Botanical Gardens in the Summer

We were supposed to be working... but in Scotland it's pretty much the weekend whenever the sun shines. So here we are making the most of a sunny Tuesday with a picnic lunch in the botanical gardens. I sketched the flowers while Harry guessed their name and genus and documented them with his camera.
(I know, we're really slumming it here in Edinburgh)

Summer Festivities in Edinburgh Town

The first blue sky to hang over the city this summer so far!


The stands are out and precariously perched for the tattoo (but really - quiddich anyone?)

The streets start to fill with people for the festival



And markets pop up everywhere... Would you like a small canon? A deer head? It's gettin' all Antiques Roadshow down here at the Grassmarket today!


Here we are at the castle (with Haggis chips in tow) ready for the Military Tattoo.

It begins!

The night creeps up behind the well-lit castle

I feel a finale coming on...

Whatever you do, don't forget the miniature military horse!

And the finale fireworks play out across our lounge room window every night at 10.30pm Magic!

Gud Fud! (in Scotland food rhymes with wood)

Fancy food - lunch with my Aunt and Uncle at the Castle Terrace Restaurant in Edinburgh. These photos are for Tom and Beth who would appreciate the fanciness of the food.

Appetizer of minute pizza, burrito and Cesar salad, some trout tortellini, Strawberry tart, Crispy Chicken with broad beans and barley a risotto, creme brulee, and hmm... I forget.

To go - Hot pork rolls with your choice of fillings at Oink on West Bow. I had apple sauce with mine. There's a new pig in the window every day. Sorry, piggy, sorry vegos (and Courtney) but it was pretty ahmazing.


What The?

An assorted selection of "different" supermarket items. I am sure there'll be more to come. The Cola is probably just good marketing but the "fermented botanical drink" bit... We are curious! The Haggis Chips we ate while watching the Tattoo. They taste like pepper. The rice, as you can see is special "pudding rice". I like that they have special rice here for puddings in Scotland. The potato scones I deem to be gross based on the fact that the "normal" Sunblest scones were gross.

Introducing...

One of the characters to feature in our stay here in Edinburgh is of course our flat. It was a pain to pack up everything, and a double pain to try and set up everything you are so used to having at home - bank accounts, phones, a fixed address... But it's done, and after a few weeks we are all set up in a cozy little two bedroom flat in the West End of Edinburgh.

Here are a few shots - I have done my best to make it puurrdy. Kind of exhausting gathering home furnishings and IKEA stuff when you live on the top floor, but also, (I'll admit it) fun too...


Yay! Flat warming drinks with my Aunt and Uncle, the lovely Bill and Helen. Bonnie was there too, but taking the photo, so I have subtly photoshopped her into this shot.

It begins!

For all the travel we've done in our years together, the one thing we haven't done is really dare to imagine living somewhere different. Of all the places we've been we always thought that there was something about Edinburgh, something small-city, old-world and cute about it that would suit us quite well. So here we are, not just traveling through, but living in this little city for the next 9 months! Of course this will be our base for discovering the rest of Europe, but for now this is our new home, and we feel very happy and lucky.