Looking Down

I had to be at work early to get to a meeting out the other side of Edinburgh.  I was therefore out early and on the bus, which amazingly turned up early again.  Our buses have a very bad reputation for being late and for just not turning up.  Being early has never ever been an issue – until now!  Having carefully traversed the icy pavements near home and survived,  by the time I got to Edinburgh I had forgotten about icy pavements, until I slipped and went right down.  Oops!!  No damage done though.

Spent the day at meetings and then made my first tram journey.  A colleague and I were deposited at the Ingliston Tram stop after the meetings, to make our way back into Edinburgh.  I have to say I was totally underwhelmed, and was surprised how slow it was at times.

When I got off the tram in St Andrew’s Square I was struck by the blue sky and the sun shining on the Bank of Scotland building. These statues really stood out – and not just because they had seagulls on their heads! 

These are the first two statues in a row of six on top of the building.  The one on the left represents navigation (spot the anchor), the one on the right commerce (he has a book in his hand).  Immediately below them are lions heads and below them are putti (a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child).  The one on the left is again symbolic of navigation with its trident and sea creature, the one on the right being symbolic of commerce with a globe and a map. 

Amazing craftsmanship right above our heads.

They also brought to mind one of BB’s jokes.  What do you call a man with a seagull on his head?  Cliff!  Boom boom!!!