This afternoon I'm sitting in the tea room on the Royal Yacht Britannia, waiting for my whisky cake to be delivered.  I thought that I would take advantage of their free wifi while I'm here.

I love how, in the fancier places at least, you don't get sugar packets, or even perfectly formed sugar cubes, but rather lumps of both white and brown sugar that look as though they've been chipped off a larger block.  The only thing is, they don't provide tongs, or an extra spoon, so I've been reaching in with my fingers.  It feels wrong, but I see no alternative.

Turns out whisky cake is a fruitcake, very delicious.  Feels like Christmas though!

Anyway, the day started out sunny, so I put on my capris optimistically.   And then, because I did all my laundry last night, I promptly spilled oatmeal on them! It doesn't really show, so off I went, walking to the Britannia, since it was so nice; it took about 35 minutes.  The tour is very informative, includes an audio guide, and is full of bits of trivia about the royal family and the crew (you know how much I love trivia!).  I wandered for a good two and a half hours, and yes boys, I read everything!

It's clouded over now, but I have my fleece, so I'm going to walk back up past the hostel to the National Portrait Gallery.  If it starts to rain, I may hop on the bus.

Well I've decided, if I ever win the lotto, a really big one, I'm going to hire the yacht for a private function and invite everyone I know!

Got to the Portrait Gallery too late to see the whole thing, but saw the entire top floor.  In addition to the portraits, they tell you the history of the period you're looking at, so I learned a lot about the Reformation, the Restoration, the Jacobites, how women were viewed and how this changed over the years, and how Scotland was romanticized.  When the gallery closes, no one says a word to disturb, the staff just let you go on looking until you're done.

Now for photos:

A couple from the Tattoo on Monday

My hike to Arthur's Seat - where I've been

And where I'm going (the top of that hump in the middle)

I didn't do the last scramble to the top

The only double bed on the Britannia,  brought on board by Charles for his honeymoon with Diana

The state dining room

My favourite portrait from the gallery, because the blue is so bright, but I've forgotten her name. She either was French or married a Frenchman.  It looks small but it's a full size portrait.