Last-Minute Thoughts and Photos of Edinburgh

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Cyberspace. No specific time.


Well, I usually hate placing pictures without text to flesh them out, but with Edinburgh there are just so many photos and so few entries to fit them all into. As it is there are crowds of photos at the end of most blogs, which really annoys me. So bugger it, here we go, some last-minute additions to my sharing of Edniburgh with you:




PICTURE 1

I actually saw many men, more that I had expected, in kilts during my time here. I had thought that they were mostly ceremonial these days but apparently some men prefer to wear them on a more regular basis, especially older generations who are more closely tied to the country's heritage. Of course, many of the swankier hotels and such make the most of the average tourist's charm of Scottish values by having the kilt as an employee uniform. There are also bagpipe buskers on the streets some days, too, and they wear the traditional costume. I think it's all very grand.




PICTURE 2

Something I found entirely adorable was the Edinburgh bins. Yes, strange, I know, but they all have these emblems printed on them and they are all uniform and black which suits the librarian in me and her need of everything to be consistent and filed correctly. What's more, though perhaps this is not the meaning of these particular emblems, the image is similar to the Gallic Claddagh sign, which I have always loved since Angel gave Buffy that infamous ring which all the teens ran out and hunted down.....ahem. But anyway, the sign reminds me of the Claddagh emblem, which is the same but with hands clasping the heart, and the meaning of it all is thus: the heart represents love, the crown loyalty/fealty, and the hands friendship. So perhaps that is not the meaning meant to be conveyed upon the city's rubbish bins, but I like it all the same.
Also, note the infamous red telephone booth, native to England. Proof that the English are conspiring another take-over.....




PICTURE 3

They're faking it! See that! They're all running out and hiring kilts for special occasions because they just don't have any! Shame, shame, shame.....(hahaha)




PICTURE 4

Now this one really honestly does annoy me. Something redolent throughout the UK, but I've only now caught on to the idea of taking a pic for remembrance's sake (I really should start taking pics of the boring or repeated stuff, too, or I'll never remember, for instance, that Ireland is full of sheep because I haven't any pictures of them).
But anyway, back to the picture in question. Fairly self-explanatory. They make you pay to pee. How rude! And no wonder that there's so many chicks walking around with wedgies - they've got nowhere to duck into for a subtle adjustment (I made that up, haven't noticed any wedgies, but my first realisation of fee-toilets was at a moment of g-string difficulties - enough said, yes?More than enough, no doubt. Shut up, Emma).




PICTURE 5

Do you remember the Day Trip To Loch Ness journal, when I mentioned the bumpy ground in Scotland and the reason for it? Well, here's a visual....but not a very good one. It gets bumpier!




PICTURE 6

Coulnd't resist the opportunity to show off the lovely Edinburgh Castle....this shot taken from the valley between it and the New Town, of Princes Street, with a fountain, can't remember the name but it's significant, in the foreground.




PICTURE 7

One of the idyllic paths winding along the Castle gardens and down to the valley. How pretty is that! I love this place.

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