2 weeks ago we got the bus out to Portobello, Edinburgh's seaside village. We got the bus from just outside our house and it took about 40 minutes to get there. It's a beach in the same way Glenelg or St Kilda are beaches - rather flat, unexciting surf, but proper sand and definitely a nice spot for a weekend walk. Here's Toby looking rather chilly.
Along the promenade. There's far less pubs than you would expect (and hope for).
There are some cool old buildings though, I assume left over from the days when Portobello was the playground for Edinburgh's wealthier residents (until post World War II when they realised they could go to Europe cheaply).
The funny thing that happened at Portobello was when we decided we were hungry and that only fish and chips would do. Surprisingly enough we could only find one place on the promenade, staffed by a Chinese family. They also sold plastic beach equipment, like kites and buckets and spades. It was all very British. Considering their shop was about 10 metres away from the water, they had a rather limited choice of seafood (haddock, deep fried - and that's all) but we ordered it anyway. When it was ready we were asked if we wanted brown sauce. This is a very British thing, it's basically brown and runny and salty. I'm not sure what the point is. I said no sauce but I'd take some lemon. The man serving me told me that you only got lemon in the restaurant next door. I couldn't help it but I burst out laughing. I didn't know what to say, this British fish and chip shop run by Chinese people on the beach with only one kind of fish and no lemon? They were either insulted by our laughter or realised how ridiculous that rule was, but they made a special exception for us and we were both blessed with a single lemon wedge each. Oh, bliss.
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