Visit to Edinburgh and Catch up with Veronica and Tom Burns, Lunch at the New Club.
Visit to Edinburgh , Scotland and Catch Up with Tom and Veronica Burns - Lunch at the New Club.
We awoke to a morning that was slightly overcast after the last several hours of sailing also involved a period or rolling and some movement. We enjoyed breakfast in the Grand dining room and were excited as we are catching up with our dear friends Tom and Veronica burns who are traveling into Edinburgh to meet us from their home in Auchterarder, about 70 km from the city centre.
At about 10.45am we departed Sirena and we were to cash the light rail tram from the port at the near by shopplng Centre into central Glasgow and depart the vehicle just one stop passed the Scott Memorial . The first challenge was to use the ticket machine but wth some neighourly support this proved an easy task. The second was to ask for assistance in determining which way the tram car was travelling. this also worked out well, we took our eats had our tickets clipped by the tram condiuctor and enjoyed the trip in comfort. This is our first trip using the light ril which has been a work of infrastructure promised for over 10 years. But we found it to be an ideal way of traveling into the city without the hassle of parking hassles. We caught a tram just after 11.00am and expected to arrive at 11.35am or thereabouts.
It is a 35-40 minute trip. We alight the Tram and we are directly opposite the New Club. We then hear a strong scottish accent calling our names and sure enough Veronica and Tom had taken a tram from the opposite direction and we arrived at the same time. Tom was calling us! We were immediately excited as we stopped to talk before we manage our way from the central platform across to the rather bland and uninviting entrance to the New Club. Tom does have reciprocal rights here from his Caledonian Club in London.
We access through a entrance which is non descript and we immediately catch the lift to the second floor, we then proceed to have a cold drink ( jin and tonic ) for the men and a soft drink for the ladies and we sit in the lounge area overlooking the park and across to the Edinburgh Castle. The grandstands remain in place as the Summer Concerts and Festival contnue apace with record crowds. We commented that we enjoyed the spectacle some 35 years ago.
This is a time for enjoying and celebrating our relationship and friendship from the Clydesdale times and Tom and Ken worked together and we were alo fortunate to continue the association whilst they came to Melbourne,and lived in Australia for a couple of years. Our families have grown together , ours older but we have maintained a strong association.
Tom is now also retired and like us they are making travel and life as enjoyable as possible. He also has a new Porsche sport car and loves the driving in Scotland. Tomn plays gold at Glen Eagles, (simply Superb) and at St Andrews. A good golfer and great company. Jeanette and Veronica also spend time talking the boys and their work , updating re our family and grand children. We discuss Millie their beautiful labrador.
They like us, enjoy cruising with Silver SEas and also spend some time 3-4 weeks per year in Portugal. They used to travel to Spain for the warmth and sunshine, but have now accepted the quieter lifestyle and lovely resorts of the Algarve and Portugal West Coast.
We are served a superb 3 course lunch in the formal Dining room of the NEw Club. This is “Old worldly in nature” but with friendly staff and superb fittings still represents a fitting up market dining experience. After we spend almost 2 hours dining Tom suggests that we go upstairs to the Verandah area, with drinks in hand to take in the sights of Edinburgh and in particular the main street, the Stunning castle and the busy shopping precinct. We take photos, enjoy the company an confirm we have enjoyed a special afternoon. Tom meets the cost of luncheon, most generously and graciously. It has been simply wonderful to relax and spend time with Tom and Veronica and highlight the thigs we have done together over the many years of our foriendship.
The time has come to leave the building. We linger out the front then cross to the centre platform area and them await our trams. We say goodbye, then wit for our repective trams as theirs arrives quite quickly. We board and take ours back to the ship with a larger crowd of people.
Simply a stunning day. The ship is a pleasant sight as we come around the corner from the tram stop and passed the shopping centre.
We are back on board Sirena after passing through port security at 4.15pm. We are scheduled to depart the port of Leith at 6.00pm with last guests arriving back at 5.30pm.
It has been a spectacular day in every way. We go to the Members Bar at 5.45pm for a drink , celebrate our time in Leith and then Edinburgh.Sirena departs at 6.10pm.
After dinner tonight in the dining room we have our final Sea day with a range of activities.
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