Skyline from the National Museum of Scotland

Despite living in Edinburgh for six years, I have never visited the 7th floor Roof Garden of the National Museum of Scotland. I've been out on the terrace of the Tower Restaurant a few times, but never up to the 7th floor. Despite doing it today with a right knee which is incredibly painful, it was definitely worth it. The view is absolutely fantastic and unbroken around 360 degrees. The light was just starting to fade and move distinctly into the (south) west at 2.30pm today when this was taken (looking north) and one feature you can just see to the right of the Hub tower is the light glinting off what I think are the Ochills in Perthshire across the water (a feature best seen in large). There's definitely still plenty of snow there.

Today we also visited the Highland Art exhibition in the City Art Centre and the history of Scottish lighthouses exhibition in the NMS, before lunching - decadently - in the Tower. Not a treat we can really allow ourselves too often, but definitely worth it.

We also came home in a taxi because my knee has become unbearably painful. It hasn't been right since I flew to Los Angeles in early November and in retrospect I think that swimming has not been the right medicine. The last time it was as bad as this I had to seek out a physiotherapiest who recommended certain exercises that I will have to start doing again, but he indicated that swimming would not be good for it. Possibly counter-intuitive, but doubtless true. I think cycling is also fine. Oh, if only I had been able to cycle for the last month or so. I shall have to start making special trips out on the bike even in advance of going back to work next week, if I cannot go swimming.