August 12 - Edinburgh, UK

show #1

16 degrees, fair amount of wind, plenty off rain in the morning, before we went out then lots later in the afternoon as we were heading home – enough to put a hat on for

A similar day to the last ones…however, we found a couple of shows on for half price, sour first stop was the half price booth up the hill and down the hill. Success on our first picks, so we were set – 4 tickets for 2 shows = 18 pounds…not bad.

Our pre-show pint was at a tiny, hole in the wall place which was perfect for before this p

tiny pub

articular show about independent locals being closed and taken over. To describe this place would be to compare it to the Scottish pubs we went to on a previous trip to Scotland in small places. These pubs are pretty dingy, small, have not much to them, seem very old school, 4 or 5 things on tap (cider thankfully, and probably of course) and a couple of

obvious locals. It was probably no bigger than my living room with about 20 seats and served no food.

“The Local” was very good. For a small venue (50 seats) there were 10 performers – 3

musicians and 7 actors. It was a musical and was touching.

We had decided to do a show before lunch, because sometimes lunch before can rushed. However…we didn’t foresee (although in retrospect aren’t surprised) that the Saturday during the Festival would be CRAZY PACKED…seriously packed…like Trevi Fountain packed. Everyone and everywhere is still very civilized, there is just NO WHERE to eat. We wandered and we wandered and finally sat outside for some Italian – good choice..the food, not necessarily t

he outside bit. Folks everywhere seem to eat outside no matter what. People here are eating in parkas (not necessary in my opinion) – the same but different from Rome where people (myself included) were in a complete and entire lather – and all of this to eat outside.

Just as we started to head back the rain came – quite a lot of rain this time.

In the evening we were off to “Elsa”, a one-woman, story-telling, guitar-playing, singing show. This was also a good pick…it was about an hour in a small room fit for about 70

people.

Once “Elsa” was done we thought we could hit another show if we moved fast…the Fringe app has a function to pick a show close and basically right now. Else ended about 1030 and we got to “Bindiana Jones and the Temple of Huge” for 10:45. Good thing I am with a directional wizard as we had no time to screw around getting lost – I’m not terrible with directions, but I’m not gifted, like someone I know. The theatre was close, but I wouldn’t have found it in time…of course we had to go up stairs and then down stairs again…sheesh!

“Bendiana Jones and the Temple of Huge” was in the hottest theatre on earth – and that is saying something for Edinburgh…I know people keep say that the theatres will be hot, but until this one, I haven’t found that. It was a 2 man show, some scripted, some improvised some musical…funny.

One the way home we got take out donair and ate it in bed – nice. Not a bad way to end the day...I guess my bowels will tell me in the morning (or in the middle of the night!)