Don't forget your nutmeg grater!

Popped down to see Uncle A and his new toy (an Apple iMac) this morning. And what a beauty it is too - so slim, with wireless keyboard and mouse. It takes a long time setting things back up to how you had them/want them - his email is not working, and exporting photos to his iPad mini is a problem. I solved it a bit, but it really needs a sustained effort, then giving up and ringing the Help Line.

It was pouring and blowing all morning, so I got the bus in to the Museum. I was a wee bit early and had a wander and accidentally found the Wildlife Photographic Exhibition. I’ve been meaning to go to it for ages, but keep forgetting when I’m in there. Absolutely fantastic photos. I was audibly gasping to myself (As in: 'Wow!Look at this!!’) as I went along. They were A3 size, I think, but could have would have should have benefitted from being larger, like the ones in NHM I saw a year or so ago, which were huge and backlit. I will go again.

We started this week’s talk with a few questions about last week - we were a bit like a class of kids who hadn’t really remembered the last lesson. But eventually we got all the answers and continued on Scotland’s journey. We learned about all the battles, saw Bonnie Prince Charlie’s canteen, found at the Battle of Culloden (yes, of course you take your best silver cutlery-bottle opener-nutmeg grater-set into battle).

We skipped on through the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution. It’s a fine history, I must say, but then again, I suppose there are heroes, tragic stories and amazingly clever people in every country’s history.

We were in places and galleries that I didn’t know existed. In fact, I nearly couldn’t find my way out at the end. I went in search of the wee coffins again, but I just could not find them - had to ask an attendant. There was a very interesting talk going on around them. (There are free topic talks every single day.)

Went up to the roof garden, as by this time, it was gloriously warm and sunny. I’m always quite disappointed when I get up there - they have walls and things in the way of the lovely view of Arthur’s Seat to the south east. This shot is facing south, through a very grubby large window. That’s the McEwan Hall in the middle, and the new part of the university in the sun on the left.

Next week we end up there on our last talk. I’ll be able to ask the tutor why they’re planting trees all around the viewing platform, thereby eventually obscuring the view. She might know who thought of that bright idea...