Holy Mackerel

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Fishers in The City Thursday night decided it was an eating night.  Thought I would have a Thai meal, so walked over to Thistle Street to try Dusit.  Dusit is probably the best Thai Restaurant in Edinburgh.  It is small and looked rather full with several people hanging around outside.  So I gave it a miss, because across the road was a fish restaurant called Fishers in the City.  This restaurant has a good reputation.  Despite not booking, they were able to find me a spot at the bar to eat.  Only just made it in time.  It was nice to see many minor celebrities being turned away at the door.

The place serves Fish, but does have meat for those who don’t fancy fish.  There are several fish types on sale as well as shell fish, cray fish and lobsters.

I started off with some some Scallops, and Mackerel for my main course.  Both these were quite simple, but excellently prepared.  The wine was a revelation, it was the house brand Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa.  Most definitely not a French brand, because it smelt and tasted so florally and fruity.  I don’t know the name of the wine, not that it matters because it is not on general sale in the UK.

I then headed back to the Royal Mile to take some photos.  These are in the gallery.  Then dumping the camera, I headed to Whistle Binkies for some Rock and Roll.  Here I heard the first set of a  Scottish band called Three Card Trick.  (Myspace)   They were very good.  Now I have a recording of them as my ring tone.

I want to announce my Edinburgh Gallery.

Firing Cheeseballs at a Dog

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The Edinburgh Crags

The Edinburgh Crags

Wednesday night in Edinburgh, the rain stopped and the sun came out to play.  Even managed to capture a picture of the sun on the Crags through my hotel bedroom window.  So with the dry weather, and the festival, it was time to go out and play.  First, a quick stop to fuel up with some food, from a kebab shop on the bridges.  Must admit the humus tasted of nothing,  not even adding politically incorrect salt helped.

The Pleasance Courtyard

The Pleasance Courtyard

Ah well, off the the Pleasance Courtyard where I managed to get a ticket for Greg Davies.  He was funny, telling the story of his life and the influences of other people on his life.  As is usual he picked on a few people from the front row to help him.  Despite foolishly sitting in the front row, I was bypassed.  Not so the blonde, busty lady sitting near by.  She had to help him with his story, which she amply did.

I managed to squeeze one more set in afterwards where I saw the AAA Stand-Up late.  This was three stand up comics Erich McElroy, Ryan McDonnell and Steve Allen.   Not quite so good, and the American Erich McElroy was not at all funny.

I want to announce my Edinburgh Gallery.

I am back in town

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Yes I am back in Edinburgh for a short stay, and the weather has welcomed me with a vengeance.  It has rained pretty well all day.  The festival is in full swing, but tonight I have taken it easy, eaten at a dry restaurant.  That makes me feel very good.  Won’t last though, I am sure I will partake on Tuesday.

The meal I had was at the Kurdish restaurant, Hanams.  Ate a starter of Baba Ghanoush, and Chicken Biryani for the main.  Both very good.

I want to announce my Edinburgh Gallery.

Joan and David’s Golden Wedding

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David and Joan's 50th Wedding Anniversary

Rosemary and I went to the 50th Wedding Anniversary of her uncle and aunt.  The lunch time meal was held at The Chalk Lane Hotel, Epsom.  After an excellent meal we decamped to their house for cake and a whole other meal.

https://www.blasdale.com/blog/picture-albums/blasdale-picture-gallery-2010/2010-david-and-joan-50th/

The West is the Best

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I have been away for a few days down in Bridgwater, and staying in a local hotel called the Walnut Tree.  Quite a nice hotel, with half decent food where they make an effort on presentation and served at a reasonable price.  Not only good food, but real ale, in fact two real ales, one local, and the other carted half way across the country from Bedford.  I opted for the local, good thing as I heard from other drinkers the Charles Welles brew was off.

The breakfast staff were chatty, but I was taken aback when one one said to me, I see you are a lover.  I thought, what have I let slip?  She, seeing my bemused face, quickly followed on with a comment on my Marmite choice.

They had free wifi in the hotel rooms, though on my second day it was not working.  Went to reception to complain.  “Ah, you need a new number” said the receptionist. “Yes” I said, “but it also is not showing the logon screen”.  “Let me take a look in the office” was the reply.  “Ah, I see the boss has unplugged the internet.  Ok it will be back in 5 minutes.”  And back it came.

Hev Yew Gotta Loight Boy?

