It’s not really beside the seaside, living in Edinburgh. The big rolling ocean is still quite a while away. But it’s really about the smell. Waft some seaweed under my nose, and I’m happy. Instant holiday.
So, we managed an outing with my parents yesterday – took their car up to Silverknowes, and walked along the beach to Cramond.
Dan and I managed this earlier in the year for the first time, on the bus at either end. In the car, you’re there in 10 minutes, and there’s a nice walkway for any number of pursuits: roller blading, pushing a scooter, cinching up your top (alongside your friend) so that you are both showing as much torso as possible. That kind of thing.
(Sensitive readers may be relieved to know that none of us did any of the above mentioned activities, but we did discuss Dad getting roller blades, and maybe me too. It’s a slippery slope.)
For years, our main family holiday was on the Isle of Jura, and Dan and I still go there around once a year (though it was crowded off the itinerary last year). For cheap seaweed intake, we can go down to Granton Harbour and walk along the sea wall. But yesterday’s walk offered a bit more of the holiday experience: there was also beach, shells, opportunities for dogs to get wet and gritty with sand, and ice creams at the far end before turning to walk back.
The sun also shone, enough to believe it might be summer. Grey and possibly dour city that Edinburgh is, however, there was also sea mist sweeping in for much of the walk. Don’t enjoy yourselves too much, now.