A Crazy Amount of traveling: Part II (Edinburgh, Stockholm)
Edinburgh Festival (18th Aug - 21st Aug)
Took Friday and Monday off to get an extra-long weekend in Edinburgh during the Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Fringe. What's the difference? Basically the Edinbrugh Int'l Festival is the "original" festival for the more posher mainstream stuff - theatre, opera, dance etc ... whereas the Fringe started off as a concurrent alternative festival, but according to Wikipedia (bestest site in the world!) is now "the largest arts festival in the world".
Had such a good time. Though, was a bit stressful trying to decide between the gazillion things we wanted to see, and to schedule our time so we could see as many things as possible. Highlights included:
The Scottish Ballet - *sigh* - Such beautiful dancers and dancing. I just wish I didn't start about 20 years to late!
Edinburgh Military Tattoo - Perhaps some of you are thinking, who wants to see a bunch of marching bands? But it's more than that, and with such a terrific atmosphere (Ed Castle as a backdrop) ... if you get a chance, it's well worth seeing. I particularly liked the Swiss precision drummers, and band from New Zealand who were very entertaining.
Catching up with Nadine!
Nadine is a wee Irish lass who I became friends with whilst on student exchange in UBC in Vancouver, who's now living in Edinburgh. We managed to catch up for lunch ...
... which carried on into afternoon tea ... (satisfyingly long catchup session) ... and then later she accompanied us to see ...
Adam Hill - Really funny Australian comedian who was getting quite good Fringe reviews.
Pic outside the venue after the show ... (he did this bit on the satisfaction you get from "tummy tapping" and got the whole audience to do this - was hilarious, but I guess you had to be there).
Wil Anderson - "I am the Wilrus"
Also funny, though a tad hyperactive. Bought back nostalgic memories of driving to work in the mornings listening to Adam & Wil (Triple J breakfast radio).
Out of the Blue - Oxford a capella group. Thoroughly enjoyed it ... loads of talent and energy. Felt compelled to buy one of their CDs (High Tide) afterwards.
Also saw various other comedy shows "Best of the Fest", Best of Irish Comedians etc. Also went to see "Puppetry of the Penis", for something a bit different. Was indeed a bit different. Interesting, yes, and some of it was entertaining, but some of the impressions also made me feel a bit queasy, and overall not really my sort of thing.
Being "Ladies who Lunch"
KL and I went for a final lunch in Edinburgh, was quite a novelty being able to have a beautiful leisurely lunch on Monday. Somehow made more enjoyable for the fact that most of the people we knew we slaving away in an office somewhere ... is it wrong to feel that way?
Lunch included Irish Rock Oysters and Smoked Salmon
... and my first (but hopefully not my last) Chateaubriand (very tender, juicy cut of tenderloin specificially created for vicomte Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand. Yum!
Fringe Festival Flyers ... I quite like this pic ... quite representative of all the things going on around time.
Stockholm (26th - 28th Aug - Bank Holiday long weekend)
Off to Stockholm the weekend after we came back from Ed (quite nice to have 3 4-day weeks in a row!). In summary: Fun trip. Pretty city. Good food.
The Food
Mmmm ... Swedish meatballs.
Also had stuff like bleak roe, really good sashimi (salmon was to die for) at Berns, and reindeer steak (tasty once I got over the fact that I was eating rudolph).
The Architecture
Town Hall (this is where they hold the Nobel Prize dinner)
Royal Palace
The Vodka ... Absolute IceBar
Oh, and should probably mention something about the beautiful people in this town. Have to admit, loads of eye candy for both guys and gals. Multitude of good looking blondes (apparently the Vikings knew how to pick 'em, when carrying back maidens from their expeditions). Even the Swedish Royal Family is supremely good-looking.
Took Friday and Monday off to get an extra-long weekend in Edinburgh during the Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Fringe. What's the difference? Basically the Edinbrugh Int'l Festival is the "original" festival for the more posher mainstream stuff - theatre, opera, dance etc ... whereas the Fringe started off as a concurrent alternative festival, but according to Wikipedia (bestest site in the world!) is now "the largest arts festival in the world".
Had such a good time. Though, was a bit stressful trying to decide between the gazillion things we wanted to see, and to schedule our time so we could see as many things as possible. Highlights included:
The Scottish Ballet - *sigh* - Such beautiful dancers and dancing. I just wish I didn't start about 20 years to late!
Edinburgh Military Tattoo - Perhaps some of you are thinking, who wants to see a bunch of marching bands? But it's more than that, and with such a terrific atmosphere (Ed Castle as a backdrop) ... if you get a chance, it's well worth seeing. I particularly liked the Swiss precision drummers, and band from New Zealand who were very entertaining.
Catching up with Nadine!
Nadine is a wee Irish lass who I became friends with whilst on student exchange in UBC in Vancouver, who's now living in Edinburgh. We managed to catch up for lunch ...
... which carried on into afternoon tea ... (satisfyingly long catchup session) ... and then later she accompanied us to see ...
Adam Hill - Really funny Australian comedian who was getting quite good Fringe reviews.
Pic outside the venue after the show ... (he did this bit on the satisfaction you get from "tummy tapping" and got the whole audience to do this - was hilarious, but I guess you had to be there).
Wil Anderson - "I am the Wilrus"
Also funny, though a tad hyperactive. Bought back nostalgic memories of driving to work in the mornings listening to Adam & Wil (Triple J breakfast radio).
Out of the Blue - Oxford a capella group. Thoroughly enjoyed it ... loads of talent and energy. Felt compelled to buy one of their CDs (High Tide) afterwards.
Also saw various other comedy shows "Best of the Fest", Best of Irish Comedians etc. Also went to see "Puppetry of the Penis", for something a bit different. Was indeed a bit different. Interesting, yes, and some of it was entertaining, but some of the impressions also made me feel a bit queasy, and overall not really my sort of thing.
Being "Ladies who Lunch"
KL and I went for a final lunch in Edinburgh, was quite a novelty being able to have a beautiful leisurely lunch on Monday. Somehow made more enjoyable for the fact that most of the people we knew we slaving away in an office somewhere ... is it wrong to feel that way?
Lunch included Irish Rock Oysters and Smoked Salmon
... and my first (but hopefully not my last) Chateaubriand (very tender, juicy cut of tenderloin specificially created for vicomte Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand. Yum!
Fringe Festival Flyers ... I quite like this pic ... quite representative of all the things going on around time.
Stockholm (26th - 28th Aug - Bank Holiday long weekend)
Off to Stockholm the weekend after we came back from Ed (quite nice to have 3 4-day weeks in a row!). In summary: Fun trip. Pretty city. Good food.
The Food
Mmmm ... Swedish meatballs.
Also had stuff like bleak roe, really good sashimi (salmon was to die for) at Berns, and reindeer steak (tasty once I got over the fact that I was eating rudolph).
The Architecture
Town Hall (this is where they hold the Nobel Prize dinner)
Royal Palace
The Vodka ... Absolute IceBar
Oh, and should probably mention something about the beautiful people in this town. Have to admit, loads of eye candy for both guys and gals. Multitude of good looking blondes (apparently the Vikings knew how to pick 'em, when carrying back maidens from their expeditions). Even the Swedish Royal Family is supremely good-looking.
posted by linh at 02:16
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