Paddington in St Andrew’s Square

Two long trundles on the 44 into the city this afternoon and back to Balerno this evening. A cold, blustery, mizzling day. With the weather forecast to get worse over the next couple of days Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Celebrations have been cancelled. No fireworks but it seems we’re still going for the traditional Chinese banquet beforehand.

We trundled into the city for a late lunch at the Scottish Malt Whisky Society in Queen Street. The meal was excellent and was followed by sampling of several Society malts including one called Muscat Gravy. Others were more “conventionally named”, except I can’t remember the exact names of my two. Something like “Pocket Like Poppins” and “plum on Coir Matting”. “Fizzy Fruit Smoothy”, “Autumn Vineyard Walk”. Don’t ask me.

A cursory look around the market and St Andrew’s Square was preceded by pressing our noses to the glass doors of the Dome on Queen Street. In previous years you could go in to look at the magnificent Christmas lights displays. This year only those with reservations were allowed to enter the inner sanctum. The classical Greek columns outside were spectacularly decorated as usual but I’m protesting against the “management’s decision” by not posting a blip of the outside