The weirdest thing about this story is that it just came into my head. I had never been to Edinburgh (I wrote this in 2003, before I came to Scotland for the 2nd time) but upon arriving and visiting Edinburgh, it was exactly as how I wrote it.

The long expanse of the Royal Mile laid stretched b efore her feet. The late afternoon sun was setting behind Castle Rock, casting an ethreal glow over the City of Edinburgh. She made her way down the street, scarcely believing that after all this time she was back in Scotland's old capital, still steeped with the ghosts and memories of long years past.
Her feet were performing the motions of travelling down the cobblestone paths, but her mind was in the clouds. In the clouds, looking down and seeing people going about their daily doings; last minute runs at the shops, families sitting down to tea, couples walking through Holyrood Park and backpackers mixing with the locals in the pubs.
In the clouds looking down, she saw the people of years past strolling down in their period dresses and suits, the men working along the quayside, the ships coming in from far off exotic places, and the Forth Rail Bridge being built.
She saw Mary, Queen of the Scots, as a child leaving Edinburgh Castle for France. She saw the English soldiers move on through to Stirling for the Battle of Bannockburn, the people of Scotland flocking to the ships for better lives in the New Countries. She saw all of Scotland's history as she made her way down the Royal Mile, following the footsteps of Royals, soldiers, and townsfolk before her.
"Watch out lass! Dinnae ken there was a light there?" queried a passing man, dressed in Harris tweeds, concern shining in his sea blue eyes; a deer stalker perched absent-mindedly on his head.
She blinked as the man grabbed her elbow and pulled her out of the path of an oncoming car that honked as it sped past.
"Thank you sir..." she swallowed, managing a sheepish smile.
The man gave her a look over and a wink.
"Aye, wasnae a problem, just didnae want to see a pretty lass such as yerself get hurt."
He winked again and continued on his way, whistling a jaunty tune.
"Get a grip on yourself Zoe, you're in the 21st Century, or that was a horse-drawn buggy that went past."
Smiling to herself, she noticed a lively, inviting pub up ahead, and went in.