Homecoming 2009 (and other stories)

Having found out what was happening in the city this weekend, Captain Tact and I opted to leave the flat today in order to do some stuff and things.

For instance, we went to Cameo and saw Bunny and the Bull, which is a film from the team who make The Mighty Boosh. It was a very nice film, with lots of funny parts (and featuring turns from the usual Boosh suspects) and then some serious bits thrown in for good measure. I'm bad at reviewing films without giving things away, which is why I avoid doing it, but essentially there is a surreal road trip and it is good.


Then we went to the castle.

As previously discussed, admittance is free this weekend, which is totally worth it because as you can see they have gone to the trouble of CAPTURING THE MOON and putting it in a cage for your pleasure.

That's one hell of a Christmas decoration.



Meanwhile, the Market by the National Gallery are selling tiny doughnuts on sticks. Good with hot chocolate, cheaper than crepes. (Three pounds! For flour and milk! Scandalous.)

We then daundered down Princes Street, still pretty tram work heavy at 5pm but a lot better than it has been. Whereupon we discovered that for this weekend only you can take your child into a huge plastic bubble and throw fake snow at it. Which is nice. Sadly we failed to procure a child at which fake snow could be thrown. Mainly on account of not really trying too hard.

And finally, the Art Car Parade. An interesting spectacle indeed. The raving milkman was a particular highlight - he loves dancing his heart out whilst pretending to deliver milk. Well, who wouldn't. I made a wee little video on my camera, but the milkman is not involved. Sorry.

Free Stuff To Do In Edinburgh

Over the next few days, the year of Homecoming (250th anniversary of Burns) culminates with St Andrews Day celebrations, and Christmas is starting. This means free stuff to do, hooray!

Technically unrelated to either of the above but still good, tonight sees the launch of Cryptonite, a club night in Jekyll and Hyde with free sandwiches and all manner of musical tomfoolery from DJs NETTLES and THE DOCK (capital letters make them sound more dramatic - not that they need this, already being magnificent figures of DJery).

Tomorrow is the previously mentioned switching on of the Christmas lights by the Lord Provost (who is called George Grubb - working on something appropriately witty to say about that), resulting in Edinburgh Sparkles from Thursday till Sunday. Shiny. Said sparkles involve an anamatronic polar bear called Bjorn, so frankly you'd be a fool to miss it.

Saturday (28th) between 11am and 3pm on Princes Street, it's the Third Annual Why Buy Day organised by Friends of the Earth. Take stuff you'll never use again and swap it for other people's stuff that they'll never use again. It's good for the environment, and procures you more stuff. Everybody loves stuff. I'm going to stop saying the word stuff now.

Brought to us by Homecoming organisers in association with the Christmas lot, later on Saturday evening is the art car parade, which is probably worth a look. Cars are on display from 3pm in Parliament Square and start parading themselves about at 5, finishing in St Andrew Square Gardens. I am given to understand that some of the designs are totally crazy. LOL.

Sunday (29th) Free Movies at the Filmhouse to celebrate St Andrew's Day - these will be I Know Where I’m Going! (where I fully expect to encounter Captain Dancehall), Mrs Brown and The Flying Scotsman. Also whilst they are free, they are also ticketed so you should book by going to the Filmhouse Box Office on Lothian Road or calling them on 0131 228 2688.

A lot more stuff and things are forthcoming over the next few weeks, some of which I may draw your attention to if I am feeling enthused. This post, however, is mainly a 'speriment in creating readable events content. I reckon to make stuff like this more manageable reading, short sharp bursts might be the way to go.