Composer Tod Machover swung through Edinburgh this past weekend to meet with Festival organizers. Looks like he also found time to explore the city. Here are some photos from Tod’s Facebook album, with his comments! Click on the photos to enlarge.
Classic shot of Edinburgh Castle hovering over Princes Gardens. Nothing quite like it.
Yup, they really do play bagpipes over here…and this guy played quite well. Two women drove up with their big black dogs, and maneouvered for 15 minutes or so so that the dogs would stay put so she (and I:) could snap this shot.
Lobby sitting area in the very nice Edinburgh hotel where I am staying. Pure Georgian outside, pure “mod” inside.
Gorgeous Usher Hall where I attended a concert last evening by the RSNO playing Ives, Feldman and Walton. Felt fulfilled after the Ives and Feldman (and exhausted with jetlag) so left at intermission.
Characters of all sorts prowl around Edinburgh at night, including this sort-of Dracula with a sort-of medieval-type hangman guy. Snapped their picture; didn’t take their tour.
From years ago, I remember the mediaeval “skyscrapers” in Edinburgh. The town was so dense and crowded – and one apparently had to pay a tax to go past the city walls – that buildings were very vertical and also deep. Also interestingly, different classes and métiers mixed in the same buildings. Tell that to Mitt Romney!!!
Georgian building in Edinburgh turned into…god knows what?!?!?
Here’s the unfinished Parthenon on Calton Hill, high above Edinburgh.
Arthur’s Seat, the amazing land formation in the center of Edinburgh, right at the end of the Royal Mile and next to Holyrood Palace. My mom and I went up there for a picnic when we were here a VERY long time ago. My dad was giving a talk at a big computer graphics conference in the center of the city.
One of the best ideas I’ve seen in a while: a pop-up motel/hotel installed in Edinburgh for the Festival. The UK organization apparently has a few of these which they rotate to different festival sites. Nice place to visit; wouldn’t want to live there:)
Edinburgh’s Royal Mile on a Sunday afternoon.
Home of John Knox, one of Scotland’s great Protestant reformers.
This guy played the musical saw very very well. Liked his hat too.
He sure LOOKED like Mel Gibson but he has a sword so I was afraid to ask:)
The Edinburgh International Festival has its its offices – called The Hub – in this church on the Royal Mile.
Ramsay Gardens, a stone’s throw from Edinburgh Castle, and a quiet, beautiful oasis. This is where I’d want to live in Edinburgh…..
One of Edinburgh’s many astonishing juxtapositions.
These mediaeval buildings are tall tall tall.
I guess Princes Gardens has become the official “mobile zone” for Edinburgh:)
Opera of the Future 