A few pre-festival notes

Dear Tourists Coming to Edinburgh;

Already you’re starting to arrive for the festival season, and as you walk around this fair city you might actually be thinking ‘Man, what a dump.’ Please know that Edinburgh doesn’t always look like this.

The bin workers have been on a partial strike for awhile now. They have a bone to pick with city council, and have lessened their rubbish pick-ups around the city to make their point – particularly in the tourist areas. Edinburgh is usually a very clean city; those piles of heaving bin bags you see on the street are not the norm. Please don’t let this affect your opinion. Edinburgh is lovely. (The rubbish bags have also caused an infestation of sea gulls, who like to pick them apart and spew garbage everywhere. It’s definitely adding to the Royal Mile’s charm.)

ALSO, Princes Street and Leith Walk aren’t usually blocked off and torn to shreds, but the city is in the midst of a ridiculous, over-priced, ill-conceived tram project at the moment.

I hope you can look past these things and see that Edinburgh is still a breathtaking city. She just has a few spots at the moment.

Sincerely,

Aasa

 

Dear Readers of the Blog;

There are already telltale signs that it’s festival season, though technically it doesn’t start until Friday. Outside the pub are bands of street performers in costume promoting their shows, more musical and street performer buskers than usual, and hordes of people. Not as many as there will be on the weekend, mind you, but loads.

When we say ‘The Festival’ starts, we actually mean a ton of festivals start. the International Festival and the Fringe Festival (the biggies), but also  the Book Festival, Festival of Politics, International Television Festival, Edinburgh Mela, the Interactive Festival, the Festival of Spirituality and Peace, and the Military Tattoo all take place in August.

It’s. Mad.

Also, most of the clubs extend their licences to 5 a.m. during August. My pub’s licence still ends at 1 a.m. Yummy.

Cheers,

Aasa.

 Dear Aasa’s Liver;

Prepare thyself.

Aasa.