A day trip to Gateshead today. Left home too early, in the snow, and arrived at Stevenage station at 6.30 for the 7.19 train to Newcastle.
Quick trip up here, had some meetings around placing the portals onto Oracle portal server.
Back then on the 17.30 GNER train. I am writing this on the train, using their free wireless access. Very cool.
This is now my third week in the office, I have some courses to give, probably next month. Their preparation should keep me occupied for a while.
Last week I did get a trip to Ireland to watch Clem update a data warehouse with changes required for the e5 product add on product IDOCS. IDOCS is an airline specific add on which records all charges associated with flights. (Rosemary says that acronym is also an SAP interface mechanism.) We worked within walking distance of Dublin airport, but caught a courtesy bus to the hotel. Managed to get an upgrade to the club floor of the hotel. Clem gets automatic upgrades as he uses the chain regularly. I have never stayed in one of their hotels, but the receptionist took pity on me, asked to to give her a big smile and hence upgraded me.
Supper was mainly Guinness, though I was upset at not having any shamrocks drawn in the white cream.
Managed to get back before St Patricks Day!
I know you have all been waiting for this, but yes I went out for a meal with Mary at the Outsider. A final farewell meal until the next time I am in Edinburgh.
As usual a pretty good meal, and plenty of Pinot Grigio wine.
Arrived up in Edinburgh, lovely dry and sunny, but pretty cold outside. I am sitting in the Mai Thai expecting my Tom Yum soup and main course of duck. Yes it is the duck yet again. I am getting rather repetitive.
Already someone from work has suggested I be in the office when the changes go into production. So looks like I will be here again, at least for a short while.
Tuesday I had a nice meal at Barjola, Spanish Tapas bar. As usual the grilled sardines were delicious.
Wednesday, I decided to try a ‘popular place’, so chose The Filling Station. An American diner like place, decked out in 30s and 40s British motoring memorabilia. Serves burgers, Tex Mex and steaks. Chose a steak which I ordered rare, but alas it came in as medium to well done. Charming Brazilian waitress though, who made all the right noises when I complained. Shall not be eating there again.
The street next to the hotel was blocked off tonight. They were making a scene from a new Rebus episode to be show on TV. The scene was outside Bannermans. A music pub on the same street as Whistle Binkies. A man walks up the street from Cow Gate, and argues with another man who appears out of Bannermans. The first man shoots the second, and then rushes up the street.
All this was taken under large sprinklers simulating a wet Edinburgh night. There must have been 40 people on the shoot, lots controlling the traffic in cowgate, every time they did a shoot, the traffic was stopped. I was able to watch from 10 metres away, and able to see the scene in the monitor.
I am counting the days, only two more weeks of travel to Edinburgh. I must make the most of the time I am here.
Travel from Luton was again a pain, the place was full of people going away. Still half term in some county or other. The weather was damp and miserable in Edinburgh.
Visited the Mussel and Steak for one of the gorgeous pieces of red meat, cooked just correctly. I did start off with some hot smoked salmon (cold) with oat cakes. The salmon was delicious.
Met an Australian IT consultant there, think he had emigrated to the UK because of the jobs in the Health Sector. He had been recommended the restaurant and was very happy with it. Somehow we got to talking about flying, and it turns out his grandmother took up gliding at the age of 80. Fantastic.
I asked who I think was the owner of the Mussel and Steak, how long they had been open. I thought it must be about two years, and in fact it is two years in May.
Another day of work, the weather is excellent in Edinburgh. Ths sun is bright, and I have to close the blinds to keep it out. Tad chilly in the evening as I walk around.
Valentines day, so did not feel inclined sitting in a restaurant on my own. So though of the Mai Thai. Damn, full of couples eating romantic meals together. At least the bar had a few people watching Rangers being beaten by Tel Aviv. Had an excellent meal as usual, left it to the owner to decide for me. So ate a Beef Rendang with coconut rice.
Their usual excellent service.
Still travelling to Edinburgh, but for a Life Assurance and Pension company. Almost left on time from Luton, but I suppose because of the school half time, the departure was manic. Meant that some one never quite made it to the aircraft and their luggage was off loaded.
Went for a curry at a restaurant on Drummond Street, the same street where B’est was. The curry house is next door to a sex shop and is called (arrgh – can’t remember). Had a pretty reasonable curry.
On Tuesday night arranged to meet Mary for a quick drink in the Cafe Royal, she seems to be busy the rest of the week. Afterwards back to the hotel where I had supper, scallops and sausage. OK strange combination, but they were on different plates. My current favourite Edinburgh waitress was working, I believe she is going to get the Edinburgh Raddison best staff member of the year award. I asked where the manager had disappeared to. I have not seen him since Christmas. Appears he is running/working at a bar on Hanover street.
The MP3 player is a great boom, been listening all through my Primus albums. And for the benefit of Selina, they covered a Pink Floyd track called ‘Have a Cigar’. So her two most favourite bands in the same track.
Still sitting here waiting for the 13.25 to Edinburgh to leave. Every half hour it gets delayed by more than another half hour. So will it ever fly? Presently it is showing as leaving at 15:40. Yesterday it didn’t leave till almost 17:00. Will I get home in time for Ladymead Joinery’s Christmas party at The Plough and Anchor? Looks like a tight schedule.
At least I am not flying to Heathrow, if I was I expect I would be spending Christmas in Edinburgh. The British airports are too busy, so a little fog soon causes delays and cancellations. Time to double the number of runways and build a little redundancy into the transport system. B****r all those Nimbies who bought their houses near to airports, knowing full well that planes make a small amount of noise. (Which is getting lesser every few years, with better engine design.)
The food at Edinburgh airport is quite nice. There is this French run place that serves excellent tarts. They are so good looking and yummy tasty in the mouth.
Must go and buy a magazine, as the power on this battery is getting low.
After our lovely holiday in Guernsey it was back to work in Edinburgh for a couple of days. I decided to fly up on Sunday evening, and ate in the hotel bar. Some fish and a goats cheese salad.
This evening was a little bit more adventurous and went out and ate in a Tappas bar called Barioja (Bar!oja). I had four dishes, bread and olive oil, Sardines (Sardinas), mixed Spanish meats (Embutidos) and a mixed vegetables, tomato, courgettes etc cooked in olive oil (Escalivada). All tasted very good, and was washed down with a large glass of Tinto.
