I was amused to find another example of OTT locally-targeted advertising - this time in the Edinburgh News website.
Some algorithm somewhere obviously worked out where I live, and that my age suggests I am just bursting to go on a cut-price luxury cruise, and it concocted - for my personal excitement - this tempting glimpse of how I may sail away from North Berwick in style. Just keep a steady supply of booze coming to my cabin, please, Steward. Oh - and cheese Quavers.
Grand! In fact this is just ox-droppings.
In the real world, as everyone who has ever been here knows, North Berwick harbour looks like this [and for a short video, click here], and you will note a total lack of cruise liners - nice, but no cruises, apart from the little motor boat around the Bass Rock.
Sorry about the music on the video, by the way - I guess it was very cheap, though.
Your scenic harbor makes me want to visit. Of course, a game with you would be a main driver too. Be careful, you may have a mad dash from recently minted telecommuters beating a path to your idyllic town to take up residence.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon - please visit whenever you can!
DeleteWe are 30 minutes by train from Edinburgh, so a lot of the Old School commuters live here already, which is why our house prices are as ridiculous as those in Auld Reekie! Nice touch with the lobster farm - you can study all stages of their life cycle, including eating them as a finale.
You are clearly mistaken Tony…
ReplyDeleteMy mate lives in North Berwick and that is indeed a picture of his private yacht..
Honest…😁
Ah - yes - you mean Burgermeister Captain David. I understand that he shifted his base to Port Hercules, Monte Carlo, since he was no longer prepared to pay the berthing fees here. Last I heard, he had some trouble over running an unlicensed casino club, so now keeps his boat at the Marina Grande, Capri. I don't really move in these circles, so this is all just gossip.
DeleteI applaud your excellent taste in cheese Quavers, Foy. Unobtainable in these distant lands, I'm sad to say.
ReplyDeleteSomething of a secret weakness, I'm afraid. Only downside is they don't help with making new friends on board, since they make your breath smell like the Rhino House at the zoo. However, who needs new friends?
DeleteMaybe one of the wee boats could take you out to the cruise ship? Quick hoist in a bosun’s chair, and off to Bergen.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, but I'm only going if they've got Quavers. We used to see big cruise ships, far out in the Firth of Forth, but they were always heading to (or from) Edinburgh, and they just kept right on going [and so castles made of sand fall into the sea, eventually...]. Edinburgh has a district and a shopping mall called Ocean Terminal, so this is serious consideration - or at least it used to be. No idea about how the cruise business is doing, but there aren't many passing ships at the moment. Bergen sounds interesting, mind you. One of the trips you could get from Leith was to Orkney and Shetland, also Iceland. Always fancied it - never been.
DeleteOh well.
I don't think you could sit at the Captain's table and eat Quavers...could be a deal breaker methinks?
ReplyDeleteMaybe not, right enough. I could sneak them aboard - I have a theory that they would be very good packed inside life jackets. Which reminds me (via a lateral loop) that I once got into trouble at Alton Towers for feeding Hula Hoops to the ducks - apparently they can get their beaks stuck inside them. Good grief - I wonder how many points you would score for that?
DeleteThat looks great - should make the trip from North Berwick to Fife a doddle next time we have a game!
ReplyDeleteVery true - where do you reckon the landing place would be on the Fife side? Crail? Pittenweem? (better chips at Pittenweem).
DeleteThe best chips are at Anstruther!
DeleteI am disappointed in you Tony. How could you let such a business opportunity as the re-development of North Berwick harbour slip by?
ReplyDeleteRegards, James
I have to 'fess up, guvnor - I never thought of it. No need to worry - some New Britain entrepreneurial hero will scam the finance from somewhere, bung the local planners and make it thus. He will probably be knighted while he's at it. Reassuring.
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