Tag Archives: Guildford Arms

Rhythm Sharks in Edinburgh

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Thursday was a dry day without rain but overcast.  Went to All Bar One for lunch with Mary Devine and Ed Aldridge, nice but small Caesar Salad with blackened Salmon.

Oh dear, walked past the Petit Paris and was spotted by the waiter.  He wondered why I was still in town.  I had told them on Monday that this was the end I was going away.

Met Ed in the evening at the Guildford Arms.  This was the first day of their Folk and Blues Festival.  The place was mobbed, and we seemed to be standing in the walkway.  Caledonian Breweries sponsored the event, and every one of their beers was available. I drank the IPA, and also their Porter.  A really dark and tasty beer.

As we entered a band called Yard Of Ale were playing, they are on every night starting and ending the evening. They are probably Scotland’s best acoustic pub band, music spans 30 years incl. Folk, Skiffle & Country. Anchoring event for 10th year. The band: Peter Gillan, Colin Mackenzie & Alistair McDougald.  They were not my cup of tee, and luckily they were soon off.  They played Lonnie Donnegan songs, and Ralph McTell Streets of London.

Next on were the Rhythm Sharks. Sandy Tweedale on vocals & guitar with Gary Martin on vocals & harmonica & slide guitar. Major driving force of the Scottish Blues scene.  They only get together to play once a year at the Guildford arms.  They were very good.  Can’t remember the numbers they played, but it was all Blues.

Back to my hotel before midnight!!!

Edinburgh

Blasdale Home Posted on by

Another week at the bank has been completed.  The highlights of the week were.

The Flybe flight to Edinburgh was cancelled, and we were put on a BA flight, which was meant to leave 15 minutes earlier.  Rather a rush to catch the flight.  In the end we did not arrive in Edinburgh any earlier.  Did have a breakfast though.  Other than the breakfast, the BA flight was not fun.  Long queues at the Check in, which I had to jump, crowded aircraft, it took a long time to get on and off, and we were parked miles away from the terminal.

Yura was in town on Monday.  The result was an expensive meal at Thai Me Up for Ed, Yura and I.  The meal was very nice indeed.  Yura who is the expert on Thai restaurants in Edinburgh was heard to say the food was very good.

Tuesday I ate at the Petit Paris, having my usual pichet of vin rouge.  I ate a prepared crab followed by the fish of the day.  Afterwards I had a couple of pints of beer at the Bow Bar on Victoria Street.  The Bow Bar has a massive whisky collection.  I estimated there were 150 bottles of malt with well over 100 different malts.

Wednesday I took a walk around Arthur’s seat taking a stop at the Sheep’s Heid pub.  This pub is meant to be the oldest pub in Scotland, and resides in the ancient village of Duddingston.  The walk I did was basically along Queens Drive, which is a road used by joggers and cyclists circumnavigating Holyrood Park. The walk was quite a pretty walk, which takes you past a couple of Lochs.

Thursday, Ed, Mary and I had a few beers after work at the Guildford Arms.  When I got back to the hotel it had stopped serving food and did not even do snacks.  Not really very happy about the Mount Royal Ramada Jarvis, it has seen better days.  It is though on Princes Street and does have some actual Scottish staff.  Happy days next week, I will be back in the Apex on Grassmarket.

Friday, I ate a big breakfast to make up for the lack of Supper.  Flight left on time and arrived early into a nice warm Birmingham evening.  Of course no point landing early, the busses are never ready.