Tourists

The tourist season never leaves us in Edinburgh, but it certainly hits a peak in the summer months. Today in town I heard so many different languages. There were Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Italian, German, Swedish, Dutch, American, Indian, Chinese and French.

Infact, I shared a bus home from town with 'Le Porsche Voyage d'Eccosse'. There was a little sheet with pictures and accompanying every picture was a question..... 'Ou est Blair Castil?' I thought this was bizarre as it's not in Edinburgh and the spelling was Spanish. The congregation gathered round a travel book and asked for the answers to this and that. I was interested by the way they shouted all over the bus and their voices were raised whether it was a quiz question or a bit of chat. I love the way they presume you know nothing of their language - and in fact I know very little. Just enough to say 'excuse me please, this is my stop' en francais. The silence was very frustrating, they were obviously concerned that I could understand more than I actually could.

Then again, if this is the way we sign post our hotels en Edimborg, then perhaps they can afford to be a little rude about my city.