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This weekend we spent a lovely weekend in Norfolk at my Father’s and Ann’s home in Norwich.  On arrival we were whisked off for lunch at the Ship Inn at South Walsham where there seemed to be a groom’s pre-wedding drinks party.  We ate outside in the sun, waiting for the forecast rain which never arrived.

Next onto Ranworth Broad where we had a pre-booked trip on the private broad in an electric boat. Being somewhat early, we had time to visit the church of St Helen.  This contains the greatest rood screen in East Anglia. It stretches right across the church, aisles and nave.  The tower was also open, so Stephen (that is the author) climbed the very narrow spiral stair case to the top and snapped some images from the tower.

Then on to Ranworth Broad in the electric boat to view birds.  I took some pictures, not the greatest, will have to purchase one of those mega paparazzi lenses or get nearer to the birds.  Anyway saw some Terns, Grebes, Cormorants, Herons, a flash of a Kingfisher, ducks and gulls.

There was a soldier, a Scottish soldier Who wandered far away and soldiered far away

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Our main holiday this year was in Scotland.   Ravi and Maggie had invited us to launch the Hossack Institute of Highland Studies in memory of Maggie’s parents.  So, we decided to extend the holiday by staying in the Cairngorms National Park near to Tomintoul.

The drive to Inverness was uneventful, except for the police car parked on the motorway bridge with a speed camera.  The speeding ticket has not arrived, so reckon I have gotten away with it.  That evening some of went out an ate the Great British Menu, curry.

The next day I did some site seeing.  Looked around Cawdor castle, the Clava Cairns and Culloden where we whipped the Scots.

http://www.blasdale.com/blog/picture-albums/blasdale-picture-gallery-2010/scotland/2010-scotland-culloden/

The evening was a party night, where we met many of the Hossack’s.

http://www.blasdale.com/blog/picture-albums/blasdale-picture-gallery-2010/scotland/2010-scotland-party/

One more day in Inverness, Sunday saw a few of us taking a boat trip on Loch Ness to Urquhart castle in the rain and then a delicious meal in a local restaurant converted from one of the many churches in Inverness that have fallen out of use.  I might say a far better use of the premises.

http://www.blasdale.com/blog/picture-albums/blasdale-picture-gallery-2010/scotland/2010-scotland-urquhart-castle/

Monday saw us heading to Tomintoul where we were to stay in a converted barn for the next 5 days.  When we tried to buy food, it was suggested the nearest place was Inverness.  Why had we not visited Tesco as we left Inverness?  During the 5 days we toad a steam train, walked around the Glenlivet estate, and tried some Speyside whiskies.

http://www.blasdale.com/blog/picture-albums/blasdale-picture-gallery-2010/scotland/2010-scotland-glenbogle/

Finally, we travelled to Helensburgh for a couple of nights.  The original intention was to stay with some ex-colleagues (Mary and Ed) in a B&B owned by a woman who had been a customer.  Alas, she had to go to a hospital, so Rosemary and I stayed in Helensburgh (Loch Lomond appeared full) for a couple of years.  I stayed there in 1972 during the enterprise championships.

You may wonder about the pictures of the trees in the gallery, I took a picture of this tree in the exact same spot in 1972.

 

 

1972
2010

CLA Game fair

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24th July, Rosemary and I visited the hunting, shooting and fishing festival, the CLA Game Fair.  We must say the food at these events is not a patch on Glastonbury catering.  The pictures are from the dog and gun stand, a chase, where the dog runs after a lure, any one can enter.  There also was a pageant of birds of prey marking the history of hunting with birds.

The Gun and Dog stand was where Chris and Ann entered their dog Boss.  Alas I have no pictures of Boss, but have of one of his siblings.

We are not sure we will go again, or at least give it a miss for a few years before going back.

ON FORM The moment for stone

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Hot sunny day on Saturday July 10th, we ventured forth to a sculpture exhibition nearby in Asthall Manor, Asthall, Burford, Oxfordshire, OX14 4HW. The exhibition was by various artists and can be seen on the site onformsculpture.co.uk.  Not only was some of the sculpture impressive, so was the house.  Setting the sculpture in a garden setting was a fantastic idea.

Food was not a success for the day, we had intended having lunch out.  We spent too long in the gardens, only to find any decent eating places closed.  Eventually had a cream tea in Woodstock.

The sculptures may be viewed here.