The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2015

Backdrop to the Edinburgh Tattoo: Edinburgh Castle

17 August in Edinburgh, Scotland, the last port of call for this cruise, made for an impressive finale:  watching The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, by many called one of the ‘Greatest Shows on Earth’.

Logo....Internet Photo

And I was fortunate enough to secure a ticket to the one performance on this day of the always sold out events.

Anyone not familiar with a ‘military tattoo’ may not realize, that is does not refer to any kind of skin graffiti of military events, moms or lovers, or any other inked subjects.  The name tattoo refers to large musical performances originally of military fife and drum bands. Today military bands are joined by military precision teams, highland dancers and last but not least – bag pipe bands of civilian and military origin. Here in Edinburgh India’s Bollywood brings a little levity to the serious business of bag piping.

Play of Lights on Castle Walls

The word Tattoo takes its name from the cry of inn keepers in the Netherlands more than 300 years ago. Innkeepers ordered ‘Do den tap toe’ (Mach den Kran zu, oder, turn the taps off) when they heard the fifes and drums of the local regiment marching through streets and alleys signalling to revelling soldiers to stop guzzling and return to barracks.

The first Edinburgh Military Tattoo (of just 8 acts) took place on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade in 1950. It was the contribution of the Army of Scotland to Edinburgh’s International Festivals and attracted 6000 visitors.

65 years later…the show goes on each year for about 3 weeks, attracting nearly 9000 people every night. It has grown into a 90 minute performance showcasing some of the finest military and civilian musicians and dancers from across the Globe (this year’s theme is ‘East meets West’). Annual tattoo visitor count reaches 220,000 of which 65,000 come from overseas – many just to see the Tattoo. If you cannot attend, no problem, it is broadcast on TV in 40 countries. Not one performance has ever been cancelled – rain or shine – rain ponchos are part of the ‘entry package’.

The Star....Internet Photo....

The very good news is, that the Tattoo is ‘not for profit’. Although costs to mount this spectacle (more than 1300 performers on the stage, stands and facilities go with it) must be sky high, surplus is gifted to charities for former service men, women with disabilities, homeless and unemployed.

The spectacular mass performance is crowned with a solo performance of a bag piper, who stands alone on the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle and plays a haunting ‘The Piper of Loos’.

Well, I was in for the whole thing, except the Lone Piper: in addition to a great seat, I had bought the ‘Scotch Whisky Experience’ package, which included a  Pre-Show Scottish Dinner taking place in the ‘Amber Room’ located in a historic building just across from the ‘draw-bridge’ into Edinburgh Castle and next door to the show venue.

To prove that British cuisine is not all bangers and mash, here is part of the menu: Isle of Bute smoked salmon, Carpaccio of Highland venison cured in treacle and whisky, Haggis bon-bons, Fillet of Scottish Beef with wild mint and radish potato cake purple carrots and wild mushroom sauce, Chocolate and Whisky pot, Cranachan mousse…all accompanied by (imported) wine and crowned by a dram of the Good Stuff: Scottish Whisky.

Dinner was a delight - and so was The Dram

Although my eating habits aboard ship are quite ‘frugal’ – I ate the whole thing, it was THAT GOOD! Although haggis does not sound that inviting as far as the recipe is concerned (lots of sheep innards) these ‘bon-bons’ actually tasted quite delicious!

Happily primed, our group of diners took their seats in plenty of time for the performance to begin. We were extremely fortunate, as we had no need to deploy our rain ponchos – we enjoyed an almost Mediterranean warm and pleasant evening – perfect!

May the Games Begin - the official start....

I have heard many a times a single bagpipe, even a small band – but watching the measured steps of hundreds of bagpipers, marching slowly into the Esplanade and playing in unison is overwhelming. The Royal Scots Dragoons, The Black Watch, The Highlanders, The Gurkha Rifles, The Royal Air Force bagpipe bands all played for The United Kingdom, The Citadel from South Carolina, The Royal CanadianMounted Police,  Auckland Police and Christchurch City from New Zealand, Manly Warringah and Scotch College from Australia, the Crossed Swords from Berlin,  The Piper’s Trail of the Tattoo joined together in a medley of popular bagpipe music. Each band wore their traditional tartan kilts, supplemented with various historic paraphernalia, unique head gear and swinging sporrans; most wearing white gaiters as well, which accentuated the syncopated marching to perfection.

