a easyJet has at least four notable components, it’s cheap, its late, its uncomfortable and as it uses Area 51 of the Copenhagen Airport, so if it’s raining you get your luggage washed for free (yet again). As a result we arrived at our little house at about 1 ante meridiem, which for those who have forgotten their Latin is one of the clock before midday. Jens Olsen definitely knew this when he designed his clock however the current keepers of the clock have obviously forgotten.
August is Fringe Festival time in Edinburgh and being unaware of that we allocated just one and a wee bit days in town, Marija did give us a heads up however we had already booked. You may have noticed that I used the local vernacular for small, it doesn’t take me long to become multilingual. By the time we get back I will know at least one word from six or eight different languages counting English naturally.
Edinburgh is damp and overcast and looks like staying that way for a few days at least, 12 to 19 degrees and scotch mist, not surprising really.
So the lightning tour of Edinburgh today.
First up a look around the outside of Liz’s Scottish Summer House (Holyrood). Looks pretty good from the outside but we were unprepared to ante up thirty odd bucks a head to see where Liz parks the corgis in summer.
A walk to Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park with ghostly figures moving in and out of the mist as it rolled over the hill. You would definitely have to pick a clear day to have a decent battle here, no point getting all geared up for a good fracas only to have the war declared a draw on account of mist.
Next up The Royal Mile and the Fringe Festival, every building seems to be a venue. The locals may hate it but it’s a huge money spinner, there’s a hundred page plus guide to make sure you see it all.
Up the hill to Edinburgh Castle where there’s a Military Tattoo every night of the Fringe Festival, this is followed by fireworks at 10 post meridiem (more Latin).
We cruised Greyfriars Kirkyard and with a grey wet weather coat on and hood up in drizzling rain I felt a little monk like. Greyfriers is named for the Franciscan friary that was on the site and the monks wore grey robes.
Ghouls?
Last tourist spot, the Scott monument to Scottish author Sir Walter Scott, who wrote Scottish stories about Scottish folk in Scotland. That’s a lot of Scotch….Hmmmmm. Hey how about tomorrow we forget all this tourist hoo har and sample the local wares.
Scott monument with free birds and bonus Ferris wheel.
By the way if you need a new pair of shoes don’t bother going to Cotswold Outdoors in Edinburgh because they shut at 6 post meridiem and if you turn up at 5.55 post meridiem they will just tell you that 5 minutes is not enough time to buy shoes, even if you have the shoes in one hand and the credit card in the other. Apparently they were closing “och aye the noo” (Oh yes just now). Muppets!
leschalmers 