hysteria

So I was trying to distract myself ahead of this date.  Keeping myself entertained is at the best of times something of a battle, especially in countries where it is too rainy to just spend the day in a pavement cafe, and this was something of a challenge.  Sigh.  But luckily, I was in Edinburgh.  If all else fails, I can find myself a hill and climb it.

Queen's park is the park surrounding Arthur's seat, the large extinct volcano.  Having gone into the centre to pick up my replacement glasses, I journeyed forth to see if I could avoid spending the day obssessing about the appropriateness of my outfit.  I decided against going to the parliament - it's a great building, but I was feeling outdoorsish.  As a note on the parliament, it wasn't finished when I was living in Edinburgh, and last time I was here I wasn't here for long, so this is the first time I've had a chance to look at even the outside.

  I'm rather taken with the fact it has large ox-eye daisies on the roof.  I tied my scarf over my shoulders and climbed to St Anthony's Chapel and the well, where I quite like the view and wouldn't get all sweaty like I would climbing to the peak. Unfortunately, there was a family pushing and shoving and smoking, so my tranquillity was not helped much. 

After that, I went to the city of Edinburgh museum.  I'll write a separate review, but it at least was quiet and I could force myself to learn about stuff - like how Cannongate was a separate burgh till a couple of hundred years ago - until the Bloke in question texted me when we were meeting and where.  That at least meant that I hadn't imagined the invite...

I'm not good on sophisticated.   Never was.  And certainly not on cool.

On the way back up the royal mile to get changed, I stumbled across a very small sign that said "garden open to the public", and into one of the most beautiful gardens I've ever seen.  Slightly overgrown, in a good way, full of drowsy bees and pinks and honeysuckles and half wild roses, and it smelt amazing.  Stunningly lovely.  My friends who live here don't entirely believe it really exists, but it does. 

Of course I left the house too early, and even the earnest display in Princes Street Gardens failed to kill enough time.  I was forced to resort to wandering about on the Water of Leith to kill time.  Normally I love the stretch of the Water of Leith between Stockbridge and the Village of Dean; it's in a little tiny gorge, so you feel like you've left the city, and there are ducks and flowers and an old mineral well.   But today, it was a little midgy for my liking.  The last thing I needed was fresh bites!  I was relieved when enough pacing up and down meant that it was the required five minutes late, not looking insanely keen mark!

Unfortunately, an excess of nerves meant that I can't remember the name of the little Argintinean restaurant where we ate dinner, but it was really quite nice.  I had Arepos.  The service was great, though, the wine was lovely, adn there can't be that many Argintinean restaurants in Stockbridge, so I'm sure interested readers can find it!

The bar we drank cocktails in was called Brambles, and I'll write a brief review.  But I got really quite drunk, and it was very dark and nice.