Arrival in Edinburgh
Brooke Privett
Today has been a fabulous day! We got on the bus with our sack breakfasts (which were very tasty) and headed to Edinburgh. We had to be at a parade to kick off the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival by 12:30. We arrived at 12:15!!! It was very interest watching 100 band members get their uniforms on and their equipment together in a matter of 5 minutes, but we somehow did it.
The parade started, and we became instant celebrities here! I have always said that my most memorable parade was this year’s past SEMO homecoming parade and I was one of the candidates. Well, not any more!! This parade was awesome. Cameras from hundreds of major newspapers and magazines were in my face the entire time and the people on the sides of the street could not get enough of us. They clapped and cheered louder than anything I have ever witnessed! That was the moment we found out that we were “kind of a big deal!”
The coolest moment though occurred at the end of the parade when Mr. Bernhardt said to us “Hey Ya’ll, look up to your right.” So we did, and there was the castle (which is where the Tattoo will be taking place) a mile above us on this huge crag overlooking the city. Absolutely breathtaking!
We then went to check into our dorm/flat at Darroch Hall at the University of Edinburgh. We are staying two to a room and there are 5 rooms per flat. We have 3 bathrooms and a common room which has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, and a living area. We were then led to the cafeteria where we will be dining for the next month. The food was very good! I am staring out my window right now at two of our boys who have already purchased the full Scottish attire suit, and I’m told they paid 150 pounds for them, that’s $300.00!! But, they are having fun parading around in them, so that’s all that matters. Tomorrow is another big day as the Jazz Band performs as the opening group of the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival!