Alan Cumming

I have made frequent trips lately to the bookstore, only to notice that Alan Cumming wrote an autobiography, part of which details his experience on Who Do You Think You Are? the British version. Caryn had already recommended watching the episode as she is a bit of a Who Do You Think You Are? addict, so I did because I really wanted to read the book.

Not only that but I found out that he was coming to Edinburgh to have a talk about the book and do a bit of a reading, I really wanted to go. Now I have said before, I am not good at doing things by myself, I really psych myself out of doing loads of things that would probably have been really cool if I only had a few more guts and actually went.

Not this time, I used my fail safe double motivators, I told Dixon and Caryn that I wanted to go, and then they pretty well made sure I got a ticket and went, and I am really glad I did. 

Now not to say that I wasn't still awkward, I waited in line, patiently, to get my book signed, I decided to get a wee line below if I could, and when it came to me, I was pretty nervous. Not because I thought he would be mean, I knew he wouldn't, and not because I thought it was silly what I wanted inscribed, I knew it was. But he was really nice when he saw PIFF PAFF POFF, written in pencil just below my neatly written out name. He said hello, and said "its actually just the one 'f'" if I was better armed I could have replied "Oh, dearie me" but I just smiled hugely and thought of wonderful things to talk about but scampered away saying thank you, as the assistant took a couple photos.

Now all of this interaction will make much more sense if you watch The High Life, just go do it now, its brilliant. But at that very least watch the clip below, which explains Pif Paf Pof and in the book there was a piece about the Eurovision Song Contest, which reminded me and had me pif pof pof-ing all week.

Caryn and Jackson in Cramond

On my last day with Caryn and Jackson, we took advantage of the good weather to have a walk down to the shore, and up the River Almond. We had a spot of lunch at the cafe and took pictures of ducks and ponies, classic walk to the shore for me. It's something I like to do with my family when they come over, because its one of my favourite places to go for a walk in Edinburgh! I hope they enjoyed that walk as much as I did. 

So that was basically the whole trip of Caryn and Jackson being over, and it was a lot of fun it felt like we got to do a lot of things, but it felt like it was going by really fast.

The Camera and The Gallery

 Sorry for the brief hiatus, I should really stop apologizing, we all know I am not very consistent at this blogging thing.

Anyway, where were we... well Caryn and Jackson took the day to do a day trip on a distillery and mini highland tour, round Glengoyne and Stirling Castle, it looked like they had a pretty excellent time together. Its a tour my dad and I had done before, at least four years ago. They did that while Dixon and I had the day to just chill out together. So the next day they had break while both of us were working. That catches us up to the Tuesday where we did the Camera Obscura and the World of Illusions and then we made our way over to the National Gallery where they were having a free Generation exhibit of 20 years of contemporary art throughout Scotland.

The camera obsura was very cool, as I hadn't ever seen that before even though I have been to the actual attration before, we came too late and didn't get to see that but got to go through all of the floors of illusions. It was a lot of fun all round.

And at the gallery as you might be able to suss out there was a particular exhibit that I really liked. It was all pretty cool though.

 

 

 

Edinburgh Zoo

I know I have posted about the zoo multiple times, but it is something I am always excited to go and see with whoever is visiting, I have even contemplated getting a members card so I can go whenever I want. Caryn also really loves the zoo, so unsurprisingly we went to the zoo for day three. 

The best part of the zoo other than getting to see some of my favourite animals is I always see something different, whether its the owl I have never managed to find before or the panda actually walking around, each time you go it feel completely new. We also lucked out pretty good with the weather, the day before was really raining out in Falkirk and we got pretty soaked, and the day after wasn't too great either, but I had to work. Caryn and Jackson went on their own adventure.

Because of the nice weather, loads of the animals were out and about, so we were treated to the African Hunting Dogs running and playing in the enclosure, the one below is  a bit tuckered out, the penguins are always about, but I caught one mid dive. The owl as I mentioned, I had never managed to find, like the Lynx in the Calgary Zoo, I don't even think there is one in there, but since Jackson was able to spot the owl, who knows he could be there. We caught the end of animal antics where the hornbill flew all around us, Jackson also got an amazing video, but it wasn't sharing on here. The zebras are always one of my favourties, but we didn't linger too long as we had our ticket for the Giant Panda viewing at 1:30. 

When we got in to see the pandas both of them were in their indoor enclosures, Yang Guang was sleeping, but Tian Tian had just come in from outside. Normally you are ushered around from one bit to the other by zoo staff, but maybe because its kind of the off season you had a wee bit more free reign. So we wandered outside and had a bit of a rest and waited, and Tian Tian didn't disappoint, she wander outside and right up to the glass and round and back inside again. It was pretty amazing, she came back out and in again a few more times, but after the first time, more and more people were outside, so maybe that frightened her away.

We stopped to eat before the penguin parade, which had a Gentoo Penguin and three King Penguins. The rhinos were out and about and the Red River Hogs had just been fed and all the piglets were running about trying to get a good bit of the food. Another of my favourites, the Sun Bears, were wandering down into the front of their enclosure, I think they are mostly my favourite because they look as though they are wearing too big pajamas! And one of Caryn's favourites, the Pygmy Hippo, came all the way outside to have a great big yawn before trundling back inside.

As you can tell from the exceedingly large introduction and walk through, I had an excellent time at the zoo and I can only hope Caryn and Jackson had as much fun as I did. And I can't wait for the next time I get to go to the zoo.