Scottish pride

If a man where permitted to make all the Ballads, he need not care who should make the laws of a nation. Andrew Fletcher, one of many quotations on an outside wall of the Scottish Parlaiament

The locals for the most part seem to ignore the rain. Maybe because it is so common and comes and goes so often. For me this is my real taste of rain this year so while I'm not ready to ignore it, it was not going to deter me! I paid a visit to the Queen's local shack, the Holyrood Palace, but there were guests expected so the place was crawling with Police and the Palace was closed.

Across the road was the impressive new Scottish Parliament. I get a real sense of Scottish pride and I'm sure that it is very infectious to the tourists, with no shortage of Scottish regalia including all the tartan products under the sun. I'm even fighting the urge not to buy up only being saved by the relative absence of the Livingstone tartan in the souvenir range (note to Lyn et al-Parkes telescope kilts!).

I had warning of the cows via Tim's sister but I was not prepared for the vareity of bovine art around Edinburgh that will be auctioned off in September for charity. I'd bid for one if I could find a spot at home (note the patriotic cow out the front of the parliment).

I climbed in the rain to the top of Authur's seat, another volcano remannat, and was rewarded with a beautiful view of Edinburgh. The photos won't do it justice.