The leit-motif for this year’s Tattoo is East Meets West, hence the first act finished with a large colourful Ying and Yang symbol formed by hundreds of pipers.

Ying and Yang of Pipers - East meets West in Harmony

The ‘West’ share of the evening brought performers (various bands, precision weapon handling, highland dancing, precision drumming) from Scotland, Shetland, Switzerland and the USA – each of them top class.

The Pipes and Drums of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles

The United States Air Force Honor Guard

 

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Highland Dancers

The Citadel Regimental Band, The Military College of South Carolina

Switzerland's Top Secret Drum Corps

 

 

The ‘East’ share brought the Military Band and Lotus Dragon Dance from China and a Bollywood Love Story  from India, all of them eliciting thunderous applause from the over 8000 spectators.

The Military Band of the People's Liberation Army of China

Military Band of China

Changxing Lotus Dragon Dance Folklore Group

Lotus Dragon Dance

The Ditadel Band, South Carolina...Stars and Stripes on the Castle Walls

 

Impossible to describe in words…the rousing music, the esthetically pleasing colourful choreography, the magical ever changing ‘back drop’ illumination of the Castle Walls (always a-pro-po to the theme of a specific performance), and the ever darkening clear sky above all contributed to ‘let’s take you away’ into a festive joyful world.

A Bollywood Love Story - Twelve dancers from India teaming up with forty dancers drawn from South Asian dance groupls in Scotland

Glamor and colour to delight the eye and Indian music to please the ear...

The timeless theme of boy meets girl, East meets West, is symbolized by a 'Scottish Boy' dancing with his 'Indian Girl' - two cultures meeting through dance and music

Yes, its Bollywood - it out glitters Hollywood anytime

Even the parasols have a magical gleam

...and there is ALWAYS a Happy Ending!

When the all bands, dancers and singers entered the Esplanade to join together celebrating the Grand Finale,  one little black pony ‘stood at attention’ in front of the stage, also ‘dressed’ in its own Tartan.

At respectful attention: Piper and Pony

The Finale was truly a magnificent spectacle…imagine hundreds of pipers and drummers playing ‘Dancing in the Street’ and hundreds of dancers in kilts, saris and Chinese costumes dancing to it. A whole medley of popular music introduced a great display of fireworks lighting up the skies behind Edinburgh Castle.

The Bollywooders

The Cast 'of thousands'

The last Massed Band piece with the Erskine Stewart's Melville School Choir singing in the Castle's Portal

Final Presentation of The Cast

The National Anthem (I had to leave at this important point in time to catch my train back) was followed by Auld Land Syne, and the haunting sounds of the Lone Piper, who stands all alone on the Castle’s ramparts to play solo: The Piper of Loos.

I regretted missing the very final part of the show, however, I had to do a quick march to the beat of my own piper towards Waverley Station through the as yet deserted stretch of the Royal Mile before 8000 people would descend on it, to catch the second to last train of the day to take me back across the Firth of Forth to Inverkeitling Train Station.

A few co-cruisers also arrived and we ‘enjoyed’ a rather rambunctious journey accompanied by the deafening hollering of various drunk youths, who sprawled all over the aisles of the train, and made a less than savoury spectacle of themselves. Some locals found it necessary to apologize (to us ‘tourists’) for their offensive behaviour, probably reacting to the shocked expression on the faces of our fellow cruisers.

Deserted 'Royal Mile' just before 8000 spectators would descend on it

Sharing a taxi from the train station, we made it back aboard not only before midnight, but BEFORE the official ship’s tours returned.

One went to bed humming something vaguely Scottish, and shortly after, watching the brightly lit foundations of the new bridge over the Firth of Forth glide by while Prinsendam started our last sea leg to Ijmuiden (Amsterdam) where my journey would finish as well.

Floating past the Pylons of the new bridge under construction over the Firth of Forth...Adios Edinburgh!

But what a Finale!!! Out with a bang.

 

I missed filming some of 'Bollywood' - however, this may convey an idea - on a small scale - what a Tattoo looks and sounds like....