Wednesday

So Edinburgh character has changed incredibly.  With the Fringe Festival commencing Friday, the crowds are pouring in.  A day or two ago we could saunter along the Royal Mile at our own pace with little hassle.  Suddenly this afternoon the street and all streets nearby the Royal Mile are packed with people.  It was a change not to our liking.  However, street performers are popping up, that adds interest and creates dense blocks of people who stop to watch.  If you're trying to get somewhere, bad.  If you're not and just there for the spectacle, good.

 

Princess Street Gardens at the foot of the castle.

 

St. Cuthbert Kirkyard at the base of the castle.

 

The castle looking from the base of the castle.

 

 

Filler material.  I may have posted this picture a day or two ago.  We met up with Elizabeth this morning and walked the base of the castle before she had a class to go to for her summer studies.

 

Old town Edinburgh.  Somewhere near the Fleshmarket Close.  It's still closed.

 

Tombs we came across on Monday.

 

 

Lawn bowling pitch.

 

 

Elizabeth has been in town for less than 24 hours and is already hitting on the guys.

 



 

Waiting for Elizabeth to return from her class so we could go to lunch. Cathy sketched and we enjoyed the street musicians (a rockin' bagpipe featuring band, following by a bagpiper playing traditional tunes in traditional garb). Unfortunately we didn't connect so Cathy and I had to eat at Haman's Kurdish restaurant without her.   The food was so good.  Nice reminder of our vacation past.

 

Thursdays events includes meeting E for breakfast followed by a visit to the Scottish Portrait Gallery, then Cathy and I going to a Harry Potter tour while E is at a class function.  In the evening we're going on a literary pub crawl and possibly a gallery show at our hostess' place of employment.  But I get ahead of myself.  I'll write all about it in the next post.  In painful detail.  Unless I can come up with some humorous quips to lean upon.