Edinburgh Lebowski's

On an earlier Scottish trip, daughter Rachel and her husband Will had discovered Lebowskis in Glasgow, and a little research showed a second such now open in the west end in Edinburgh. Of course it was high on my list of must-sees. As clever as a theme-restaurant can be, and this one is clever, one should never have very high hopes for the actual food and drink...

We were there at noon on Sunday; and told we could order
only from the brunch menu, the choices from which were not
very impressive; the food even less 

Regular menu

Drink menu: much cuteness, if mostly on the vodka/Kahlua
theme; they missed a real opportunity with The Stranger;
but then maybe you can't get Sioux City Sarsaparilla in
Edinburgh...

Much Lebowski decor

My drink, The Dude, made with cream, supposedly, and supposedly without
the chocolate powder and beans (very un-Dude)...when I complained, the waiter
insisted, in his best attempted English, this is how they make it, despite what the
menu said; OK, I said, I'll see you on TripAdvisor

Continuous showing of the movie...one wonders what sorts of rights are paid...

Still Not Our Favorite Museum

We visited the Scottish National Museum in 2009 and were unimpressed. We thought we'd give it another go in 2019, but came away with pretty much the same impressions...disorganized, no apparent narrative to follow, even in small bits. Many interesting items, but little coherence. I took rather more pix, however, so that is hopeful. Maybe it will grow on us.

Scotland's first Mini, among the first anywhere; love the color

Assorted carvings from the paleolithic, neolithic, pictish, medieval, whatever

Mixed old stuff

Distant relations in the neolithic (the axe is from the southern
Alps)

Definitely medieval; the signage said it is a woman giving
birth; we thought it more of a Sheila-na-gig

A clarsach, a medieval Highland harp, only a few in
existence; the display case is 1904 Art Nouveau

 

Very famous Lewis chess men. medieval; the rest of the set is where the rest of
every set is...the British Museum

The McCoys (Mackays) are up top; marginalized, as it were

Another clarsach

Scottish myths and realities

Specimens of favorite Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Putatively close relative

Much of the industrial revolution was in Scotland

Old Glenfiddich still, another sort of steam power

The 6th floor terrace affords some fine views of Edinburgh

Somewhat cluttered view in the direction of Arthur's Seat

Dorsal Dolly

First cloned animal, so to speak

In the natural history section...maybe next time

Edinburgh Tattoo

We first did the Tattoo--the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo--in 2009, and were enthralled; again in 2013, perhaps our best visit; and again this year, 2019. It's hard to explain: military marching bands strutting their stuff, very international, production values that are rising to the top for an outdoor performance, all in the Esplanade (review field) in front of Edinburgh Castle. Perhaps you have to have Scottish blood in your veins, or other Scottish spirits in your veins, but for us it is still a great experience, much more than mere fun. This year's participants were (quoting from the website) "China, France, Germany, New Zealand, Nigeria and Trinidad, as well as homegrown talent from the UK at the centre of it all." All these "are reinforced by the legendary sound of the Massed Pipes and Drums--more than 250 pipers and drummers from Scottish Regiments, the Pipers Trail and around the world--and the dazzle and athleticism of the Tattoo Dance Company, along with enchanting tunes from the Hjaltibonhoga fiddlers from the Shetland Isles." [Rachel note]. BTW, in Scotland, the stress is on the second syllable of "tattoo." Must be Gaelic. We'd go again, every year, if we could.

Opening ceremonies, presentation of the something-or-other, very military, very
Scottish; Vicki adds that it is the presentation of a wee dram...seriously...how I
could have missed this is puzzling...

Entry of the massed pipes and drums, 250 strong, "Scotland the Brave," a real
heart-thumper

The German band, mit beer hall maidens putsching und schoving (Beer hall putsch;
look it up) 

The steel drum band from Trinidad

The French doing the can-can

Pretty incredible: the marching violin band Hjaltibonhoga from the Shetlands

Personal favorite, always: New Zealand; note lighting on castle walls...rivals
the best we saw at D-Land a few months before

They march and play, conventionally, and then do a haka, always the biggest
crowd-pleaser; see Vicki's interesting side-ways take below...

Massed bands

Now I've seen everything: a marching bassoon (saw marching oboes in Spain
in 2017)

Fireworks

The Lone Piper

How much longer, one wonders: Scotland voted overwhelmingly to Remain
and may well leave the Union in order to stay in the EU; thus also Northern
Ireland...

Maybe Little England and Wales can keep the colors

Scotland the Brave