Change is Inevitable Or is It ...? A pondering jaunt in Edinburgh

I had to pop into Edinburgh this morning and along the way it got me into thinking things about change!

Thankfully it looked like we missed Storm Bert, I know down south had problems but we didn't even have rain let alone snow.

Forth Bridge

We have a pretty good express bus service to Edinburgh.

It picks me up at the bottom of my street and drops me direct into the heart of Edinburgh for cheaper than it would cost me to drive!

We go over the Forth Bridge. It is the original bridge over the Firth of Forth and connects the Kingdom of Fife on the left to the Edinburgh side on the right.

Up until a few years ago, painting the Forth bridge was a never ending job. No sooner than they finished then they would go back to the beginning and start all over again.

It was a running joke up here about things that never finish.

But that all changed when they developed a new paint that could last for years in that environment.

Then we were hitting Edinburgh where I grew up.

Much of it has changed but many of the old buildings thankfully have not!

That is one thing I do when I come back from a stint abroad is to check what has changed!

One thing that never changes is war and our ability as a race to destroy ourselves.

How long will Ukraine hold out now that North Korea are providing human cannon fodder to Russia.

Why is it always politicians that screw their citizens...

More changes in the city centre road layout, one way system here, no cars there!

There has been a McDonald's on Princes St the main street for as long as I remember. Now though it has been joined by a national fastfood chain. I am sure @lhes and @asiaymalay recognise the Red and White sign of the filipino fast food chain Jollibee ... I had it in Newcastle and this reminds me that I should eat in Scotland too!

Up Frederick St and something else that changed.

Big marquees to cater for the Winter festival in the middle of George Street.

I used to walk to school on these roads for many years.

Now I am reminded of the snow and ice we used to get.

At the top of Leith Walk is St James Quarter, it was St James Centre back in my day...

More fluffing change!

As a project manager you either like or dislike change!

When I was wearing a client project managers hat I detested it. It gave the chance for the contractor to make money and claw back time on a schedule.

So yes when I was a contractors's project manager then a large part of my day was filled with submitting new changes to drive up the profit etc.

So yeah change is almost always inevitable but it is not always desirable!

John Lewis the employee owned department store was always the anchor store in the old and new centre.

Outside is the road area that was home to tramworks for fluffing ages. There used to be a huge roundabout with a god awful statue.

Did you read the big red sign ... take the best giraffe selfie and win a prize!

Talking about big statues, I love the big foot, I mean how big is this fluffing foot!

Not that I went here, but this is St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral...

Where they are open for Confessions should you have sinned!

Ah yes this is a wonderful change!

Guess who?

I had a pleasant surprise when I saw that the ugly old statue I mentioned had been replaced with .... yes Sherlock Holmes...

Conveniently next to The Conan Doyle pub which was my local at Uni. And of course the home of Sherlock's creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

So to finish and opposite the Conan Doyle is St P's and St G's ... a protestant cathedral where I sang a few times, especially at Christmas time...

Do you know who the two saints are in St P's and St G's

Well that is something that won't change!

Has your local town changed for the better or worse over the years?

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful new week!