Admittedly bagpipes can be an acquired taste. On the streets of Edinburgh however, they are an every day part of life. Where New York is filled with street performers busting a move to Kanye & 50 Cent, every street corner in Edinburgh seems to host a kilt wearing bag piper doing their thing. On occasion (say, first thing in the morning, pre-caffeine) it can be a little much, but overall, the shrill call of a lone bag piper does what buskers are suppose to do, add a memorable live soundtrack to your travels.

Several days into a recent trip to Edinburgh, I found myself at the home of the famous Military Tattoo, gaining my press accreditation for the evening performance. It wasn’t something I would have picked for myself, but the experience went above and beyond my expectations.

Ferried into the VIP Press box (which happened to be a free space under the scaffolding) we waited for the show to begin. Every night we had heard the fireworks, witnessed the crowds, seen the jet shooting across the night sky now it was our turn to be part of the phenomenon.

2009 marks the 60^th anniversary of the Edinburgh Tattoo. Over 1000 performers took part this year, with the show running nightly.

It’s not only the Scots that get in on the action, performances from the Tongan cultural troupe, Swiss percussionists, Brit Award winning pipers and drummers as well as singers from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and choirs from China and Canada are all there to celebrate Scotland’s historic heritage.

Three pipe bands from the Southern Hemisphere joined this year’s festivities – New Zealand’s Auckland Police, the Australian Federal Police from Canberra and the South African Cape Town Highlanders. They joined the military pipe bands of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, The Royal Dragoon Guards, The 1st Royal Tank Regiment, The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, along with representatives from this year’s lead Service, the Royal Air Force.

As the sun set on scores of musicians playing "Amazing Graze" in unison underneath the background of Edinburgh’s century old castle, it was hard not to get a little emotional. A spotlight lit up a bugle player perched on top of the castle's tower playing "The Last Post" as the crowd honored the services of those who had fallen in battle. 

The whole thing was a once in a lifetime experience. For those who don't plan to make the trip anytime soon, the Tattoo may just be traveling to a town near you.

In February 2010 it will hit Sydney in full force. It's a spectacle you don't want to miss so get in fast, tickets sell like hot cakes.

Till next time,

Travel in style & pray for an upgrade....

Angela Gilltrap