Work and play!

We have now worked for three days, at quite a pace. We only stop for lunch, so I arrive early enough for a coffee and take enough time off at lunchtime to walk around part of the gardens, hoping that I will have seen it all by the end of the course! So far I have seen the cottage garden, the alpine area, the Chinese hillside. I will go to the glasshouses this weekend as next weekend I will have to take my case into the city to store at the railway station. The gardens seem to have a buzzing educational centre with all sorts going on. I think I could be tempted back especially now I know somewhere good to stay. I rather like this idea of living in different places and settling into a new community for a while. It has all the excitement of travel but is less superficial in that you get to know an area well and experience life in a different place.

 With my 20 minute walk each way, explorations of the area, I am getting plenty of exercise. On Monday I did an exploratory walk along Comely Bank Road and found the local Waitrose, then the circuit brought me back to Inverleith Park, a very busy park, full of people exercising, walking and  even an allotment area.  Last night I swam in Glenogle pool, a rather attractive Victorian baths just round the corner. It is a bit more expensive than at home at £5 but has a steam room and sauna too and I will most certainly return later in the week. Today I tried the river walk called Waters of Leith walk, which goes quite a long way inland and to the coast in one direction. However I returned after finding part of the path closed and ending up on the main road. But I did pass through some very attractive parts of the city. There seem to be a lot of interesting locations with many old buildings made into flats and apartments. The weather was beautiful, although it rained later.

I have eyed up the fishmongers and plan a tuna steak for the weekend and the bakers tell me they have rye bread delivered tomorrow and will keep one for me. I also need another trip to the cheese mongers. I have made friends with the cook in the cafeteria and today tried Scottish pie. I try to avoid walking past the coop when I go shopping as there has been a homeless man sitting there since I arrived and he is quite abusive. I might say something to him one day as he is the only unpleasant person I have met so far.