Union Canal

When I studied History in high-school, I learned that the construction of canals gave a major boost to the early industrialization of the United Kingdom. This allowed an easier movement of coal and industrial products in Britain. This also allowed for raw materials from the colonies and else where to reach the industries. Until the introduction and expansion of railways, canals were the main way to achieve all this.

When I was cycling around Edinburgh this Saturday, I found one of these historical canals, the Union Canal. I obviously decided to explore it. After all, not only big cathedrals and castles played an important part of British history, right?

But the Union Canal is more than just part of History, it's very much part of the life of the city. I could see lots of people cycling like me along the canal, families going for a stroll, rowing teams (all feminine!) practicing in its waters, etc..

I read that this canal runs for 50kms until Falkirk and started wondering how long would that take in my faithful but old bicycle...

Blackford Hill (Thanks mom!)

Two weeks ago, while I was visiting Rosslyn Chapel, my camera stopped working. One minute I was taking a picture the minute later I couldn't turn it on for more than 10 seconds! Sad! Specially considering that Edinburgh, the entire Scotland actually, has so many great places to photograph.

Last week I went home for a few days and, having heard of this, my mother decided to give me a new camera. Today, in Blackford Hill, I realized the camera could take panoramic pictures and was having fun experimenting this. This is the result that I leave here with the proper thanks to the best mother of all, mine!

Lunch Concert

It's not common to have a concert during lunch time. At least it's not common for me, as I had never had such experience before this Tuesday at the Reid Concert Hall of the University of Edinburgh. I went to a very good performance by the Edinburgh String Quartet playing F. J. Haydn and Frank Bridge. The name of the event was, in fact, Lunchtime concert and that's how long it lasted: a lunchtime.
As such, I left the office and one sandwich and one concert later I was back at the same time as I usually had been. Very practical and a very good investment of a lunchtime. Certainly something to be repeated. (And specially in such good company)

I know, the photo is crap! But I wanted to be discreet and do it quickly 

while they were speaking and not during the concert.

Catherine, the Great, of Russia

Did you know that Catherine, the Great, of Russia wasn't baptized or grew up as Catherine? Or that she was not from Russia?
Well, if you didn't know that, I have bad and good news for you. The bad ones is that you're really ignorant! The woman ruled one of the biggest countries of her time (and ours) and you didn't know such simple facts?! The good ones is that until recently I also didn't know these simple facts but now I'm kind of an expert in her life. I enjoyed this great cultural leap forward just because I went to the exhibition about her life in the National Museum of Scotland.
Now, as my Roman ancestors used to say: ad augusta per angusta! I became an expert on the Great Catherine from being a poor wretched ignorant in only one afternoon but it cost me P7,5. And that's with a student discount! But it's worth it!
I was going to write more about the exhibition but now I need to go to Saint Petesburgh to a conference in which I'm going to talk about Catherine the Great. Now that I'm a world renown scholar... And all thanks to the National Museum of Scotland.

Old College

Old College is one of the many buildings of the University of Edinburgh and, as its name indicates, the oldest one. It's a Classical style building designed by Architect Playfair, from whom the beautiful library of the building takes its name. It's a very elegantly styled library but it's not in use anymore. Nowadays is used for ceremonies and events. Now that I think about it, it wouldn't be a bad place for a graduation ball...
It houses the School of Law, an art gallery - the Talbot Rice gallery - and other services of the University. People say that until recently this central patio was a car park, which, useful as it might have been, was a pitty! Apparently when I arrived in Edinburgh they had just finished renovations and that's the way it should be: everything ready to receive me in style!
Located between the National Museum of Scotland and South Street Street, it really is worth a visit.

Weddings in Scotland

One thing I used to love about living in Macau was to see couples taking their wedding photos in the streets. It's a very common sight anywhere in the historical parts of town to see couples dressed up taking photos with their best-men and mades-of-honour waiting and attending to them. I thought that was something I wasn't going to see until I could visit Macau again. I was wrong!

Apparently in Scotland they do the same! Now, in China what they do is they take all these pictures BEFORE the wedding. That has at least two obvious advantages. The first is that guests can already see the wedding album on the wedding day, which is quite convenient. The second is that in the wedding day, couples only take pictures with guests, not making everyone wait for them.

Here in Scotland, they wander off from the ceremony, like this couple I saw in Holyrood this weekend. This probably means that all guests are waiting for them and getting bored to death. This also probably means that most guests will never get to see the pictures... Well, lets not be pessimistic, this is facebook's century.