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| Image: I See Modern Britain |
A second morning where I found myself cursing the drivers of Scotland’s capital. Thanks to their oblivious careering around, I nearly lost my leg three times – and my head eventually.
Edinburgh drivers are among the worst I know for lack of consideration to others. Okay, so I don’t drive, but as a pedestrian I’ve seen more bumps, scrapes and crashes while on foot than in any other place I’ve lived. And as a walker, I’ve witnessed the least tolerance shown to pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers. They really are shocking and it’s no wonder there are so many angry people with cars these days.
Why drive around Edinburgh anyway? It’s such an interesting and beautiful place, but most of it is missed while sitting behind the wheel. On foot is by far the best way to see this place. It’s a strange fact that while I may not know my way around Edinburgh’s wider reach by car, I’ve seen and been to places in the capital that my wife has never even heard off – and she was born and brought up here. Why is that? Because I go walking in it all the time. Pretty simple really.
I went for a lovely lunch with the usual ‘Pay Day Lunch Gang’. We tried a new place, the renovated Palkhi’s, which is now an Egyptian themed restaurant. Lucky for the owners I can’t remember the name because it was woeful. I had the mozzarella and tomato to start off – bland and basic – and the Sicilian pizza – not bad. Two of my friends had the spaghetti Bolognese and a bowl or Penne paste with spinach, both of which looked straight out of the microwave. It’s the way the waiter rounded up all the plates before everyone had finished eating that got my back up. No tip for him, and I doubt we’ll be back in a hurry.
Issue 6 of the Ranfurly Review is all but complete. Almost all the contracts came back today and I’ve completed the layout. It’s looking great – now for a front cover!
As it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I’m going to publish a love poem of mine for all you lovers out there. This one was commissioned for, and read out during the ceremony of my sister’s wedding in July 2006. This poem was previously published in Circadian Poems
Love Is
For Fiona and Nolon
The diamond twinkle in a lover’s eye,
The knowing of hope and not of why,
The laughter, the tears, together on high,
The embrace of two hearts through fall or rise.
Love is a river, winding and deep,
Sparkling rapids and weirs to leap,
Love is the wind, the birds and trees,
Ocean to ocean, soaring and free.
Love is a mountain, the deepest hole,
A silent promise from heart to soul,
Love is a whisper of quiet devotion,
Two hearts beating in silent motion.
Love is forever – love is peace,
Love is united – love is…
Copyright © 2006 Colin Galbraith
The Scruffy Dog Review – Winter Issue OUT NOW!!
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Freedom from the Mundane 
The poem’s lovely.
I much prefer walking to driving in Edinburgh. In fact, when I drove around Scotland and ended up in Edinburgh, I dumped the car at the airport, because there was no way I was going to drive in the city!
Over here in the States, I have to say that the worst drivers I’ve encountered so far (and I’ve probably been to at least half the states, and driven in most of them) are in New Jersey and Rhode Island. Rhode Island is such a tiny state, but always a nightmare to drive in!