Across the water

I was surprised to find that our Premier Inn was just by the harbour at Newhaven. This morning I walked round to the harbour and followed the harbour wall alongside the water of the Forth. I was intrigued by the history of the harbour and its fishing and shipbuilding community. This is something I want to come back to.

This is the view across the water, if you look very carefully in the distance you might just see the Forth bridges. The boat is one that was ferrying passengers from a large cruise ship anchored in the deeper water round the corner - I did see it - to the harbour where they were boarding coaches taking them on trips - mostly I assume to the Festival

We had a leisurely morning, caught a bus to The Shore for a delicious breakfast at ‘Toast’ - we had substantially more than toast. Then it was a bus and a walk back to the Book Festival.

Wes Streeting - a talk we went to focused on his book about his quite extraordinary family background, but what I came away with was a sense of optimism. If there are younger MPs like him, with intelligence and values, determination and sincerity, a work ethic and an empathy, working away in the background, then maybe there is some hope for the future.

Did I buy his book? Gordon did.
Did I get it signed - Yes!

We are now home - one new (signed) book each and lots of thoughts and ideas from a great few days.