One Pipi With Lashings of Everything

After waiting what seemed like decades upon decades, August rolled around and Pipi rocked into Edinburgh.  I'd been looking forward to her visit for so very very long, and it was fantastic to see her.  Well, it was fantastic after the initial not recognising her thing.  People should warn people if they're going to get a fringe.  I saw this girl in the airport, kinda cute, resembled Pipi, but she had a fringe.  So, not Pipi.  Yes Pipi?  Figured it out eventually. 

I had to work through some grief and jealousy issues at first (I've been told on several occasions by different hairdressers that I cannot have a fringe), but the sadness passed.  Our brief time with Pipi began as it ended, with a drink or two.  The first night was relatively sedate, some wine, a catch up, then off to bed.

Then came Thursday.  Hmm, Thursday, where to begin?  Perhaps with this?

We were walking into town to grab a coffee for the addicted one, up Dundas street where I work, when we spied the mishap above.  One man with a van, one failed handbrake, one narrowly missed shop window, and literally hours of crane-extraction.  We ignored the obviously ominous implications of an out of control vehicle stuck in reverse and headed up the hill into town.

The stunning Balmoral Bar and Hotel.  You gotta dress fancy to gain admittance.  Since we ain't fancy, (nor flushed with cash) we moved on.

The view of the Edinburgh skyline from Calton Hill.  It really is a remarkable city - the second you leave the main drag, the noise dies, and the space opens up to reveal the most incredible vistas.  Edinburgh cannot be beat for views when the sun shines.  Wish it would do so more often.

Arthur's Seat from Calton Hill.  We were ginnae climb it, but we dinnae wannae.  Well, it is a lovely walk, but time consuming, and we were on the clock.

The Royal Mile was all fringed up.  It's great, but after a week or so, you do get sick of people shoving flyers in your face.

At Underbelly, Teviot.  So many venues at which to consume beverages, so little time.  We made a sincere and concerted effort anyway.  We started at Under the Stairs, a gorgeous little bar where we grabbed luncheon.  We moved on to this glorious venue before heading to Pleasance Courtyard for our first show - Hamlet: The Musical. 

Oh wait, I forgot about our stopover at The Pear Tree for a few while we waited for Pipi's bag to be fixed.

Pinwheels at Pleasance Courtyard, another fantastic venue.  Hamlet: The Musical was too too fun.  Just over an hour of well-constructed, melodical dramedy.  Short, sharp and too the point.  Not waffly like that stupid Shakespeare version.

I spied Matthew Horne of Gavin and Stacey fame (I don't know whether anyone outside the UK would know who he is, Pipi didn't, but apparently her boss loves the show).  He was none too impressed with our photographic enterprise, but we are shameless.

We met some delightful Canadians at the show and decided to lure them Leithside for dumplings and cocktails.  Great restaurant, we were put in a little section all our own, guess they could tell we might get a little rowdy.  We were told more than once to keep it down.  Silly old jittery restauranteur.  Whatever dude, we're hilarious.

On to Rumba, a sweet little bar near our place, venue #1000 and cocktail number who the hell knows.

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It seems the rowdiness continued, and for better or worse, Stu caught the entire ordeal on camera.

So that was day 1, as for the rest:

Day 2 was slightly more subdued with a few of us feeling a little green.  No no, not me though, I sensibly went to bed at 1am.  Pipi and Stu stayed up having many many many whisky shots that Pipi especially would learn to curse by morning time.

We shopped, we lunched and we napped until it was time to head into town once more for a show I had been looking forward to - Frisky and Mannish.  If they ever make it to Australia, get onto it.  They sold out last year, they're already sold out this year, and they are brilliant.  Caberet, comedy and the most outlandish and sublime singing duo I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing in the flesh.

Met up with a mate for his birthday, then attempted to catch a late comedy gig, but by the time it started at 2am, it was all getting just a bit too much.  Home and in bed by 4am, and then breakfast the next day before taking Pipi to the airport to catch her flight to London.  Over too quickly definitely, but I was glad to have a whole weekend left to recover.  I'm getting too old for this level of shenaniganism.

More photis to be seen on Facebook if you're keen.