Edinburgh walkabout...

While I plan the 2nd post for my recent jaunting around, I'll give you a taste of what the city streets were like in Edinburgh last Saturday. Enjoy! 

I'm no photographer but taking the following pictures meant waiting till the pedestrian traffic eased and a 'space' appeared. (all photographs my own)

Entering Princes Street from South Charlotte St., the Edinburgh International Book Festival having been at Charlotte Square, you are almost faced with this fabulous building of St. John's Church. 
Click to see interior HERE 

St. John's Church

 

 

typical Edinburgh bus

 

 

 

Edinburgh Castle and walled fortifications

Walking eastwards along Princes Street takes you past the castle, the venerable walled fortifications easily seen here. The tram tracks on the street, however, are new- the recent tram system only having started its operations in 2014 after long delays and at huge cost. Read about the problems incurred while building the system HERE. 

The castle from a different angle further east on Princes Street.

approaching The Royal Scottish Academy 

I fancied a ride on the tram but didn't have time to go to its end terminus and then turn back. I also fancied having a ride on the ferris wheel, but when I saw how slowly each car was moving, I decided that a ride to the top would need to be on another day since I couldn't afford to miss my bus back to Aberdeen!

Walking further east takes you to the fabulous Scott Monument. The Wikipedia version is only one of many with details about the building of this accolade to poet, Sir Walter Scott. HERE

Having left Princes Street, I headed for the St. Andrew's Bus station via St .Andrew's Square which has been turned into a 'Festival' beer garden. The throngs here showed its popularity.

I didn't catch at tram but I did take a nearly unencumbered photograph of one.

Slainthe!