Edinburgh

Hello hello

Yesterday and today was Edinburgh. We got into the city later in the evening and Christine did an amazing job of navigating the craziness of downtown (one-way streets and festivals and bus-only lanes and people everywhere and bridges and basic insanity) and I was the stellar co-pilot! Woo! Anyways, we had to stay in a hostel last night, which we were NOT looking forward to (the B&B's have spoiled us), and with good reason... it was the same sweaty stinky noisy sleepless experience. The difference was, it was located RIGHT on the Royal Mile! Which is the main strip of downtown.

Unfortunately we had to leave our car several blocks away, and so we had to get up this morning at 7am to go move it before it got towed. That's okay, we didn't really need an excuse to get out of that hostel. We decided to drive straight to the Marriott and hopefully leave our bags and car while we found food and maybe also our way back into the city. The Marriott was a package deal we got with our tickets to the Military Tattoo (big military band, music, marching, dancing, singing performance that is apparently quite famous, although neither of us had heard of it before we started telling people that we were going to Scotland, and then many of them said "are you going to the Tattoo?" and "you HAVE to go to the Tattoo!" -- so, we got the only tickets left, which were a package deal with the Marriott hotel).

So, we get to the Marriott totally exhausted from not sleeping at the hostel, and have a super awesome gourmet breakfast... yummmmm... and then they manage to get our room ready quickly so we could get in there. SO nice! We showered and napped and Christine even went for a swim. Ahhhh, luxury. Hostels are bollocks and rubbish I say! We got onto a handy-dandy bus that took us straight downtown and went to the National Gallery. Wow... I don't even know what to say about that place. Amazing and stupendous. I could have spent all day in there. Except that they don't let you wear your backpacks on your back (or front, or one shoulder) which is annoying. What the purpose for that is, I have no idea.

We also went to the Fruitmarket Gallery. Weird stuff in there. Weirder stuff in the gift shop even. Brits have some messed up sense of humour... sometimes it totally works and is hilarious but other times it just crosses the line or doesn't make any sense. Like a card that said "catch the ball, because if you don't your wife will leave you and take the kids". Dub-tee-eff?! Anyways. Just sayin'. Weird.

So we had dinner at a great little Italian joint called Rocco's and then headed to the Tattoo. It was awesome, amazing, marvelous, incredible and wicked. It also poured rain on us like God was trying to put out a fire in our souls (I have no idea where THAT imagery came from, honest). No but seriously, it rained so hard that people started leaving the stands (oh, did I mention it is an uncovered, outdoor performace that has never ever been cancelled in any weather conditions?) about 30 minutes into the 90 minute show. I was fairly miserable, but I kept my mouth shut and just focused on the excellent show. I tried with all my might to avoid thinking about how my shoes had become puddles for my feet, and how my jeans had wicked the water all the way to my waist.

I think the last time I was completely soaked like that was when I was a kid taking swimming lessons and they asked us to get in the pool with our clothes on so we could get the feeling of what it felt like. But, my core remained fairly dry -- that raincoat I bought the night before I left did a really great job. Not sure what I am going to do about my wet shoes. I may have to break out the hairdryer.

All in all, we have had really great bright and sunny weather, so I am not going to complain if it rains. We have been super lucky so far, so it is what it is. :)

We have tomorrow and Friday morning in Edinburgh, Friday afternoon and Saturday in the South, and then on Sunday we are back in YVR! I hope the nice heat wave you guys are having holds out until we get home. :)

Hope y'all are well, and dry, and snug
xo
Elaan