Category Archives: Edinburgh

Arthur’s Seat

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Well I am still commuting up to Edinburgh every week.  Now the clocks have changed, and the evenings are lighter, I thought I would take the time to visit Arthur’s Seat.  I was well impressed with the area.  The walk to the top was a bit of a scramble towards the end.  After the seat I walked down and then along the top of the Craggs.  The view of Edinburgh was magnificent, though rather hazy in the late evening sunshine.  I shall make an effort and walk up there every week, and visit the seat after a cold front has just passed through.  (That should be when the view is at its clearest)

One big disaster though, my favourite restaurant, Le Petit Paris, was unable to seat me for supper.  They could have taken my later, but I was on a tight schedule for drinks with Ed, so ate at a Tapas Bar.

Edinburgh and Rosemary

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Nice week in Edinburgh.  Rosemary flew up on Monday and back on Friday for £31 with Flybe.  
She took quite a few tours in the old town, Ghost tour, the Castle (I have still to hear the one o’clock gun), the Royal Mile where she visited the law courts.  She visited the street under the law buildings where Iain Rankin set a scene from one of his Rebus books.  On the Rebus visits we went to the Oxford Bar for a drink.

We met up each evening for supper, once with some colleagues from work, twice at the Petit Paris, and once for Haggis, Tatties and Neaps in a local pub.  Unfortunately the weather was poor.  First time in Edinburgh I have had rain fall while I was out on the street.  So bad one day we had to move hotel rooms because of a leaking roof in the Apex International.

Edinburgh yet again

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Well another week in Edinburgh with a mixture of rain and sunny days.  Going home though was rather a bind.  Started off by having to check my luggage in, this was the first time ever I had not taken my bag as hand luggage.  Plane though was larger then usual, and the trip back to Birmingham was well ahead of schedule. 

Having two buses to meet the plane must have caused severe confusion for the ground staff. The second bus which I boarded had to wait with its doors locked and us on for 15 minutes while someone was found to open the doors to Arrivals.  At least I did not have to wait for the luggage to appear on the carousal.

Next to the car, and as I looked for the fascia to my new MP3 car CD player, I tried to turn the interior light on.  Oh no, it was already on, battery was flat.  As I walked back to the NCP office, I thought luck was with me, I met an NCP man with a battery pack going to start someone else.  I will be with you in 10 minutes he said.  Thirty minutes later I stopped a car park bus and they radioed for him.  On my way he said.  Another 10 minutes and he was with me.  To be fair he had been called back to the multi story to help the police arrest a man breaking into cars.  Soon the car was running and I was away.

Getting Ready for the New Year in Edinburgh

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I was back up to Edinburgh after the Christmas break.  Flight up was in the clear sunshine; view from the window was poor though because of the de-icer which ran off the fuselage and froze over the window.  Saw enough see there was a small covering of snow over the Pennines, Lake District and any high hill.  It was cold in Edinburgh, -6 Celsius.

The City was starting its New Year celebrations; the whole place was shaken with large explosions.  Not sure what was happening as I was in the middle of my Curry.  There were more rides in the gardens, and the place was full of people.  Lots of barricades were going up for the Royal Bank Street Party in Princes Street.

Lord of the Rings – Return of the King

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Managed to squeeze three hours in to see LOTR in the evening while I was in Edinburgh. Lasted a whole three hours and 10 minutes excluding the credits.

Most of the film was good, excellant battle scenes, and the city of Minas Tirith looked so similar to the picture I have in a painting from Joan Wyatt in a middle earth album. The ents though are far superior in the film.

The film was a bit slow at the end as Frodo leaves on the elf ship, The corruption of the Shire by Saruman and Wormtongue is not depicted in the film.

The Diary of an IT consultant

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Today up at 6.00 am. It was a lovely cold morning and no fog.  So there would be no problems with the roads and the planes.  Drove to Birmingham, arrived at 7.15, plenty of time for check in.  First problem, plane delayed until 9.30, technical problems.

Boarded the Dash 8 Flybe plane, and it left at 9.30.  As we approached Edinburgh the captain told us there was fog, and that he had especially loaded extra fuel for the eventuality.  How come, it was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky?  Yes we could see the bank of fog over Edinburgh.  We spent the next 90 minutes circling a spot south of Edinburgh.  We must have done twenty plus circuits, and then off to Preswick as Glasgow was also fogged in.  Landed at 1.00.  Caught the coach to Edinburgh, arrived at that airport at 2.30 (Very foggy), and then on into town where there was no fog. 

Of course as I walked up the street  I could see other aircraft doing the landing circuit.  Rosemary checked and said most flights had been diverted, except those from Heathrow.  I must assume from this that the cheapo airlines either can’t afford ILS, or their crew are not trained for it.  Now the winter is here I maybe should consider using BA from Heathrow.

What was galling though, was Jon Marshall made it on the 6.30 Flybe flight.

Consultants Diary

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At last Friday.  Home today.  Worked until four in the afternoon, explaining how econnector works to one of the staff.  She is to write some administrative functions.

Plane left on time and back home for supper by 8.15.  Was quite a hard week, and now the weather has broken, not so enjoyable.  We will see what Christmas and the New Year brings us up in the wilds of the North.

Consultants diary

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Another day in Scotland.  Now I hear I will be here for at least until Christmas.

This evening just Yura and I.  Tonight its Thai, so we went to Yura’s favorite Thai restuarant called Dusit at 49a Thistle Street.  The owner said greeted Yura like a long lost friend.

Good nosh.

Consultants diary

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Lots of Cedar people in to day.  After work, quick drink at the Doric with Mary, Tessa and Phil.  Then met up with Yura at the hotel.

Tessa, Phil, Yura and I ate at Izzis, the Japanese/Chinese restaurant.  Here I had my usual fill of raw Tuna, Salmon, Squid and other fish.

Final pint of beer at Tiles.  Much against my suggestion.  The beer is all larger and top pressure bitters.