Thursday & Friday 7 August 2025

Back into town this morning for ‘Feelin Happy – The Jive Aces.’ This eight piece band featured keyboards, base, drums, sax and trombone and a lead singer on four string guitar. Then a stubby signoria on piano accordion and a sexy lass with a jazz voice helping out on a couple of numbers. It started at 12.00 noon and went non stop for an hour with amazing energy and entertainment. Cool swing to the roots of rock and roll and even a Dean Martin impersonation. We came out at 1.00 pm buzzing.

Off to the gardens again for a snack. This time for a very good, wood fired pizza and another couple of negronis. These little babies come in a small can with a plastic ‘glass,’ ice and a slice. Amazingly good negronis. A reliable bus ride back to the hotel for a nap.

We are out past Murrayfield Stadium, famously home to the Scottish Rugby Union. Oasis is playing there for three nights starting tomorrow, so that explains all the comings and goings at our hotel.

Refreshed now, we head back into town to try and find a feed before the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo – the 75th anniversary this year. After a little panic about time, Flashy settles down and we get a seat in the very crowded and popular ‘Mother India Restaurant.’ Probably one of the best Indian meals ever, including a pint of Kingfisher. Then follow the 7,998 other people to the forecourt of the castle to mingle and meet some of the pipers and performers. Lady P does the tourist thing and has her photo taken with a piper. He’s from Australia!

The Tattoo was OK. We had amazing seats, high up enough to see everything and at the castle drawbridge end where all the action happened. But it wasn’t blow your socks off spectacular. Not enough bagpipes, Flashy reckons.

Friday saw us head out to the airport to collect the hire car for the next 46 days in the UK. You don’t want to know how expensive this, especially when you add in all the necessary insurances. Nonetheless, we get a brand new Renault Clio and head off on an hour drive to our pet sit in Dollar, a village about an hour out of Edinburgh.

While waiting for the owners to depart we explored Dollar a bit, had a beer in the pub and a most excellent dinner at the Avery Restaurant.

A couple  of likely lads.
Our second negroni experience.
The Jive Aces.
The Tattoo begins.
Not enough bagpipes.
The Aussie piper.

Comments

  1. Graeme9 August 2025 at 22:27

    For some reason beyond my ken (that's Scottish you know) Google has let me back in to the blog comments area. The little cans of negroni look interesting and would be handy for pre dinner drinks whilst camping, or even mid morning drinks whilst camping. The piper has a nice sporran, bigger than some.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Roger11 August 2025 at 02:18

      Those little cans come in six different cocktails. I will try for the Australasian distribution rights!

      Delete

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