Edinburgh Botanic Garden Jungle City

We had planned to see a little more of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, but with it winding down we changed our minds and headed to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - the other bonus was with it being Sunday car parking was free, this made it cheaper for us than taking the train there and back to the West coast.

I've been to the Edinburgh Botanics a couple of times namely related to one of my previous employment roles working in the built heritage and natural environment - a job I really loved.  I also got the opportunity to host an event at the Botanics, but today was purely for pleasure.  The Garden was hosting Jungle City.  Jungle City is a charitable event of major  conservation impact, with the aim to raise funds for these endangered animals and their jungle homes.

Jungle City Edinburgh features a host of life-sized animals ranging from Elephants, Orangutans, Crocodiles, Hornbills and Tigers. 

There were over 130 individual and brightly painted animals.  Here are some that attracted our attention.  Click on them, to see them in a little more detail. 

Gothic Hornbill



Psychedelic Tiger



Homely Orangutan

BBC Scotland featured Jungle City Edinburgh on the news a little while ago, if your interested to see more follow here. Please note that the Jungle City exhibition is not permanent and is due to move elsewhere at some point.

You know I was very impresseed with the variety of leaflets at the Garden,  I picked up three that interested me allotment by Jules Horne - a show I know I would have enjoyed watching, but sadly it now has ended; Can You Dig It? Comedy Songs About Growing Your Own by Jo Stephenson & Dan Woods - made the veg grower in me smile! I may just have to get myself a copy when funds permit; and finally Edible Gardening Project.  Shame, there appears to be nothing like this happening at the Glasgow Botanics as I know I would have enjoyed all of these immensely.

Snippets of The Edinburgh Festival Fringe

On Sunday, we went into Edinburgh for the good weather and the annual Edinburgh Festival that attracts people from all over the world.  It the one time in the year that Scotland streets albeit Edinburgh streets, become truly ethnically and culturally diverse and it is openly, happily and warmly accepted.

Sadly we didn't stay there for too long to sup up the 'feel good energy', but here are a few photographs that D snapped.

Not a good day to be collapsing the city - no seriously - people will just walk by and think its a performance!

A character from the movie Lost In Translation me finks!

The festival ends at the end of the month, so there is a possibility we may go back again and take our time.

Merchant City Festival and Panopticon Musical Hall

Yesterday morning we visited Glasgow where the city was hosting its annual Merchant City Festival as well as a Continental Market.  The MCF is a celebration of Scotland's theatre, music, dance, comedy, visual arts, Literature, film and fashion in Glasgow's trading and cultural quarter. 

Here are a handful of snaps that we took.

This vivid pink creature was part of The Invasion Project by the Ljud group which has travelled from Slovenia to perform at the event. In relation to street theatre, I think they may have stolen the show.

This Police Telephone Box has nothing to do with the festival.  Its a permanent feature in the streets of Glasgow.  Some of you may be familiar with the one called the Tardis from the Dr Who series.  Sometimes you'll find it wrapped in a knitted scarf where its been yarn bombed, but not today.

After wandering round and round the Merchant City area we wandered towards the Trongate on Argyle Street and noted this man dressed like Gary Oldman from the 1992 version of Dracula. He was standing at the entrance of a long dark lane that once used to be the path to the Glasgow Women Library, but has since relocated.

Today the doors to the conservation building known as the Britannia Panoptican Music Hall were open and this man was encouraging people walking by to visit.  This marvellous building  is reputed to be the oldest surviving music hall in the U.K.  I have often visited the Panoptican Shop on the High Street, but never the theatre itself so was quite excited. 

I have to admit, I really liked it; and dare I say it?!  I personally enjoyed it more than the MCF.

Not only is it a fascinating building, it is steeped in rich history.  Sadly the Panopticon Music Hall is not open to the public on a daily basis.  It was open today in conjunction with the MCF festival, however if you wish to visit it check out its website as its supporters do hold various events there.  I had intentions of going  back in the evening to watch Tod Brownings 'Freaks' at the auditorium, but got distracted with other things at home.

Stan Laurel, one half of the Laurel and Hardy Show made his debut at the Panopticon in 1906.

The building was also hosting a Vintage Fair. 

I didn't buy anything, but my nephew came out with a flower brooch for my mother, his grandmother.