Edinburgh has been sunny and rain-free for five days now, and I am not surprised that rain is in the forecast. I tried to take advantage of the glorious weather while it lasted, as did the rest of the city!
Friday after classes I did some exploring and shopping, which was really just an excuse to be outside without doing homework. Due to a slight knee injury in the afternoon (hopefully I am done hurting myself now), I was not able to walk far, yet I couldn’t stay inside. Sunshine is greatly appreciated after a few days of clouds and rain! I think everyone in Edinburgh (including the taxi drivers) found themselves in a much better mood over the weekend!
Friday evening after dinner I joined my flatmate and friends for an evening of Scottish storytelling. Evidently once a month the storytellers of Edinburgh gather on the first floor of a local pub (which in USA is actually the second floor) and share tales with each other. The setting of the evening was much like a grandmother’s living room, with dim lighting and older furniture. Even though the seating was not very comfortable, the stories were more than entertaining. For two and a half hours we listened to tales about Edinburgh, the Northern Isles of Scotland, family feuds, rabbits and a fox, young romance, and old trains that couldn’t go up hills. Some were poems, some were short stories, and some were songs. The “Father” of Scottish storytelling, 80 something years old, began a song, and the entire room joined in at the chorus. Of course I had no idea what the words were, as I had never heard the song before, but that didn’t keep me from smiling and humming along. The most delightful part of the evening was when the 2004 Storytelling-Oscar winner rose to tell his story. The fragile looking man was probably in his upper 70’s, but it took him only seven seconds to have the whole place rolling with laughter. Even though we were by far the youngest individuals in the room, I enjoyed every minute of the evening. I can’t wait to go back next month.
Saturday, while still nursing my knee, I set out once again to enjoy the sun. Even though I couldn’t walk long distances, I was able to wobble to a store or a shop and rest for a few minutes, then wobble on to my next destination. I finished the evening with a trip to a local Japanese restaurant and some movies on my flatmate’s computer.
Sunday I made my way down to Princes Street with all of the major stores, where everyone in Edinburgh was soaking up the warm sun. A bustling street for mid-day Sunday, Princes Street was filled with shoppers, families, bagpipers, and even a Tinman looking individual dancing the “Robot” to some techno music. Sunday evening was my scheduled night to cook for the flat, so I did what any good Minnesotan would do: I made fajitas. I understand that a traditional hotdish would have been appropriate, but I had a need for some sort of non-deep-fried vegetable that wasn’t smothered in grease.
One of my flatmates is in an African Dance society here on campus. All throughout the week societies/clubs are advertising to recruit new students (mostly students who just arrived to Edinburgh). Last night, three dance societies held performances and workshops for interested students. The belly-dancing instructor must have an adult class somewhere in the city. I have no other explanation for women in their mid 40’s-60’s wearing high-cut shirts, low-cut pants, and jeweled scarves around their hips. Honestly, even though I had to laugh out loud, I was proud of these women for belly dancing the night away with other college students – good for them! I was amazed at the Bollyrood dancing (a mixture of Western and Eastern dances with a cinematic twist performed to traditional music with a contemporary beat — confusing, I know), and I was mesmerized by the belly dancing, but I was simply speechless when the African dancers came out. So much energy for such a little period of time – I was tired just watching! I enjoyed watching the various dances, and I loved seeing all of the students perform. The talent in the students did force me to remember the fact that I just can’t dance . . . . but if the 60 year old women can belly dance, then maybe I could too!
Aside from dance performances and storytelling, I will actually be opening some books. Rain is inevitable today and every day this week, yet I am hoping for more sun as daylight hours increase rapidly. Hopefully it will be a beautiful and exciting fourth week in Scotland!
Cheers!