Slip away to the cry of 'compete'

The City was looking it's splendiferous best today.

The Sun was shining, and the loonatics a plenty were wandering. Our favourite was the one walking Buchanan Street headphones in, singing the rifts to what ever he was listening to, obviously without any idea what the words were, as it was sung in the style of Bar Room drunk , " Wah hey hey wah ahay yah yah meh". We walked slower to allow him to over take, so that we could enjoy in all his deaf glory, and as soon as he had, our attention was taken by a street puppetteer, who very cleverly, was standing looking bored, and making his puppet stand and look bored too, and all the 20 people watching him, looked on in anticipation. we walked on.

The Scottish Socialists were out, as ever; gone are the days when I take to arguing with them in the street. The joy of beating them at debate is lessened when being dribbled on. Men tend to do that when loosing a verbal spat.

Mater was taking me for luncheon today, and a very fine luncheon we ate. To the top left of the shot - MINGS - in Princes Square. A veritable smorgasborg of people watching.... so many people, in one place, it's enough to make your head explode.

The shops in the middle floors are quite quiet, but heavens above, the choice and the spread of restaurants is quite astounding. Mings, specialise in Thai, Chinese and Japanese. Mater and I opted for Satay Skewers, Teriaky Skewers, Crispy Beef with Peking Sauce, and Crispy Beef with Sweet Chili sauce. Women of similar palets. And my god it was good.

From my vantage point, I could watch people being served manic portions of cake in Fifi and Allys. And drooled a little when I spotted the meringues in Cranachan.... Mater was people watching further a foot, and could watch people approaching, and trying to make the mouth watering decision.

When we left, we took a wee donner, *(scottish slang for wander), down Sloan's Close - a little market was in action, and from this shot, you would be mistaken for thinking that it was empty. I caught Mater in the one place there was no one about.... We had taken almost 5 minutes to squeeze through the tightest of alleyways, to reach that spot. There was space for the stall, and someone browsing, and then it was squeeze, and manouver, til you got past. We bravely walked past Cup Cakes with big dollops of tablet and strawberrys stuck on them, cinder toffee, bespoke plectrums.. (yes, bespoke plectrums), bejewelled shoes, jewellery and clothing.

Our afternoon excursion ended with a coffee in a local hostellry, where we were entertained by the comings and goings of the local source of gossip. Oh how we laughed.

And now, I am home, to housework, shopping, and typing.

Thank you for that wee escape Mater, very much apprecaited. Mwah.