"Hogmany"

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Edinburgh, Scotland 28th December - 2nd January

Hogmany
Hogmany is the name of the New Year festivities that occur in Edinburgh, Scotland every year. It is a huge event and we had to book our tickets and accommodation well in advance.

Torch Parade
A massive procession of torch lights/fire sticks through the streets of Edinburgh and finishing at the top of Carlton Hill. The procession of which we were a part of followed a wooden vikings ship and bag pipe players. When we reached the top of Carlton Hill the vikings ship was set alight creating a very warm fire for us to enjoy! It was somewhat of a fire and safety hazard with thousands of people walking in very close proximity to one another with fire sticks!
Met up with Emily Hooke from Apollo Bay and a fellow Donvale colleague - small world! Emily had been doing OT work in Northern Scotland. Emily introduced us to Edinburgh's baked potato shop!

My Fair Lady
On a rainy day in Edinburgh I stumbled across the Edinburgh Playhouse and managed to get us £10 tickets to My Fair Lady. We could certainly see well but there was almost no leg room even for me! It was a great show though.

Catalonia's Castellers
The Hogmany festival this year had a Spanish flavour. Apparently last year it was Indian. Catalonia's Castellers from Terrassa in Spain built human towers in the streets several layers high. It was almost a little scary watching them all climbing on top of one another so high up with no soft landing.

Strip The Willow
Strip the willow is a very popular Scottish dance. Not much co-ordination required. Just imagine 2 very long lines of people all facing one another and constantly spinning around and linking arms with the person opposite until they reach the end of the line. We had to stop before the end of the line otherwise we would have ended up lost somewhere on the other side of Edinburgh!

Edinburgh Castle
Big Bus Tours appear to be very popular in the UK so we took one around Edinburgh. But nothing will beat the Big Bus Tour in central London when it started to snow. Edinburgh Castle is magnificent, set on a volcano almost in the town centre.

New Years Eve
Met up with Clint and Carly who we hiked with in Nepal. Clint and Carly live in Edinburgh. Carly cooked a superb lasagne and we enjoyed a lovely New Years Eve dinner with them. After dinner we headed down to the Street Party and in to the gardens for some more Scottish dancing with lots of boys in their kilts!!! At midnight there was a spectacular firework display off Edinburgh Castle and other hills surrounding Edinburgh.

New Years Day
Sleep In!! Wandered down the Golden Mile from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Park. There was a fun run on New Years Day and before you ask, no Bern and Liz didn't enter the run! We opted for watching the Triathalon. Not quite as good as watching a triathalon in Summer in Melbourne. The boys were all wearing too many clothes including their beanie and thermals because it was freezing! There was also an event called Dogmany where Alaskan Malamoots raced around a short course helping to pull their handlers who were on the back of a 3-wheeled sled. I managed to capture a crash on camera when 2 dogs started to fight and the handler fell off his sled!
Walked up to Arthurs Seat lookout and watched a lovely sunset over Edinburgh.

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Photos

Torch Parade
Em and I during the torch parade.

Viking Ship Ablaze
Burning of Viking Ship on Carlton Hill.

Vikings
Viking on Carlton Hill

Ready to hit the Street Party
New Years Eve at Clint and Carly's. All dressed in our Hogmany beanies.

NYE Street Party
Tower of Edinburgh Castle in the background.

Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle at night and a little snow.

Edinburgh
Looking over Edinburgh from Edinburgh Castle.

Dogmany
Collision during a race at Dogmany when 2 dogs started fighting.

Arthurs Seat
View from Arthurs Seat over Edinburgh.

Comments

[Miranda]

NYE
Happy New Year Lou!