EDI

The Edinburgh city center is where the train station is, surrounded by a big green park that has businesses galore around it. During August, it gets very crowded and busy with activities for the Fringe festival and its various arts performances all over the city. It's well worth a visit during this time.

Quick Tips:

The Edinburgh Scottish Tourist Board screens and rates accommodations and will book your next destination's accommodation for a small fee. It's all quite proper. Resources: MD Travel Health

Best Way To Get Around:

The bus is a good way to go--step on board, pay for a day-pass ticket after 9:30am, and use the ticket up until the night bus runs. You'll have to pay again to ride at night.

Kenneth Mackenzie Suite, a 15-minute walk from Princess Street and Waverly Station booked through Hotels.com, was the second-least expensive place and centrally located in town. The housing is more geared for visiting university personnel or students. The least expensive place looked like it may be out of the town. Everything else on Hotels.com was over a $100 a night. The rates include a full Scottish breakfast, two-doors down to your right as you exit the premises, served from 7:30-9:30am. The breakfast may be purchased alone for £5.80. The front entrance is unstaffed 11pm-7am. Your room key allows access to the front-entry door. If checking-in after 11pm, go next-door to obtain your room key. This is a smoke-free residence hall with extra room capacity offered through Hotels.com. Very limited parking is available nearby. We found out that the check-out time is 9:30am, posted outside of each room. There is no elevator. Complimentary instant coffee, tea, and hot chocolate is provided, along with an electric hot water kettle in the room. A small TV with remote is in the room. A phone is in the room for free calls to inter-campus, 5 digit numbers, if you wish to use the phone for something else you are required to buy their pre-paid card for £5. You’re better-off using a pay phone or your mobile phone.

The room itself is quite small but adequate, the bed is firm and has two pillows per person for head support. The shower area is integrated into the bathroom without a stall. Use of the sink water and the shower at the same time will drastically alter the water temperature. There were signs of mildew we noticed where the shower curtain is attached to the ceiling. Liquid shampoo and soap were provided. The shower head was near the top of the ceiling and not adjustable; taking a shower made your whole body wet, including your head, as the angle of the shower is almost straight down. The sink controls are a bit hard to turn on and off. The room heater power must stay on to work, as it charges its power cells during the day and dissipates heat during the night. The power was turned off and wasn’t noticed till the morning when we wanted some heat in the room. The room was cold during the night, but the comforter on the bed made it quite comfortably warm enough to sleep. The following night, the heater should have been charged, but it wasn’t discharging any noticeable heat because a bath towel or anything placed over it will cause it to stop functioning. The fire alarm system is tested every Tuesday, misuse of its fire alarm system will cause you to be removed from its premises without a refund. There was a somewhat unpleasant smell both inside and outside the room when we returned for the night, we guessed that the carpet was treated with something.

For info, email at ken.mac@ed.ac.uk.

St. Christopher's Edinburgh is a short 5-minute walk from either the bus or train station, is centrally located in Edinburgh, and offers low cost lodging with electronic swipe cards to rooms, lockable storage, and you can bring your own padlock or rent theirs. There are CCTV security cameras. Belushi’s bar offers food and drink with 10% off for guests. Hot showers and linens are provided, as long as you bring your own towel. They have a free continental breakfast of cereal, tea/coffee and toast, no cooking facilities, no smoking in dormitories unless in a designated area, and Internet is available for a fee. It's best to book online, as it is cheaper than phoning in.

This is an all-you-can-eat buffet--good value for the money during lunch. You'll see plenty of locals taking advantage of the buffet lunch. They have fresh fruit and soft ice cream or yogurt there. Even a little girl I spoke with knows and likes China China.

There's a licensed bar. Credit cards are accepted. Lunch is served from noon to 5pm for £4.99, the Happy Hour Buffet is served from 5 to 7pm for £7.99, and the Grand Buffet is served from 7pm to midnight for £9.99.

Sainsbury's is a typical supermarket for food and groceries with fresh-baked warm bread and baguettes filling the air. Get some deli meat, cheese, milk, orange juice, salad, butter, and plastic forks -- you've got yourself fixings for a picnic in the park, which is just a five minute walk away.

The telephone number of this branch is 0131 225 8400 and it's open Mondays through Saturdays from 7am-10pm and on Sundays from 10am-8pm.

The Fringe Festival is the largest arts festival in the world with every art form imaginable. You start by getting a copy of their program or search online on its website. The performances are vast and varied depending on what interests you, located in different parts throughout the city. Their heaviest time of activities is during August, when they employ a staff of 100.

Booking on the phone 10am on: +44 (0)0131 226 0000

Tel +44 (0)131 226 0026 admin@edfringe.com

After getting to the site Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, Castlehill, Royal Mile, where the Edinburgh Military Tattoo performs, there's a large queue. Once you find your seat assignment, you're literally packed in tight like sardines for the performance. The first 20-30 minutes of the Tattoo was fine, but after that, it just seems to drag on and on with variations and performances of the same theme by different people from different countries. And then there's singing in between the performances.

What I thought would be the highlight of our trip to Edinburgh turned out not to be. It's a good thing this wasn't the only reason to be here. Once you're inside and the show begins, you're not permitted to leave because there are guards stationed at every exit who will stop you from leaving till the end of the performance. Good that I didn't need to use the toilet during the performance. Bring a rain jacket with you, as it did rain when the evening rolled on. Go watch it on television if you really like the Tattoo.

Telephone: +44(0)8707 555 1188 Fax: +44(0)131 225 8627 Email: edintattoo@edintattoo.co.uk

Visit the Royal Yacht Britannia and explore it through displays, exhibits, photographs, and a tour with the audio wand.

There are five decks of the ship available to walk around to view, including the royal apartments, sun lounge, royal bedrooms, drawing room, state dining room, chief petty officer's mess, sick bay and operating theatre, engine room, bridge, laundry facilities, and NAAFI, which is converted to a fudge sweet shop.

Winter: Admission times March through October are 10am to 3:30pm (closes at 5pm) daily.

Closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day. On Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, the last admission is 2:30pm (closes at 4pm).

Summer: Admission times April through September are 9:30am to 4:30pm (closes at 6pm) daily. Allow 1 1/2 to 2 hours for the tour.

Admission: adults £8
Lothian Bus 11, 22, 34, 35, 36
Information: +44 (0)131 555 5566 Mon-Fri

Ocean Terminal is a ultra-modern shopping center with a mix of shops, restaurants, and attractions, including the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm

Bars, restaurants, and the cinema are open till midnight.

Take the Lothian Bus nos. 11, 22, 34, 35, or 36.

The Scottish Tourist Board is a great service within Scotland. They will inquire for you about accommodations at your next destination and book a room for a small fee. We used them in almost every place in Scotland. Just walk into the local branch and inquire about your next destination. Internet use may also be available.

Lothian Buses provides public transport in Edinburgh for customers with exact change, 80p single, £2.30 day ticket. Separate additional fare for the night bus service after midnight is £2. There's a yearly pass available. Visit their site for other fares and services.

Monday-Friday after 9:30am, all day Saturday-Sunday.

Telephone 0131 555-6363