What I've eaten so far today (10 p.m.)
- 8 a.m. - Horrible instant coffee in my hotel room
- 8.20 a.m. - Horrible instant coffee in my hotel room
- 9.20 a.m. - Okay coffee before the conference I was in
- 10 a.m. - Okay coffee during the conference I was in
- 11 a.m. - Pretty nice coffee during a break
- 12 p.m. - Okay coffee during the lunch break
- 2 p.m. - Really nice black Americano with an extra shot at Costa in Edinburgh Airport
- 4.30 p.m. - Really nice black Americano with an extra shot at Costa in Manchester Airport
- 5.30 p.m. - Really nice gingerbread latte at Costa in Manchester Airport
- 6.30 p.m. - Really nice black Americano at Costa in Manchester Airport
- 9.30 p.m. - Outstandingly nice bottle of Stella Artois at home
Edinburgh
I’ve been here for 4 hours so far and have:
- been freaked out by my hotel room
- walked up Calton Hill (unfortunately, it got really misty a couple of hours ago, so I couldn’t see much)
- walked along the Royal Mile (which I can see along from my window!)
- walked around the Grassmarket
- found Cowgate Bridge
Now, it’s 9pm and I’ve got work to do for tomorrow. Which is fair, because it’s the reason I’m here.
I need to come back here on my own time. Later this summer, maybe.
This is the third time I’ve stayed in this hotel in Edinburgh and, every time, the room layout has been completely different.
Last time, I had some weird battlement at the top of the building that took a big chunk out of the room. This time, I open the door to the room, the bathroom is to my right, and then there are four steps down to the rest of the room. It’s kind of weird, but I like it.
if you ever plan to get the train to Manchester from Sheffield and there is a replacement coach service, DON’T. I thought we were going to die.
I’m the dead looking one in front.
If that’s where I think it is, that’s Ladybower Reservoir, just outside Sheffield, after you’ve come off Snake Pass. I always liked seeing it, because it meant I was getting close to Sheffield.
Pulled Apart By Horses — I Punched A Lion In The Throat
I saw these guys play the third stage/tent at Download on the last day, and thought they were brilliant.
I hadn’t heard of them before, but the festival programme described them as making,
…disconcerting noise with hints of …Trail of Dead, Les Savy Fav and Fugazi, layered over ballsy riffage
so I’m sure you understand why I wanted to see them.
Anyway, they were great. I bought their Tour Traxx EP off their website when I got back. It arrived yesterday and I really like it.
I stole this photo off their MySpace blog. I was standing pretty close to the pillar you can see in the back, just inside the tent. It was taken by Danny North.
Say hello to my little friend.
She first showed up about a week ago and started quacking outside the kitchen window and didn’t stop until I threw her some bread. She’s come back every day since then, usually showing up when I get home, like she’s watching out for me, and then she’ll just hang around for a few hours.
I don’t know what her story is, but it looks like she’s been in the wars. She’s never with any other ducks, which is unusual for ducks, and she looks like she’s been through a few fights. But she’s pretty trusting and will let you get quite close to her.
Whatever her story is, I like her, and she’ll be well-treated for as long as she sticks around. She’s already got her own little water bowl.
I get to go to Edinburgh again tomorrow. This photo is on the city’s Wikipedia page, and you can actually see the hotel where I’ll be staying in it.
