Friday, September 25, 2009
More pictures from the Museum
**from top: wooden water pipes; some of the beautiful crystal on display; an old footwarmer; Spillikins game; the Burgh Muir Stone.
Pictures from the Museum of Edinburgh
**from top: The actual National Covenant; Suffragette buttons from the early 1900s; picture of the 1909 Suffragette Procession down Princes Street; brooch demonstrating how women were thought of as delicate but in actuality are strong like the outer silver casing--this picture refuses to post any way other than sideways--go figure; the poster I mentioned.
Friday, September 25--Museum of Edinburgh & Fudge!
Going to start out today with a few things I keep forgetting to mention:
1) Ray & I had a funny time looking for something to wash dishes with the other day at Sainsbury’s. We call it dish soap in the States. It is called Washing Up Liquid here. But either way, they have all the bottles of everything that LOOKS like Washing Up Liquid/Dish Soap, all together on the same shelf with laundry detergent, hand cleaners, etc. We had to read the labels of everything to find what we needed.
2) The water faucets here are backwards. Hot is on the right and Cold is on the left. I can’t tell you how hard this is to get used to. I get it wrong every time and I’ve been here 5 months already! I know we are on the other side of the Earth, but does everything have to be backwards?
3) I love the towel warmers we have seen on past trips over here. There is nothing better than stepping out of the shower to a warm towel. We don’t happen to have one at this apartment and haven’t seen many on this trip. Evidently there were a lot of accidents with people getting burned and now everyone is afraid of having them.
4) What is it with the tub enclosures here? They AREN’T enclosing anything! The one in this apartment is a clear piece of plastic or glass thing that is only about 1 ½ feet wide. The showerhead sprays water to the other end of the tub—which is about 6 feet. Where do you think the water will go? All over the floor, that’s right. What is this all about? I don’t understand. We have stayed in several Travelodges that have the shower just part of the bathroom floor and the shower curtain stops about a foot above the floor. Evidently flooding the bathroom floor is not a problem over here.
Okay, through ranting now. : )
Today I took the 35 bus up to George IV Bridge and got off to go to The Elephant House for breakfast—scrambled eggs on toast and hot chocolate. I love this café—feels so homey. Then I walked back down Candlemakers Row to check again to see if Magdalen Chapel was open—and it was not!! I think I give up on it. Walked up Victoria Street then down North Bridge to Waterstones to see if they had Edinburgh Christmas cards—no. So I walked back up North Bridge then down Canongate to St. John’s Street and went under the arch to take a picture of the turreted building where Robert Burns and the other Freemasons held their meetings.
Next stop was the Museum of Edinburgh, which had a wealth of information and artifacts relating to the history of this city. Pottery, china, crystal, clothing, the actual National Covenant, & the bowl and collar of Greyfriar’s bobby. There was also a special exhibit of artifacts from the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Edinburgh. They had a great poster that I will post a copy of that I loved. On the night of April 19, 1911, the Women's movement urged women to be away from their homes as this was the night for taking the census. They said that if they weren't allowed to vote, they wouldn't allow themselves to be counted in the census.
The had examples of the old WOODEN water pipes made of elm that were used in Edinburgh until 1790. Old foot warmers, door, games, maps—which were my favorite part, I love old maps—and models of old Edinburgh. One was from 1822 and may show the area where our apartment is now. They also had some old games. One was a version of the Victorian game Spillikins--37 ivory pieces that you spill out then try to pick up one by one without touching the other pieces or making them move. Some peices were harder than others and gaveyou more points. Evidently the javelin was easiest. Kind of like our PickUp Stix. This one was called Jackstraws.
There was a huge stone called the Burgh Muir Stone used to seal bargains between horse traders. Each person involved put their thumb in the hole at the same time to seal the deal.
Stopped by the Fudge House for my daily dose of dark chocolate with walnuts—I can hear you laughing, but it is a fact that dark chocolate is healthy for you.
