mag I read. Finally, I thought I'd be able to put my knowledge of it to some use!

After my honeymoon, I realised that from now on, a nice, safe place is all that's important. Majority of the time will be spent outside anyway.
 
hunnymonster said:
Edinburgh is close enough to here that we don't do any of the tourist things... don't venture into town that often either.

Things to see:

Edinburgh Castle - the most popular fee-charged visitor attraction in Scotland by some considerable margin, they can't all be wrong, can they?

Mary King's Close - a tour in the subterranean world of the Old Town where the poor lived and died (and when plague struck they just bricked up the closes)

There are a number of guided walks - the Rebus one is a good one, and if you're particularly lucky, Ian Rankin might show up - he does do that from time-to-time.

The Scottish Seabird Centre - just a short train ride away at North Berwick (about £8 return)

Trip on the Forth out to the islands (departs from under the Forth Bridge at South Queensferry - not been on it for about 25 years, so no idea on when it goes or what it costs).

Rosslyn Chapel - it's get-attable (by bus - Lothian route 15 - it's in Roslin confusingly) and you've read Dan Brown's Davinci code so really you ought to go, probably.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.edinburgh.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.edinburgh.org/</a><!-- m --> is the official visitor portal for Edinburgh & the Lothians.

Tip/Watchout: Lothian Buses (ie. most of the buses in Edinburgh) do not give change under any circumstances, so if you jump on and only have a £20 note, your £1.20 (at least it was £1.20 last time I jumped on one) fare will cost you £20). The fares are flat fare and a day pass is about £3. Also all Lothian Bus drivers are miserable bastards and may pretend not to understand your non-Edinburgh accent. You can also be a complete numpty and buy a 20-journey carnet with a massive discount of 0%, not sure why anyone would want to pre-pay Lothian Buses though.

Conversation starter: Mention to as many people as you like, especially shopkeepers on Leith Walk how much you love trams and can't wait for the number 22 bus to be replaced by a tram.

EDIT - Totally forgot about the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of Scotland, HMY Britannia (it has a bell on it I'm sure) - and of course the shed-like structure that is the Scottish Parliament.
Click to expand...

Remember to tell the shopkeepers that you're from TIE when you nip in - best bet is to go into ARKAY Imaging down the bottom of Leith Walk and tell that to Mr Rudland. He'll welcome you warmly :D

If you're into whisky then you could pay the Scottish Malt Whisky Society in Giles Street in Leith a visit when you're on the way to the Royal Yacht Britannia. Alternatively, I could buy you a pint in one of the fine establishments along the Shore - we could have a TSR Edinburgh meetup ;-)
 
Just remembered this, thanks HM

"Tip/Watchout: Lothian Buses (ie. most of the buses in Edinburgh) do not give change under any circumstances, so if you jump on and only have a £20 note, your £1.20 (at least it was £1.20 last time I jumped on one) fare will cost you £20). The fares are flat fare and a day pass is about £3. Also all Lothian Bus drivers are miserable bastards and may pretend not to understand your non-Edinburgh accent. You can also be a complete numpty and buy a 20-journey carnet with a massive discount of 0%, not sure why anyone would want to pre-pay Lothian Buses though."

But can visiting OAPs do any better?
 
Fido said:
Mr & Mrs F will soon be heading north - 1 June.


How does a visiting OAP get free bus travel in Edinburgh?
Click to expand...


Try flashing your regular pass - or indeed calling Lothian Buses and ask... Although reading the official site at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/PublicTransport/BusAndCoachTravel/DG_10036264" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... G_10036264</a><!-- m --> - it does rather look like the negotiations in 2007 fell through and there are no reciprocal arrangements between England, Scotland & Wales like there are between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
 
Thanks - it's all here:


<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://lothianbuses.com/fares-a-tickets/day-time.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://lothianbuses.com/fares-a-tickets/day-time.html</a><!-- m -->


I'll remember to take lots of change and pay my dues.
 
Fido said:
Just remembered this, thanks HM

Also all Lothian Bus drivers are miserable bastards and may pretend not to understand your non-Edinburgh accent.
Click to expand...


Now thats not a very nice thing to say Peter :shock: :D . I was an Edinburgh bus driver for two years when I returned from Oz,,a long long time ago to the parental home.
It was the only job that paid me enough money, with overtime, at the time.
I must admit that I did have a lot of fun at the tourists' expense but I was never miserable.
life's to short for that.
Has to be said though its a pretty thankless job at the best of times so its little surprise that they can look miserable at times.

For lagaffe's interest my haunt in those days was the Cramond Inn down on the forsehore,,,, next to the Dunfermline College of Physical Education halls,,,,all-girls college,,,,AAAAh happy days. :D

regards, beejay
 
I've been using LRT for over 20 years, and I've had quite a few cheery, helpful drivers in my time. Mind you, with the abuse they get from passengers & the atrocious must-get-by-the-bus driving they put up with daily, I'm not surprised they can be less than happy at times!

On the positive side, they're knights of the road when it comes to their driving behaviour around cyclists. Polite, careful and respectful - they get the thumbs up from me!
 
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