2 June - Edinburgh

Still the weather holds.  People were lined up along the waters edge at Leith on Saturday, spilling out of the pubs, to enjoy the sunshine.

We decided to head over towards Leith Links where Edinburgh claims the game of golf was invented or first played or something momentous concerning golf first occurred.  Anyway this statute of John Rattray (Surgeon, Sportsman & Jacobite) from the 1700's has appeared since we were last staying around here.  He apparently signed the original 13 Rules of Golf drawn up in March 1744 and he won the first Open golf tournament held on 2 April 1744 on Leith Links.  He then became the "Captain of the Golf" for that year. He was also surgeon to Prince Charles Edward Stuart during the Jacobite uprising of 1745.  Eventually got himself imprisoned as he was on the losing side and nearly executed but eventually was pardoned and got back to playing golf in Edinburgh. This is me helping look for his golf ball.

We then decided to walk along the Restalrig Railway Path - the Restalrigs being a wealthy family who owned this part of Leith in medieval times.  The path follows the line of an old railway.  After a little while I declared it was too warm and I needed a drink.  So we found our way back to Leith Links and to a pub called the Links Tavern. 

Just thinking we'd grab a quick drink, some 1-2 hours later (lost track of time) we left.  We knew as soon as we walked in we had inadvertently found a local pub .  It was like an American Western when a stranger walks through the swing doors into a bar. All heads turned to us as we walked in and approached the bar and a hush ensued.  Once Stephen ordered a pint of Belhaven Best the chatter resumed as they seemed to have decided we were OK if a bit odd with our accents.  We found a seat and were immediately adopted by some locals - Kenny and Anne who own a bakery on Leith Walk that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  They have a son who is in the Australian Army and they love Australia, visiting every year.  Kenny wants to migrate there but can't find a visa that fits.  This son was originally in the UK Army and served with Prince Harry in Afghanistan (he is apparently quite normal - Harry that is).  Their son was also essentially part of the security detail for Queen Elizabeth and she was very nice and was tiny. And they think Charles should have abdicated but not that they are great fans of the Royal Family.

In between these interesting tidbits they told us the pubs in Leith to avoid - their advice added to by others in the pub with graphic slit throat gestures.  One was an old favourite of mine - the Marksman.  Had already picked was not a place to venture into. As we left, the whole pub wished us a good holiday.  We realised the whole pub had been listening to our conversation.

We walked into town the next day and saw the bakery and yes it is open all hours.  Anne did tell me their best trading hours are between 1am and 6am when they sell a lot of pies and lasagnes - hearty food for those who have been out partying and shift workers.

Went to another Museum on the Royal Mile down Canongate way - The People's Story Museum.  It is in the old Cannongate which used to be a jail, Council chambers etc when it was not part of Edinburgh city.  It was well done.  Lots of artifacts, information and models about how the ordinary people lived from medieval times to modern day.  Short answer - not often very well. They even had a section on Newhaven and a photo of the old Newhaven fishwives showing the baskets secured by a band around their foreheads.

This recreation of 2 men sitting in an Edinburgh pub in around the 1800's could have been the Links Tavern yesterday.  Not sure some of these local pubs have changed an awful lot.

Decided to see the Museum as Edinburgh is getting noticeably more crowded.  Very much doubt would ever again venture here for the Fringe in August.  Also found out Taylor Swift is arriving here for 3 concerts next weekend.  Suspect this could be adding to the crowds.  Relieved that we are away next weekend in Porto so will miss all the Taylor Swift mania.