The Swan

The ship is pitching and heaving

Our limbs are bobbing and weaving

I think that this is something I understand

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Farewell

Edinburgh Reminiscing – A Farewell to the City of Wonder

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giants

Despite my reservations about exotic animals in enclosures and in Scotland of all places, I love Edinburgh Zoo.  Being so close to such beasts is such a humbling and tender experience and they are absolutely fascinating to observe.  Okay, so the masturbating monkey wasn’t quite what I had in mind, nor the final act of watching him wipe up the evidence and sucking it off his hand.  No.  Fluffy.  Think of the fluffy.

Pandas.  Everyone loves a panda, no?  With those dark, morning after eyes and big cuddly arms I could imagine being fine chums with a panda, through the fence, of course.  Their dark eyes present a melancholic, weary expression that hints at a sadness inside, and I want to cuddle it.  Of course, this is coming from the person whose childhood teddy has a scratched eye (traumatic experience in a washing machine) that I can’t help but see as a tear, convincing me of his inner woes.

Yang Guang and Tian Tian arrived in Edinburgh in early December, ‘on loan’ from China, whatever that means.  During our Grand Zoo Adventure poor Yang Guang was sick with colic so was off show, but thankfully a group of us were crammed into a small room to peer through the glass screen at Tian Tian, slumped over a rock and staring into space, eyes dull and sad (I interpret).  It wasn’t the most pleasant experience of my visit – though the girl talking us through was great – and more like gawking than observing, but boy was she beautiful.

These pictures were taken (through a murky, finger-smeared window) a few days before she too was brought down by a touch of colic.  Sad pandas.  Yang Guang has nearly recovered and will be back on parade tomorrow though.  What a job.

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a final ode to autumn

I’m sad to say it’s December tomorrow – and not just because I dread the festive season.  Although the winter solstice is still weeks away the end of November feels like the end of autumn to me, and if my blog has caught your eye for even just a second you’ll know I’ve been diving head first into it this year.  The fading sun will retreat further and soon we’ll have snow underfoot, not to mention sludge, muddy puddles and frozen toes.  However, I’m hoping a new page will turn with the season and I plan to stay positive through the cold days ahead.  For now this is the end of my autumn  ramblings, I’m ready to bid farewell to a dear friend for another year.  Let’s raise a toast – as long as it’s not eggnog

The Gardens // The Castle

The Hill by the Mile

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