Little Lighthouse

The Stevenson's built hundreds of lighthouses but this surely has to be the smallest.  It was the harbour light for North Queensferry built by Robert Stevenson in 1817.  Fuelled by whale oil, the copper parabolic reflector is silver coated and would have been a very useful addition to this important route in the 19th century.

Titan and Waverley

Through in the west again yesterday for one of the last Waverley cruises if the season. Decided on embarking at Largs and taking some photographs en route. "Titan", was the big crane in the John Brown shipyard and would have lifted thousands of tons of the old Cunarder Queens built at the yard. Titan is all that remains, preserved as a tourist attraction and now the 150 high platform is easily accessible by lift. (The crane driver took 40 minutes to get up by rather exposed stairs). The last shot is Waverley heading down the Clyde towards the Erskine Bridge. Back too late to post yesterday.

Two for One

Two flags, two holes but one green.  Could get confusing.  Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club, Morningside.

Stick It To Them

Fly posing can be a bit of a problem during the Festival so plenty of official temporary sites are set up.  This one is actually part of the Fringe Arch spanning the High St at Lawnmarket marking off one of the pedestrianised areas for street performances.  Don't think he will get much local custom for the show.

St John's

The West End, the corner of Lothian Road and Princes Street.  St John's is a lot more than a regular church. It has a long liberal tradition and involvement in numerous causes.  The home of the Cornerstone Bokshop and Cafe.  During the Festival it hosts a large craft fare, another tented village, this one complete with gravestones. The spire in the second shot is St Cuthbert's.
http://www.stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk/

Recycling Festival

A poor wet start to the day but some sunshine later.  The wet is having its usual toll on the Charlotte Sq Gardens as the bookies trek over it.  The Book Festival is organised like a military campaign right down to the waste disposal.

A L Kennedy

Meanwhile back at the Spiegeltent..................   The Unbound performance tonight was the author performing "Words".  Very much a serious writer she has taken to doing stand up.  This was neither standup nor the usual reading and chat of a book festival.  A theatrical piece, autobiographical with the central theme of the importance of language and words.  A story with purpose, brilliantly done, wity, amusing, funny, informative and thought provoking all at once.

St Bernards Well

The well is named after the 12th century St Bernard of Clairvaux who lived for a time in a proximate cave. The pump house was designed by Alexander Naysmith based on the Temple of Sybil at Tivoli.  The statue in the rotunda is the Greek goddess Hygeia.  The pump room is only open occasionally during the summer.

Fringe Venues

The Fringe Festival always has large venue signs, always sponsored.  Indeed at many venues you could partake of the sponsoring liquids.  Edinburgh must have the greatest concentration of plastic "glasses" anywhere at the moment.  This venue is, however, "Dry". The 148th Annual International Photographic Exhibition held at the Edinburgh Photographic Society in Great King Street.
http://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/event/10005326-the-148th-edinburgh-international-exhibition-of-photography/

Spiegeltent

The Spiegeltent is a constant feature of the Book Festival. Often a late night venue. This year it is sponsored by Highland Park as "Unbound". No admission charge and if you arrive at the right time a free drink as you enter. Tonight was organised by Canongate, the publishers.  Music and writers.  The only one I recognised was Janice Galloway. The lady reading is Emily Mackie.  I missed the name of the jazz combo but they were very good.  The "singer" is a performance poet.  Some poems and what would be a kind of jazz rap. Last night we were treated to John Hegley. Prince Albert find it all very illuminating.

South Leith Parish Church

This is one of the angelic supporters of the old hammer beam roof in this historic old kirk. The church is well worth a visit.  You can learn some of the history here.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Leith_Parish_Church

First Edinburgh Festival

No he didn't live to 1948 and start the E I F in 1947. The First was a musical Festival in 1815.  He was a virtuoso violinist.  This was his house in Great King Street

Juggler

Street performance is everywhere during the Festival.  High Street is closed to traffic for part of its length.

The Pleasance

The Pleasance is a University building which gets given over to the Fringe Festival for the duration. There are many different spaces in it and lots of bars.  A popular location.  Went to see the gentleman cut out (and his friends) on the right. They are called Derevo and are from St Petersburg. The show is "Harlekin". Described as "dance-dada-mime-butoh-theatre-clowning troupe".  I really enjoyed it but don't ask me to explain anything.

Book Festival

The International Festival proper and the Book Festival started this weekend.
 Fine warm weather brought out the crowds in Charlotte Square Gardens.    

Keli Clark Designs

During the Festival  numerous little tented enclaves appear with art and crafts etc.  This is the site outside St Giles.  The eponymous Keli is setting up for the day but will be moving to the site by the National Gallery.  There is a further village in St John's at the end of Princes St.

Tony Returns !

At long last the languishing Tonys are being raised. The resurrection is quite an operation, crane, frogpersons, supervisors et al. (Expensive I should think).  This is the Tony at Powderhall where the water is deeper than most other spots.  Haven't checked out the Bonnington version yet. They were having some "bolt" problems as far as I could ascertain. It looks as if he is being hung as a punishment.

Half Moon Battery

Early Morning at the Castle.  The Tattoo staging strikes again.

Croquet

Never could understand this game.  The club is on the meadows at Bruntsfield.

Earl Haig

The statue on the Esplanade at the castle overshadowed by the scaffolding for the Tattoo seating.

Great King Street

I wonder what they feed it?

The Fringe

Went to see this one woman show tonight.  (It's a picture of the ad brochure). Very well written and performed.  Just a bit short on the audience.  Only 7 of us.  With so many shows on you need a good review to get the bodies in.  This is in a small venue in Hill Street right in the centre of town.  "Remarkable Arts" have a full programme on at this little venue, Hill Street Theatre.
 http://www.remarkable-arts-ltd.com/

Oban Bay

I had a delivery to do in Oban so....Looking across Oban bay from McCaig's Folly to the Island of Kerrera and in the distance, the Isle of Mull.

Greyfriars Churchyard

The east side of the churchyard with the gravestones or rather mini monuments backing on to the buildings in Candlemaker Row.  What happens if you have a problem with the wall? The spire in the background is the old Tolbooth Kirk.  It is now designated "The Hub" and is an administrative centre for the Festival.

Jazz Festival

The Jazz Festival is the first to kick off the season. It been on the go since the weekend. When the weather is good traditional marching bands like the Criterion are popular in outdoor venues like the Gardens.

The Vennel

The Vennel runs down to the Grassmarket from Heriot Place next to George Heriots School. The Military Tattoo on the Castle esplanade is upon us and the seating is just visible on the right.  Just about sold out, as usual.

Hostel

One of the numerous backpackers hostels in Edinburgh. This one at the foot of Candlemaker Row at the entrance to the Grassmarket. The building in the background is the Central Library.

P S Waverley

On the Clyde yesterday sailing on our favourite ship. By the time we had returned to Edinburgh it was already "tomorrow" and I missed the post.
The shots are of the vessel approaching Largs.  Waverley will be on the Clyde till the end of August when she goes down south for the rest of the holiday season. The timetables for the rest of the season can be found on the Waverley site at
http://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/