Seems the lady just can't resist a boat.

The HoHo bus system in Edinburgh is impressive. A48-hr ticket gets you a choice of 5 different bus routes, each with it's own character. In two days, I managed to cover four of them--the fifth being the same one you see in many cities around the world, including Washington. I managed to cover its route with the other four, so no need for it.

Today started with a 45- minute ride through the suburbs to the port town of Hawes. The towns we passed through we're darling, with cute bungalows and beautiful gardens, at the height of bloom. At Hawes, in the County Fife, I boarded a boat to tour the Firth of Forth. (As Beth well knows, I love the Scottish propensity toward alliteration and rhyme).

The boat went out to inchcolm island, featuring an ancient monastery and lots of sea birds. On the way out, we spotted one seals, and as we headed back I had my first-ever puffin sighting!

What had started as a cold and drizzly day turned out sunny and just a bit cool--perfect weather in my book.

Next was yet another HoHo bus, this time out to Leith and the Royal Yacht Brittania. Definitely worth a trip out if you're ever in Edinburgh. The royal quarters seemed more like an upscale cabin than a ship. The crew quarters were tight, but did not lack for bars. The laundry room was massive. Size-wise, comparable to a small cruise ship like the Song of Flower.

I did take tea in the tea room there, so now I can say I've eaten on the royal yacht. Alas, not at the invitation of the queen!

Well, tomorrow is the Royal Scotsman. There is no Internet access there, so I will report on it after my return to Edinburgh on Friday.