Got a real taste of some traditional Scottish weather today. They say it was a Scotsman who invented the raincoat and I’m inclined to believe it. Rarely have I ever been so grateful for a waterproof layer.
I admit I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed and a tad lonesome, however today all but erased those feelings. Followed mom’s advice and had a bit of a lie in this morning, filled my belly with some free Scottish breakfast and headed out in the downpour to the national galleries. They had a Spanish exhibition on, everything from Goya and velasquez right up to Picasso and the Spanish civil war and all the politics surrounding it. There was a special emphasis on Spanish influence on British art and thinking. So cool to see art from a new perspective. I also fulfilled my dream of seeing one of my favorite Picassos in person for the very first time… The weeping woman.

After that I headed out to climb the scots monument, a tall, cathedral like spire perched on a hill opposite the castle billing itself as “Edinburgh in 265 steps”. Saw some incredible views of eerie, dreary Edinburgh. I am in awe of how beautiful it is and in awe of the fact that I am here.

Then, off to see trainspotting. It warrants a mention that on the bus ride to the theater I saw not one, not two but three police call boxes, one directly across the street from a pub called the doctor’s. Coincidence? I think not. I plan on photographing every one I see while I’m here and calling it my TARDIS series. But where was I anyway? Oh yeah, the play. I admit that I was dubious about seeing one of my favorite books turned into a play and sceptical about my ability to appreciate the play without comparing it to the movie. Trainspotting was mastefully rendered by a small ensemble of actors who took on multiple characters throughout the journey. Held together rivetingly by the actor who played marc Renton, a master storyteller, with a real standout performance by the actress who played Alison, trainspotting the play was true irvine welsh; raw, gut churning imagery, powerful, flawed and complex characters, humorous, raunchy and moving without preachiness or false morality. This was an incredibly well done piece that I feel captured the colorful language and moral ambiguity of the novel. Kudos to the props designer who created the most realistic bodily fluids I’ve ever seen on stage.
Yesterday I met up with my friend and her school group to see a piece of puppet theater called Lilly through the Dark. This was the gorgeously haunting tale of a little girl who loses her father and then kills herself to go looking for him in the afterlife. The venue, bedlam theater was a converted church in a funky bohemian neighborhood.