Treasures

We've pretty much stayed out of the shops.  Almost.  Cathy was the first to crack.  She bought a chanter at a bagpipe shop.  I guess it is the part of a bag pipe where the tune is created by blocking holes on it.  After some unique atonal performances, she did get to where she could play a tune.  I think it was Loch Lomand (you take the high road and....)

I bought myself a bonny wool blend cap.  So my number  one purchase priority has been achieved.  Also a CD from a band from Isle of Skye called Peat Bog Faeries.  Heard a song while on our Lochs tour.  Traditional instruments in rip roaring arrangements.


Here's a funny joke compliments of Cathy's friend Rocky W.  So the highlander in full regale had a few too many whisky's....

We interrupt this blog for this breaking news...

...That loud noise you just heard was two Royal Air Force jets flying in tight formation  over our apartment, heading to do a flyover for the opening Edinburgh Royal Tattoo show at of Edinburgh Castle.  Way cool.  Once I looked out the window and confirmed they were now far enough away that they weren't going to take our roof off.  Last night the Tattoo had a dress rehearsal, with friends and family of the performers providing the audience.  Tomorrow night we'll be in the audience.

We return you to our regular blog in progress....

...and he said hey laddie I don't know where you've bin but I'm glad you took first prize.

Friday highlights:

Cathy made rubbings of inscriptions at the Scottish Parliament while I raced back to the apt to get our walking tour tickets I had forgotten.

A two hour historical tour of Edinburgh, complete with stories we had previously heard and some new ones.  One of the new ones:  We were standing at the site of the gallows from a previous era where the public spectacle of hangings were conducted.  There  is a pub opposite the plaza named in honor of a woman who was hung there.  Her crime was concealing a pregnancy, there was a law back then that all pregnancies be reported to the authorities (out of wedlock no less).  The child had died three days after the birth.  After the hanging, the family put the body in a coffin and went into an Inn for some ales.  When finished they went to take the coffin away for burial they heard rapping from inside the coffin.  It turned out that the hanging rope wasn't long enough to complete the job for what it was designed.  The family reported this development to the authorities, who in turn took this as a sign of God's intervention.  She was granted a reprieve and lived a respectable life ever after.

Here are  few a pics from today.

From Holyrood Palace grounds.  No royal sightings.

Grassmarket gallows site.  The black pub located in the top middle is named after the woman discussed above. 

 

For shock value.  These roast hog joints are located in different parts of the city.  The name of the business:  Oink.

 

Look closely.  The building to the right near the very top has a small ledge extending out from two openings.  When pigeons alight on the ledge, they got whacked from inside and the residents got fresh poultry for dinner. The large building in the upper left is reportedly the inspiration for Hogwarts.

 

 

In a small wynd or close in old town.  Our guide discussed the unpleasantness of life in such crowded conditions with no water and no plumbing (don't look up while walking here as "stuff" would be dumped out the windows. Even in modern times, this locale has a curious aroma.

 

Writers Museum