Edinburgh Fringe Festival!

Six years ago on the Edinburgh Bus Tour - 2005

Six years ago, almost to the week, was the first time Katie and I traveled abroad together.  Among one of our stops during that trip was Edinburgh, Scotland so it was kind of fitting that we would return to that same city at the end of our first year living over here.  During the six years since our very first trip, we moved to Minneapolis, got married, started careers and frequently talked about our dream to move abroad and one day return to Edinburgh for the Annual Fringe Festival.  We even promised that one day we would see the Military Tattoo, an incredible performance of military bands from around the world set against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.  At long last, this all happened and it was well worth the wait.

The Fringe 2011

Tickets to the Military Tattoo were bought in December of last year so it’s amazing to think how quickly August came.  Last Monday was a bank holiday in the UK so Katie and I took off of work on Friday to make it a four-day weekend.  We flew directly from Newquay airport, which is only about 8 miles from our house.  As the flight was only an hour and a half, we had plenty of time to enjoy the Fringe Festival and take in all the eccentric craziness that comes with it. 

These street performers were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

The Fringe Festival is the world’s largest arts festival.  It takes place over a three-week period in August and there are numerous types of performances (comedy, dance, theatre, etc) taking place at venues all over the city.  This year alone, there were over 2,500 different shows, almost 42,000 performances and 258 venues!  Along with the scheduled performances, the Royal Mile leading up to the castle is also filled with a street fair of non-stop acts.  Really an amazing atmosphere!

One of the many street acts

The parents of one of my friends at the hospital have a beautiful house located just outside of Edinburgh and since they spend their summers down here in Cornwall, they insisted that we stay there.  It worked out well as my friend’s parents were also happy to have someone open up the house since it had been months since anyone had stayed there.  It couldn’t have been a more perfect place as it was close to the airport and two blocks off the main bus line into town. 

Once we landed and were settled at the house, we spent Friday afternoon and evening taking in the sights of The Fringe Festival throughout the city.  We wandered the streets and took in multiple street performances and live music acts that surround the busy streets of Edinburgh during the Fringe.  We bought tickets to a sketch comedy show called “Bad Bread – TV Times,” which consisted of three comedians “remaking” numerous childhood shows…. very entertaining.  

Cast of Allotment

Saturday was filled with more of the same festivities.  We went to a show called “Allotment” that took place in an actual garden allotment located in a park just outside of the city centre.  It was the recounting of the lives of two sisters who grew up not far from the allotment and spent their summers in the garden.  This was one of our favorite shows from the weekend.  As the best shows have a way of doing, it led to a lot of conversation about childhood, family influence, etc.  I’m sure it helped that we were served tea and fresh scones during the outdoor performance! 

Saturday night was topped off with the much-anticipated Military Tattoo performance.  Katie had attended eight years ago when she studied abroad in Scotland and absolutely loved it.  As this was my first time at the Tattoo, it was everything I had imagined it to be.  It was incredible to see each individual country’s military band perform in a way that paid tribute to their respective cultures.  This was all culminated by the final performances where every band played together.  As the sounds of bagpipes and drum-lines bounced off the castle walls it was hard not to be a little nostalgic and think about all the things that led up to that moment.  It was absolutely fantastic. 

Coffee shop time on the Royal Mile

The remainder of the weekend was as good as the first few days.  The weather decided to be very “Scottish” and rain all day on Sunday, which resulted in us spending time in coffee shops and taking it easy before a great Mexican dinner. (Oh, how I miss Mexican food!!!). 

We were thankful for quick and easy traveling on Monday and spent the remainder of the long weekend back in Truro.  It didn’t take us long being back in Edinburgh to remember how much we loved it there.  It’s easy to get around, the people are friendly and sometimes you just get a good feeling about a place.  It almost makes me wonder what the hospitals are like there…