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Well, bus #3 failed to show up at Darroch Court. The group finally decided to call for taxis to deliver us to the castle. [Someone suggested that we add a "1" in front of the 3 on the bus sign in the future.] All of the buses were already parked on the esplanade, and the band members just made it in time to enter the castle.
The pre-show performance of the Canadian Massed Pipes and Drums was superb. This was the second time in the history of the band that it was invited to perform a pre-show display on the esplanade. They are the only non-military band to be accorded this privilege. Normally a parade across the draw bridge is also reserved for the professional military bands.
Note that Constable Elizabeth Shaw of the RCMP had advanced to the front, and there she would remain for the balance of the tour.
From the opening band to the finale, we enjoyed the performances. The tattoo ended with the solitary piper high above the esplanade. The final photo shows the scaffold where he stood.