Anyway, came back to the apartment and then headed out for groceries at Sainbury’s and for a stop by KFC. Then it’s in for the night and watching TV and reading. Thinking of movies for the weekend—lots of new ones out. If you have seen any of these, let me know to help me weed out the bad ones: Away We Go, Surrogates, Creation, Soloist, Fame. Thanks. : )
***pictures from top: my walk as I leave the apartment--doesn't it look like I am leaving my home, the castle?; the turreted building where Robert Burns and the Freemasons met; Yummy fudge from the Fudge House; public primary school--in use as such today; new style of coin here.
1) Ray & I had a funny time looking for something to wash dishes with the other day at Sainsbury’s. We call it dish soap in the States. It is called Washing Up Liquid here. But either way, they have all the bottles of everything that LOOKS like Washing Up Liquid/Dish Soap, all together on the same shelf with laundry detergent, hand cleaners, etc. We had to read the labels of everything to find what we needed.
2) The water faucets here are backwards. Hot is on the right and Cold is on the left. I can’t tell you how hard this is to get used to. I get it wrong every time and I’ve been here 5 months already! I know we are on the other side of the Earth, but does everything have to be backwards?
3) I love the towel warmers we have seen on past trips over here. There is nothing better than stepping out of the shower to a warm towel. We don’t happen to have one at this apartment and haven’t seen many on this trip. Evidently there were a lot of accidents with people getting burned and now everyone is afraid of having them.
4) What is it with the tub enclosures here? They AREN’T enclosing anything! The one in this apartment is a clear piece of plastic or glass thing that is only about 1 ½ feet wide. The showerhead sprays water to the other end of the tub—which is about 6 feet. Where do you think the water will go? All over the floor, that’s right. What is this all about? I don’t understand. We have stayed in several Travelodges that have the shower just part of the bathroom floor and the shower curtain stops about a foot above the floor. Evidently flooding the bathroom floor is not a problem over here.
Okay, through ranting now. : )
Today I took the 35 bus up to George IV Bridge and got off to go to The Elephant House for breakfast—scrambled eggs on toast and hot chocolate. I love this café—feels so homey. Then I walked back down Candlemakers Row to check again to see if Magdalen Chapel was open—and it was not!! I think I give up on it. Walked up Victoria Street then down North Bridge to Waterstones to see if they had Edinburgh Christmas cards—no. So I walked back up North Bridge then down Canongate to St. John’s Street and went under the arch to take a picture of the turreted building where Robert Burns and the other Freemasons held their meetings.
Next stop was the Museum of Edinburgh, which had a wealth of information and artifacts relating to the history of this city. Pottery, china, crystal, clothing, the actual National Covenant, & the bowl and collar of Greyfriar’s bobby. There was also a special exhibit of artifacts from the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Edinburgh. They had a great poster that I will post a copy of that I loved. On the night of April 19, 1911, the Women's movement urged women to be away from their homes as this was the night for taking the census. They said that if they weren't allowed to vote, they wouldn't allow themselves to be counted in the census.
The had examples of the old WOODEN water pipes made of elm that were used in Edinburgh until 1790. Old foot warmers, door, games, maps—which were my favorite part, I love old maps—and models of old Edinburgh. One was from 1822 and may show the area where our apartment is now. They also had some old games. One was a version of the Victorian game Spillikins--37 ivory pieces that you spill out then try to pick up one by one without touching the other pieces or making them move. Some peices were harder than others and gaveyou more points. Evidently the javelin was easiest. Kind of like our PickUp Stix. This one was called Jackstraws.
There was a huge stone called the Burgh Muir Stone used to seal bargains between horse traders. Each person involved put their thumb in the hole at the same time to seal the deal.
Stopped by the Fudge House for my daily dose of dark chocolate with walnuts—I can hear you laughing, but it is a fact that dark chocolate is healthy for you.
Anyway, came back to the apartment and then headed out for groceries at Sainbury’s and for a stop by KFC. Then it’s in for the night and watching TV and reading. Thinking of movies for the weekend—lots of new ones out. If you have seen any of these, let me know to help me weed out the bad ones: Away We Go, Surrogates, Creation, Soloist, Fame. Thanks. : )
***pictures from top: my walk as I leave the apartment--doesn't it look like I am leaving my home, the castle?; the turreted building where Robert Burns and the Freemasons met; Yummy fudge from the Fudge House; public primary school--in use as such today; new style of coin here.
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