ON THE ROAD at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

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I had the fortune to be able to attend the Edinburgh Tattoo last August when our ship, the Koningsdam was anchored in the Firth of Forth. It turned out to be a mild evening, for Scotland, with clear skies. The tattoo is performed under the majestic backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

Traditionally the tattoo was the signal given by drumbeat that warned tavern owners to shut down and British soldiers to return to their quarters for the night. The custom developed into a ceremonial performance of military music by massed bands after sunset. I was also fortunate that this performance was chosen for the making of the 2016 DVD which I was able to purchase online.

The tour bus had to drop us off about 1/2 mile away for an uphill walk on cobblestone streets. We also had about a 30 minute wait to clear a very thorough security checkpoint. The temporary buildings and grandstands can be erected in about 40 days!

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