Adventures in Alba, Part the Second
Unfortunately, kellywiag couldn't make it because she fell ill -- but I'm sure we'll meet within the next six days yet!
This morning we set off for Greyfriars Kirkyard and the National Museum of Scotland only to find the latter closed until 10am. We were out early today because we'd had to pack and were cheated out of our well-deserved rest by a false fire-alarm that had both of us sitting straight in ou beds, our sleep-addled brains unable to decide what to do. We were done packing soon and headed down for some porridge -- which turned out to be sustaining enough until 3.30pm when we caught the train to Stirling (without any complications this time). So because the museum was closed we walked up George IV Bridge to the National Library, where an exhibition about 40 Years of Scottish Theatre was on. But it being Good Friday the Library only opened at 2pm. So we decided to check train times and pick up our tickets at Waverley. From there I dragged xebgoc along Princes Street to find a bookshop. Once there I picked up a copy of the latest DW Quick Reads and discovered quite a few books that I'll mail order once I'm back home (or close enough). This year's NaNo is taking shape rather quickly.
But before that I'll spend the summer rewriting and editing the NaNo thing from two years ago. We were sat in The Elephant House when I told xebgoc of my dilemma/artistic choice/crossroads -- and she came up with a simple enough solution that had been sitting at the very back of my brain for a while but that for some reason I'd been neglecting. Hopefully, that decision will work beautifully -- it certainly fits the new prologue I wrote a couple of weeks ago.
From The Elephant House we retraced our steps to the Museum of Scotland where we explored the Early People and the Kingdom of the Scots galleries. Again, I gave xebgoc a tour of my personal highlights until it was time to go back to the National Library. I wasn't too thrilled about having to wait until 2pm, to be honest, but oh was I glad we did! The exhibtion holds two great and never-seen-before photos of David Tennant; one from Scotland Matters (back in 1992, boy was he wee then), and a gorgeous one from Look Back in Anger. kellywiag and everyone else that has a chance to go -- go and see it, it's absolutely worth it.
After we'd dragged each other away from the library we dragged our luggage down to Waverley station to catch the train to Stirling. The journey was uneventful and as perfect as we'd have liked it to be on our journey up north -- but let's just be grateful that the impending strike for the end of next week has been averted. We caught a taxi from Stirling station to the flat (the driver was friendly and competent for a change) and from there went on to pick up Donna the car. Why I didn't ask the taxi driver to take us straight to the rental comapny is beyond me, particularly since I'd planned it that way.
Driving on the wrong side of the road -- now that is an experience I hadn't had so far, but I guess that with a little practice I'll get around nicely enough. Donna the car is any icy, Ood-sphere glacier blue and just the same make as last year's dapper Elias was. We hit the supermarket and returned to our wonderful flat to watch End of Time and to make dinnder. Since it's Good Friday and I'm used to not having any meat on that day I made some spaghetti with smoked salmon sauce.
Tomorrow is DW Day. I can't wait for the new season to start and see what the new team have come up with for the New New New Doctor. Other than that we haven't got any plans yet.
This morning we set off for Greyfriars Kirkyard and the National Museum of Scotland only to find the latter closed until 10am. We were out early today because we'd had to pack and were cheated out of our well-deserved rest by a false fire-alarm that had both of us sitting straight in ou beds, our sleep-addled brains unable to decide what to do. We were done packing soon and headed down for some porridge -- which turned out to be sustaining enough until 3.30pm when we caught the train to Stirling (without any complications this time). So because the museum was closed we walked up George IV Bridge to the National Library, where an exhibition about 40 Years of Scottish Theatre was on. But it being Good Friday the Library only opened at 2pm. So we decided to check train times and pick up our tickets at Waverley. From there I dragged xebgoc along Princes Street to find a bookshop. Once there I picked up a copy of the latest DW Quick Reads and discovered quite a few books that I'll mail order once I'm back home (or close enough). This year's NaNo is taking shape rather quickly.
But before that I'll spend the summer rewriting and editing the NaNo thing from two years ago. We were sat in The Elephant House when I told xebgoc of my dilemma/artistic choice/crossroads -- and she came up with a simple enough solution that had been sitting at the very back of my brain for a while but that for some reason I'd been neglecting. Hopefully, that decision will work beautifully -- it certainly fits the new prologue I wrote a couple of weeks ago.
From The Elephant House we retraced our steps to the Museum of Scotland where we explored the Early People and the Kingdom of the Scots galleries. Again, I gave xebgoc a tour of my personal highlights until it was time to go back to the National Library. I wasn't too thrilled about having to wait until 2pm, to be honest, but oh was I glad we did! The exhibtion holds two great and never-seen-before photos of David Tennant; one from Scotland Matters (back in 1992, boy was he wee then), and a gorgeous one from Look Back in Anger. kellywiag and everyone else that has a chance to go -- go and see it, it's absolutely worth it.
After we'd dragged each other away from the library we dragged our luggage down to Waverley station to catch the train to Stirling. The journey was uneventful and as perfect as we'd have liked it to be on our journey up north -- but let's just be grateful that the impending strike for the end of next week has been averted. We caught a taxi from Stirling station to the flat (the driver was friendly and competent for a change) and from there went on to pick up Donna the car. Why I didn't ask the taxi driver to take us straight to the rental comapny is beyond me, particularly since I'd planned it that way.
Driving on the wrong side of the road -- now that is an experience I hadn't had so far, but I guess that with a little practice I'll get around nicely enough. Donna the car is any icy, Ood-sphere glacier blue and just the same make as last year's dapper Elias was. We hit the supermarket and returned to our wonderful flat to watch End of Time and to make dinnder. Since it's Good Friday and I'm used to not having any meat on that day I made some spaghetti with smoked salmon sauce.
Tomorrow is DW Day. I can't wait for the new season to start and see what the new team have come up with for the New New New Doctor. Other than that we haven't got any plans yet.