Flight from Heathrow to Edinburgh Tuesday evening was great. Had a terrible time trying to use my new travelling phone on a bus that jounced all over the place. I couldn't make a connection and the bloody phone kept putting me back to square one so I had to start all over with tiny letters on a tiny phone ( shit!). I took a taxi and found that, although I didn't know it, it , the bloody phone, had rung and Hilary , who, knowing it was me, drove to meet me. We passed somewhere. I rang the bell and Ian, her husband, greeted me with a whiskey. They left early in the morning for Ian's Uncle's funeral in Southampton. We had porridge together at breakfast ; I fixed a chair, a carving and am working on a lawnmower. Lazy day, reading and putzing. Have to take the dog ut for a walk. He's a black lab named Czerny, which I believe is Czech for black.
On Thursday night. Aug 8, we, Hilary, Ian, and I went to see an excellent play " The Shawshank Redemption" an adaption from Stephen King's novel. Great characters, scenery, lighting. Started at 5 pm and ran until 7:15. My bottom was telling me it was long, but my brain was involved. An impressive study of life in a brutal prison with a warden who acts as a GOD and treats everyone, guards and prisioners, as his personal slaves. Afterwards we had superb lemon sole with samphire, a delicious seaweed sort of green spagehetti in a tiny French restaurant and then walked home from the center of the City. It was clear, soft sunshine and because we are far north, light until about 10:30 pm. The city IS heaving, streets clogged with people and entertainers, reminds me of Fasnacht, wide streets blocked and only for pedestrians, buskers everywhere, people handing out leaflets enjoining spectators to come to their event. I'm dog and cat sitting for the next week , as H & Ian are going away. It's great as it saves them boarding fees and they are glad to have someone looking after their place. Meanwhile, and around my dog and cat responsibilities, I can discover Edinburgh.
Friday I experienced an hour of Japanese drumming today, by an English group called Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers who were mesmerizing. "Thundering rhythms on huge taiko drums, choreographed muscular synchronization timed to perfection".. My legs were tired from tapping. Some of the drums were as big as a closet, actually bigger, a dumpster.
I discovered my ancestor, Robert Bryson has a building named after him at a college, now a University that he helped found in 1830 something. I'm going to visit on Monday expecting red carpet treatment, tanatrala tantrala!!
I joined Ian for a Chinese dinner with a few of his friends, one a referee for the rugby league and a bit of a poker player, another who played the English version of"Who wants to be a Millionaire" and won 125,000 pounds. Hard drinkers, nice guys, good food.
Due to my close association with Czerny and "poop" , I've devised a device to catch turds when he craps on the street; a stiff coat hanger, bent and sprung to hold a common , small grocery plastic bag, open. When the dog begins to squat, you slip the open bag under his tail and, voila, turds drop into the bag. No fuss, no mess but , sometimes the dog moves away !! and so you still need to roll them into the bag. Maybe my next million ?
I discovered my ancestor, Robert Bryson has a building named after him at a college, now a University that he helped found in 1830 something. I'm going to visit on Monday expecting red carpet treatment, tanatrala tantrala!!
I joined Ian for a Chinese dinner with a few of his friends, one a referee for the rugby league and a bit of a poker player, another who played the English version of"Who wants to be a Millionaire" and won 125,000 pounds. Hard drinkers, nice guys, good food.
Due to my close association with Czerny and "poop" , I've devised a device to catch turds when he craps on the street; a stiff coat hanger, bent and sprung to hold a common , small grocery plastic bag, open. When the dog begins to squat, you slip the open bag under his tail and, voila, turds drop into the bag. No fuss, no mess but , sometimes the dog moves away !! and so you still need to roll them into the bag. Maybe my next million ?
Sunday I climbed Arthur's Seat a dramatic mountain just out the window of my ancient forbearer's place, on a glorious sunny, breezy day. Stunning views of Edinburgh and over to the west, the Firth of Forth; sailboats heeling, seagulls screaming and in the foreground, swaying, long green and tan grasses, interspersed with fireweed. Magic and right in the middle of the city! Hilary returned from an overnight at St Andrews and with Ian's help produced my first ( for this trip ) Steak and Kidney pie. As tasty as I remember washed down with a beer brewed at Herriot-Watt University called "Darwin" made by Two Scots, a Canuck and a guy from New Jersey. How about them apples?
Today, Hilary and Ian went to London for the week. I didn't go to Herriot-Watt; instead I walked downtown again, about 2 miles, stopped at the Library of Scotland and was given precise information how I should proceed to discover my Edinburgh ancestors; go to the Scottish Peoples Museum. I walked down the Royal mile to The Queen's Gallery, Palace of Hollyrood and saw that a special show about Leonardo : Mechanics of Man was on offer. 500 years ago he dissected people and drew almost as good, and in some cases better than those illustrated today, by X-rays, MRIs and CT scans. An interactive APP called Leonardo da Vinci Anatomy, with 250 drawings is on offer.
I then realized I was very near the graveyard of Robert Bryson: " The New Carlton Graveyard", actually about 200 yards from Hollyrood on the side of the hill rising to Princess Street. After a 1/2 hour search I found it, facing south, cleanly carved in pink marble. Two plaques on either side of the main one to Robert Bryson, "Clockmaker in Edinburgh for 50 years". Ironically the descendants who died later and had their names carved in the sandstone support have not faired as well; their names are fading. I'll go back and scratch them legible. Marble is best for posterity. I took lots of photographs and will get to Scottish People's Museum and Herrioit-Watt maybe tomorrow?
Czerny and I continue our experiment. I'm getting quicker at noticing the moment and deftly place the "bagger" between his hind legs. So far, so good. Gets a little awkward juggling the dog pulling on the lead, a full, hot bag, house keys and trying to open the door. Life is tough in the tropics ! All love and best wishes, Dad, Dadadski, Nick
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