19 May - Edinburgh

Settled back into a bit of a routine in Edinburgh.  Actually wearing T Shirts now - sometimes we do have a warm coat over them when out and about but it is definitely warming up. Heating is off and we are opening our windows to cool the place down. So much sun yesterday, people wandering around in sun dresses and shorts.  Went to see a great play yesterday afternoon and women at interval were commenting it was so hot they were feeling faint.  It's about 17 degrees.

Play we saw was Macbeth - An Undoing.  Saw it at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in the west end part of Edinburgh.   Excellent play.  Is Macbeth but turned around where it is Macbeth that goes mad, not so much Lady Macbeth.  And the witches have a more prominent role as does Lady Macduff.  So not all Shakespeare.  Was a commentary on the writing out/minimization of women in Macbeth plus on the treatment of the underclass.  Wasn't preachy at all.  Really enjoyable plus enough of Macbeth in there that you get to enjoy some Shakespeare.  Also really enjoyed seeing the Scottish play spoken with Scottish accents.  Play debuted here and then ended up in London and New York. Back here for a short run.  Think we picked well.

All the Cherry blossoms have now gone.  Replaced with lots of fluffy looking trees covered in pollen and lots of squirrels scampering around.  We think the squirrels are cute although know the grey tailed ones are not well liked here.  This little fellow was in a local graveyard we wandered through in Leith.  He stayed stock still assuming we couldn't see him I'm guessing, if he didn't move.  Didn't like to disillusion him that his camouflage on an old 1800's gravestone was not working.  

Had fun strolling around Saturday morning Leith Markets.  Spoiled ourselves with a Polish brioche treat that we had already tried pre-Spain and an almond croissant.  Think the bakery-patisserie stall is the pick of them.  Did also indulge in a wild boar sausage roll which was delicious although pretty pricey. Had a good lunch.  Stephen also picked up some chili bratwurst sausages at our local Aldi which were great for dinner. 

I  managed to find a very good local hairdresser on Leith Walk.  Have to do some pretty ordinary things when you are gone for a few months. Very friendly and funny being seen as somewhat exotic with my Australian accent.  Didn't walk out looking like a member of the Jackson 5, so very pleased.

By the end of Saturday, after it was so sunny and warm, a sea fog rolled in.  Still not used to fog in the afternoon.  Felt a bit Dickensian.  As we are so close to the water, the fog is very noticeable down at Leith.

Sunday's fog cleared enough for us to contemplate a walk, so we headed off down Easter Road and onto Calton Hill via Calton Terrace and Blenheim Terrace.  Easter Road can look a bit gritty still but you can see closer up that the tenements are starting to get done up.  It is very close into the city centre so no surprise.  Even got to talk to a cat through a window.  They are pretty much all indoors here.  Just lots of dogs out for walks.  Calton Terrace and Blenheim Terrace are very nice parts of Edinburgh.  Lovely looking flats with some mews between them.

And Calton Hill still has bizarre monuments up on it but the views from it are worth it.  Like being able to see over all the old buildings, out to the Firth of Forth, up to the Castle and Arthurs Seat. You get a feel for how the volcanos and ice age formed the city's geography. 

Also re-discovered my Saturday paper.  Spent some time on the weekend getting through Saturday's Guardian.  Seems like very few like the Conservative Party (although will concede the Guardian tends towards the left) and it is assumed they will lose the up-coming election but Keith Starmer is either boring; trying to model himself on Tony Blair and/or is not left-wing enough.  Either way some of the issues seem similar to home, particularly the cost of living. Generally groceries are cheaper than at home but would not say it was inexpensive. Can also notice, like home that there are sometimes shortages of items. We are spoilt for choice near us though with Tesco, Aldi and a smaller Sainsburys in walking distance.  Not hard to find things. Are also enjoying the wider variety in wine. Most trips to Aldi also include a bottle or 2 of some drinkable drop finding their way into a shopping bag; generally with the excuse we need some to use in the cooking.