Day 1 Entre: Cento Tre -- absolutely fantastic

Over the pond and through the woods, through Brussels and airport delays, we arrived in Edinburgh under azure blue skies and brilliant sunshine with delightfully warm weather.

Tired, we were gleefully greeted by Roger and Lucinda Coulthard, the owners of 19B Royal Circus -- a wonderful 3 bedroom apartment, near everything and newly re-decorated, including a cat walking across the skylight in the kitchen, overlooking a quaint Scottish garden.

We bedded down for a few hours respite to regain our energy so we could later search for sustenance.

At 7:00 PM Edinburgh time, we strolled through New Town and found an elegant, new age Italian restaurant -- Cento Tre -- located at 103 George Street, that features orginal fresh Italian food combined with high-touch, courteous Scottish service.

When we stopped to check out the fare on the menu, a recent gatronome imbiber told us, " You would be pleased to try it out, the food is good and service exceptional." A few moments later, he retorted, "I should know, I am the owner."

We enjoyed a mixture of bruschetta, prosciutto, melon, cozze, a parma pizza with arugula, accompanied by a nice Barbera d'Asti wine from Lombardia. Topped off by wonderful cappucino, gelato and other fine desserts we began the end to a "well travelled" first day in Scotland. What a delight.

Onward, the journey continues....

See you tomorrow at the festival!

Thin's to do in Edinburgh

A good friend, Mark, the "Man o'Steel", recommended the following things to see while we are in Scotland. Please view these recommendations with careful deference. Remember Mark is a Brit!

THE ROYAL MILE

Edinburgh Castle

• Where: Top of Royal Mile
• When: Daily 09.30 - 18.00 ( summer)
• Price: Adults 8.50gbp; Children ( 5 - 15 ) 2gbp; Seniors 6.5gbp.
• How to get there: Bus 1, 6, 34, 35
  

Camera Obscura/Outlook Tower - We saw this!

• Where: Castlehill
• When: Daily 09.30 - 18.00 (later in summer)
• Price: Adult £6.45 Student/Senior £5.15 Child £4.15
• How to get there: Bus 1, 6, 34, 35
  

Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre - We stopped in!

• Where: Castlehill
• When: Daily 09.30 - 18.00 (later in summer)
• Price: Adults 4.95gbp Children 2.50gbp Seniors 3.50gbp families 12.00gbp
• How to get there: Bus 1, 6, 34, 35
  

The Hub Edinburgh's Festival Centre - We walked by!

• Where: Castlehill
• When: Daily 08.00 - 11.00 (later during festivals)
• Price: Prices for events vary.
• How to get there: Bus 1, 6, 34, 35
  

Gladstone's Land

• Where: Lawnmarket
• When: Daily (April to 30th Oct only) 10.00 - 17.00 (Later July & Aug)
• Price: Adult £5, Concession £4, 1 Parent Family £10, Family £14NTS/NT/British Heritage Pass/Discovery Pass (NTS) & Edinburgh are all free.
• How to get there: Bus 1, 6, 34, 35
  

THE HIGH STREET

St. Giles Cathedral - We visited!

• Where: High Street
• When: Daily 09.00 - 17.00 Sun 13.00 - 17.00
• Price: Free but Donations are always welcomed
• How to get there: Bus 1,6,34,35
  

Mary Kings Close

• Where: High Street
• When: Daily 10.00 - 21.00 Sun ( APR-OCT )
• Prices: Adults £8.00 Seniors/Students £7.00 Child £6.00
• How to get there: Bus 1, 6, 34, 35
  
  Mary King's Close is a range of closes and spaces that lie hidden beneath Edinburgh's City Chambers. This is a historically accurate interpretation of life in the city from the 16th - 19th century.

Museum of Childhood

• Where: High Street
• When: Daily 10.00 - 17.00
• Price: Free
• How to get there: Bus 34, 35

Palace of Holyrood - We saw this!

• Where: Bottom of Royal Mile
• When: Daily 09.30 - 18.00 (summer) 09.30 - 16.30 (winter)
• Price: Adults 5.50gbp; Children 2.70gbp; Seniors 4.00gbp; families 13.50gbp
• How to get there: Bus 1, 6

Rising Spirits - Sarah's smile

Edinburgh's past comes alive in the subterranean vaults that lie beneath the well worn paths of the city's cobblestone streets. Orginally used as storerooms, workshops and drinking dens in the 19th century, they became inhabited by poor Highlanders and Irish refugees from the potato famine. They slowly deteriorated and were abandoned to poverty, filth and crime.

But there is a darker side to the past, something few people care to discuss -- the plague that struck the city in 1645. Legend has it that the disease ridden inhabitants of Mary King's Close (a lane on the northern side of the Royal Mile -- the site of the City Chambers -- you can still see its blocked-off northern end from Cockburn street) were walled up in their homes and left to die. When the lifeless bodies were cleared from the houses, they were so stiff that workmen had to hack off limbs to get them through the small doorways and narrow, twisting stairs.

From that day onward, the "Close" was said to be haunted by the spirits of the plague victims. One of the most famous is "Sarah", a little girl who died of the plague, but has been seen as an paranormal apparition carrying a doll, walking with a small dog named "Bailey".

EXPLORE MORE!

Edinburgh (remember its pronounced Edinburr!) just begs to be explored. From the haunted undergound vaults to HolyRood Palace and the wynds that riddle Old Town to its picturesque urban villages, it is filled with quirky, come-hither nooks that tempt you to just walk just a "wee bit" further -- to see green sunlit hills, a glimpse of the rust-red crags, a blue flash of the distant sea, or a paranormal apparition -- and ramble on through your wanderlust.

Edinburgh, the Athens of northern Europe, enjoys a spectacular setting where crags overhang a bustling city that stretches to the English Sea. But there is more to the city than just siteseeing the past -- there are cozy shops, 5 star restaurants and a bachanalia of pubs to enjoy.

During the Fringe, the performing artists light up the city providing a cornucopia for all of the senses to enjoy. Just don't run out-of-time or Scotch Whisky!

So now you know -- Dun Eiden = Edin-burr

Edinburgh owes its existence to the Castle Rock, the glacier-worn stump of a long-extinct volcano that provided a near perfect defensive position guarding the coastal route from northeast England into central Scotland. (picture above is Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, taken by Zunie.)

Back in the 7th century, the Castle Rock was called Dun Eiden (meaning "Fort on the Hill Slope"). When it was captured by invaders from the kingdom of Northumbria in northeast England in 638 AD, they took the existing Gaelic name 'Eiden' and tacked it onto their Old English word for fort, 'burh' to create the name Edinburgh. So know you know why its pronounced - Edin-burr.

Connecting with Nessie

Well, we just connected with Nessie, in Edinburgh via Skype. And the word is out...Scotch Whiskys are IN.

Sunrise at Arthur's Seat and a visit to HolyRood Palace is in order.

Good day to all!

"Foolzio" embarks on his visit to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland in the UK from August 12, 2008 to August 20, 2008.

Sampling the various fares from performing arts from around the globe, Foolzio will provide a unique "vue" of the festival with help from his entourage - Balthazar, Zunie, Queenie, EyeWeenie and BillyBob.

Fresh photos, tantalizing videos, delicious prose -- the "vue" will be truly spectlacular!

Long Live Foolzio!