What A Day

There was this lovely burst of colour when I opened the curtain today - much better than the rain that my computer was telling me was on.

Late morning SWMBO and I risked using the bus to go into town. That meant a walk along paths we have never used in 30 years which went all over the place to prevent walking along the much more directional roads (with no pavements). The bus was late (as expected) but only by a couple of minutes.
While we were waiting I watched the number of 'con-trails' building as the planes headed north (on their way to cross the Atlantic I expect). If it wasn't for them the skie would have been completely blue.

When we got into town we decided to go and have a look at the St James Quarter. It is 'interesting' photographically speaking but the coldest place in the city unless you go into the shops (which were packed, shoulder to shoulder ...... not pleasing.) Maybe that was the plan of the architects. They have left the upper level without walls of any kind - just a curved glass roof. This means that the wind gets funnelled between the higher building and drops down throughout the entire complex. It is also the reason that the place floods when there is heavy rain. Very poor design - very poor indeed. My father would be spitting blood about it if he was still alive.
I took a fair number of shots but have only put up a couple ... after the link. There are also shots of Ken Buchannan (a local boxer of years gone by), the mating locusts and the giraffes that I took on our walk down to  Topping's bookshop where I bought actually bought a book  ...  are you listening Peter May?

It was then into The Playhouse to see The Commitments (after a couple of delays due to Covid) .......... Excellent!!!
Unfortunately, the theatre is a bit  - 'run down'. The seats are uncomfortable, the paintwork needs re-done and the place is, frankly, smelling a bit damp.

After the show we wandered through St. Andrew's Square and along George Street (to avoid the crowds and the beggars) and took in the decorated frontages at The Dome and The George Hotel - which wasn't 'decked out' when we stayed there 43 years ago after our marriage ... although there was a trail of confetti all the way through the place ...and in the room after the 'hidden 'confetti bomb' went off (Thanks Dad!) in the morning when we got our clothes out.

Before going to eat I went and grabbed a shot of The Wheel in the Gardens along with the 'Christmas Market'. I was horrified to see that there is hoarding up all the way along that section of gardens so you can't even see if it is worth going into the expensive tat emporium. There was a queue at the entrance and I hope there is not an entrance fee!

We ate at a steak house in Fredrick Street which was very nice I have to say - but overpriced. Not that we had to pay as that tab was picked up by Bags (as was the theatre). They were gifts from different times that we were able to put together. Bags also collected us from the tram station at Ingliston.

Thanks Bags (and SIL) ........... we had a great day.