Edinburgh Obscura

This is when you know you're back in Scotland.

 Edinburgh to be precise!  

I think I have at least 20 other shots of this same view in my iPhoto but I can't stop taking more every time I come here.

 But I did want to give you something new from this trip, Dear Readers.  So Andrea and I went to the Camera Obscura.

You start at the top with some beautiful views of Edinburgh from the roof.

Then you go inside for a 10 minute show.  The Camera Obscura was a victorian attraction in Edinburgh.  You enter the darkened tower and images are projected on a table in the center from a mirror at the top.  Once you see the show you go down 6 stories of various optical illusions.

Like this giant kaleidoscope.

 These are colored shadows.  I still don't get how they did that….

 Dinner anyone?

 The Infinity Room

 The thermal room - - I'm holding a bottle of ice which was actually black on the screen.  Unfortunately all the thermal colors didn't come out on my iPhone.

 And this was the one that got me - - the mirror maze.  Children were running around loving it while I'm close to having a panic attack.  It all looks like corridors but you walk right into a mirror.  Get me out of there!!

 The vortex is another story.  Andrea was able to hold the shutter open to get this shot of all the lights spinning around me.  It looks very cool but when you walk out on to the path YOU start to feel like you are spinning with them.  I'm holding on to that rail for dear life.  But this was thrilling and interesting as opposed to that mirror maze which was diabolical.

Exit through the gift shop…..hold on.  FLUFF??  What the hell does FLUFF have to do with anything?  And why is the jar open???

 Dinner at the Gardener's Cottage where you eat a set menu at communal tables.

 We sat with Paul (left) and Ben from London and had a great night!

At the start they ask if there are any foods we won't eat.  No one said anything but Paul later revealed that he doesn't like cucumber (odd) and Ben doesn't like beetroot.  Sadly 4 out of 6 courses had some sort of beetroot!!  We just kept laughing every time they would bring the next course and announce, "This is ice cream with a beet root crisp…."

While we were eating a photographer from Time Out magazine came in and we were asked if we minded potentially being in a shot….No we would not mind!!!!!  I was getting my picture face ready only to see the photographer take pictures of the other tables.  I told my companions to start laughing so it looked like we were having such a fun Time Out type of night…but nope.  We were passed over. 

I am happy to report, however, that the four of us went to another bar after and another photographer came over to take our picture for their web site.  A satisfying end to the night.