Bentane Fire Festival

 
Short stop over in Doha before last leg to Edinburgh arriving on the afternoon of 29th April.
Four nights booked at the Travel Lodge, just off the Royal Mile, as it was asy to walk everywhere from here. Freezing cold the first morning, headed off out of the hotel, then went back on put on another 2 layers of clothes, and went out and brough woolie scarves and gloves.
Leanne had left Nambour with 28 deg plus – so was a bit shell shocked with the cold.
We took the local bus out to see the Royal Yacht "Britannia" & found this was a good way to travel around Edinburgh. As we arrived to see the "Britannia", two tug boats brought in the Germany sailing ship, "Gorch Fock" into the wharf. Rather an impressive looking vessel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorch_Fock_%281958%29
On Leanne's "Must Do!!" list was going to the Bentane Fire Festival – not sure why. So that evening we walked from our hotel to Calton Hill where it was being held. A cool, clear evening, (temperature dropped to 9 deg C before we left just before midnight!) The reports the next day, said there had been about 5000 people there. This festival is inspired by the ancient Gaelic Festival of Bentane, 
https://beltanefiresociety.wordpress.com/beltane-fire-festival-2015-2/
to mark the beginning of summer. Yeah right..... not really summer temperatures that we are used to but at least it wasn't raining. Anyway, it was an experiance, but we should have got ourselves a map of where the possession would go around the hill and the order of things. It was hard to get a position from where to get a good view, so I that we could take photos, many being taken by holding the camera in the air, and hoping I didn't get too many heads in the way. A lot of the performers were almost naked, and I would think this was a good incentive to dance so enthusianstly!