I Smell Fish-- An Afternoon by the Sea

So I had all intentions of getting up early and going to the Naitonal Library of Scotland to make copies. However, after getting up earlier than originally planed, I looked out of my window at a brilliant fall day. I would not consciously subject myself to being cooped up in the library around the corner. So instead I did something that I had wanted to do for awhile.

I took the number 22 bus a few miles away from the town center to Leith. Now it was an interesting journey when the bus drivers changed shift and I hear the new driver mention that he "had never driven a double decker before." (I was glad not to be sitting up top.) I watched as we drove away from Princes Street taking into account at all the different shops in my new surroundings. I got off by one of the roads that led to the legednary battle ship Brittania. Leith is the old port town that has somehow over time merged into Edinburgh. The architecture is the same, but different. I did not focus on any significantly historical attraction. I just wanted to walk by the water. My only street references were Leith Walk and Bernard Street.

Where the bus dropped me off, I had no clue where I was. After a detour through a residential area I found Bernard Street. It had some nice looking Seafod restuarants and shops. The things that surprised me was how quite it was at 4 in the afternoon. No tourists, just a little old lady standing guard at a cross walk waiting for children to get out of school and shop keepers cleaning their windows. I found a little bridge, canal, but that is not what I wanted. After walking awhile I finally asked directions. The end of the street was the ocean.

To get there I had to walk by modern apartment complexes, through construction sites, and of course up a hill. But I did make it to the North Sea. Let me tell you, it was worth it. The two pounds fifty for the bus there was the best I have spend since I got to the city. It was calm, the gulls were floating in the small wavelets, and there were boats out on the brilliant day. It is strange to realize that you can feel at home halfway across the world. I walked along the sea wall for awhile, noticing an old man in a park reading his novel. There were a few inns and pubs catering to their regulars and a father held his daughter's hand as they crossed the street. I was sad to leave the sea, but it was getting dark and I was trying a different bus back to Mylne's Court. I do not regret delaying my trip to the library one bit.