och aye, its Auld Reekie

Well, I've arrived safe and well in Edinburgh... can't believe I've been here for two weeks already. The plane flight was pretty torturous, beginning with the 'suspicious package' found at adelaide airport that delayed my flight by 3 or so hours (of course it was nothing in the end). Flew straight through to Edinburgh, arriving bright and early on a Monday morning and with the most ridiculously swollen legs ever (think elephantitus of the ankles - truly disgusting).

Spent first few nights in a hostel, it was a great one - 20GBP for my own room an absolute bargain. Shame about the beer garden up the road that was holding regular boozy screenings of the World Cup, resulting in the occasional dumpster-upturning beneath my window in the middle of the night...

Last Saturday Bri and I moved into our flat... yay! Its just behind Calton Hill, about 15 minutes walk from the city centre. We're sorta house sitting for a bunch of aussie girls - none above the age of about 22 - who have headed off into a camper van for a few months to drive to portugal (hope someone tells them there's a bit of water inbetween). These chicks were seriously mingin (that's UK speak for dirty) (i mean dirty like as in not clean) (oh you know what i mean - matt this is your fault!!) Of course the flat was left in a pretty unfortunate state - my idea was to get a hose in and just spray the place down (bri wasn't so keen). Nothing that a few hundred hours of scrubbing couldn't fix. But, the rent is mega cheap (for the Ed summer anyway) and its close, so happy days...

here's the outside (the blue door is the entrance to the flats)



and the lounge



We of course made the obligatory trip to Ikea to help set up house...



rental flats over here are almost all fully furnished - wierd - but great, otherwise we'd be sleeping on the floor.

As for work, I have managed to win the job as Venue Manager for Assembly @ St George's West, an Edinburgh Fringe Festival venue hosting a bunch of shows. It's actually a church (which will still hold services on top of the stage on Sundays yikes) and its houses 2 Fringe venues, The Sanctuary and Candlish Hall. Check out the link for the list of the shows. Bri will be the Stage Manager for the venue too - we're hoping for some salsa lessons from the latin dancing people!! I start next Monday 10th July, and will work through til mid September. (Was hoping for another week to play in Edinburgh before starting work, but thems the breaks!) Should be a great gig, I'm very excited! (but quietly freaking too)

But to much more important things - the food. Its way better than I expected, but the Scots do love a bit of potato. Haven't ventured to black pudding or haggis world yet, but I have vowed that I will. (Apparently haggis is actually pretty good). Had dinner at the city Mosque with Bri and her brother Robin, a brilliant chicken curry for less than a fiver - yum! They will also deepfry anything not nailed down - mars bars, even haggis and even cheeseburgers! WTF! There's the old alcohol-in-the-supermarket trap to deal with too... gotta love it, but way dangerous.

Fave city fact so far? Edinburgh's nickname "Auld Reekie" which comes from back in the days when the city sanitation was so bad that you could smell the place from miles away. Luckily things are a bit better now... although the tourist season is only just beginning...

xx