Elin in Edinburgh

Let me start this post by saying my heart is Welsh. But my soul, I think, is most definitely Scottish.
Almost 20 years ago I boarded a train in Chester, got off in Edinburgh and fell in love. Totally, completely and utterly head over heals in love with the city. I was auditioning for Drama School and I knew as soon as I arrived that it was the place for me. Lucky, then, that Queen Margaret's University College accepted me and along with nine other girls and ten boys we became what would be the B/A Acting class of 2002. This was the start of my love affair with Edinburgh and it hasn't ever really ended.
Everything changed in Edinburgh, as I think it does for most people between the ages of 18-21. I became the person I am, I grew up. My time at drama school, in the end, didn't give me a career (disclaimer: I was probably a bit crap) What it gave me instead was not only a million life lessons I would not have otherwise learned but also a friendship group that would become a family. Flatmates that ended up being like sisters (warts and all!) and as a whole a group that I will care about and continue to spend time with until forever. Two of us even got married and had children together!!! To summarise, those three years shaped who I am and gave me the time of my life, even if I didn't always know it. It's the reason I can't go back without crying when I see that familiar, unbelievable skyline and architecture to make you drool. It's the reason we chose to get married there in 2005. It's my spiritual home and it's the reason my soul is undeniably Scottish.

So all that being said, it stands to reason that I have wanted to get Elin up there pretty much ever since she was born. Until now it just never seemed do-able. The travelling put us off, the five hour drive not especially attractive when dealing with a dystonic Elin and then there's the getting about. City breaks are a risk because it literally depends on Elin's dystonia whether the break is amazing or really stressful. This year, something forced our hand. Caitlin has just completed her second year B/A Acting at Italia Conti and the year group were taking two shows to the Fringe. How could we not go and see her? It was meant to be.  We decided it was opportunity not to miss and we booked and held our breath.
I CANNOT explain to you without sounding like a lunatic what it meant to me to finally get Elin on Scottish soil. As if that wasn't emotional enough, I had Caitlin performing in the Fringe 18 years after I performed there with my own year group. Everything just felt like a beautiful, delicious full circle and it was amazing. More than that, Elin sat. Yes, read that again. She sat. In. Her. Chair. For HOURS. All the way up in the car (five hours and only one wee stop-which for me was an utter miracle- but then I did restrict my fluid intake from 7pm the night before!!)

Then, she sat around Edinburgh for two days solid. Now it wouldn't be Elin if this had been a 100% successful sitting rate, so on Wednesday she did strive to remind us who was boss- how sad! But travelling home again today she was perfect. I can only conclude the magic of my magical, wonderful city rubbed off on her! It truly was fantastic.
Edinburgh was absolutely buzzing. Especially the Royal Mile, where we were staying. It was jam packed with the most amazing street entertainers/theatre and Elin just loved it!! On a different day this would have bothered her immensely but not this week. She absolutely lapped it up, especially anything musical. When Caitlin's group did some street theatre to promote their play, she thought she had died and gone to heaven!

Caitlin's show was excellent as we couldn't have been prouder. This is a photo of Elin outside the venue they performed in (she couldn't see the show as it wasn't suitable but I don't think she minded because she got loads of 'Caitlin time' regardless)

 Taking a flyer from Caitlin-in-costume on the mile!!!

Part of why this holiday felt special was that it was a big moment for Caitlin (first public/fringe performance), Elin (first time in Scotland) AND us (we finally got to be up there all together. Last time we were in Edinburgh with Caitlin she was about six years old and Elin wasn't even a twinkle in the IVF doctor's test tube).

Cockburn Street- one of my faves. Kookie gifts, vintage clothes, film memorabilia, books, records..gorgeous cafe's, cobbled street, stunning buildings..ahhhhhhhh this is my Edinburgh! To round off the sentimental tourist-bit, we took Elin back to the registry office we got married in 13 years ago. It's now a fringe venue with flyers and dodgy graffiti over the door- but show me a place in Edinburgh that isn't during the festival. 

You will notice our raincoats. This is because it's Edinburgh and when in the past you've walked out of a bar in open toe heels to a foot of snow (and zero chance of a taxi) that wasn't there when you went in, you come to expect the first heatwave since 1976 will not necessarily have penetrated the Scottish border. So you pack raincoats....and you need them. 

Elin does not care about the rain!!! It didn't last long anyway :-)

Another of the great, awe-inspiring marvels of the Festival is the amount of events on for children. SO much to see and do. It was wonderful to get Elin to her first Fringe show "Bubble show: Milkshake and the Bubble Flower". If there's one thing Elin loves, its bubbles..and there were lots of BIG bubbles in this! 

It was a kind of mime/circus show crossed with..well..giant bubbles, lights and music!! Of course, she loved it and so did we :-) Paul and I also got to a couple of shows as we took it in turns to put Elin to bed in the hotel- Paul's favourite was a musical he saw with Caitlin about Henry V111'S wives called "Six"- bonkers but amazing apparently!! My favourite was a one-woman show about a relationship break up I saw with my Scottish pal Nicola- also bonkers but amazing!! Pretty much describes the Festival in general really!! I love it. 

So that just leaves us with the meeting of Elin and the other children from the class of 2002, at least those that are still in Edinburgh and not away on holiday this week anyway! (You guys we SORELY missed) My Uni friends were absolutely amazing in organising a suitable venue and taking time out of their lives to come and see us. For a couple, it was the first time they had ever met Elin and Caitlin and so more emotional moments ensued!! This is when I had a true understanding of the relationships we forged together all those years ago. I was so, so touched by the gathering and it was all because of Elin. Because they get it, what it meant to us to get Elin to the city and what it will always mean. It seems incredulous to me that one second you're falling out of a bar at 2am into a snowy street and clinging to each other as you whimper your frozen way home...and before you blink you are introducing your children to one another. Not everyone is this lucky I realise, not everyone will have this from their Uni days. I have it and I treasure it and am so grateful for it. If I could use the word "blessed" without vomiting I truly would. 

I think that pretty much concludes my Summer 2018 holiday blog post. I honestly didn't have big expectations of our Edinburgh visit in terms of it being a holiday, I didn't know how a city break would suit Elin and I thought it might be a bit stressful. As it was, it far exceeded my expectations (if that wasn't clear by now!). Now my very best memories of Edinburgh aren't just from the past,  because this week we got to make some new ones. Brilliant.

"We didn't realise we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun"

                                                                                                    Winnie The Pooh.

Have a great weekend, folks. Thanks as always for reading.