Elephant House and a Flying Dutchman

The Elephant House, where J. K. Rowling wrote the first several

tomes of Harry Potter; it is on George IV Bridge amid the

museum, national library and related buildings

The view out the back room windows is stunningly inspirational

Me, seeking inspiration; it did not come from the MacLachlan

ale, the worst beverage I have ever had

Vicki, who has read all the books and seen

all the movies, also was inspired

The decor is mostly representations of, um, elephants

We moved on at length to Usher Hall, where we saw and

heard a performance of Wagner's Flying Dutchman, by the

Hamburg Opera (part of the Festival); oratorio style, but

with the singers acting their roles as much as the setting

permitted; the conductor (conductress?) was a bit of a

dancer, but I guess that's the style these days; she obviously

had the respect of the musicians, and it was a memorable

performance, received gratefully by the fullest hall I have

ever seen