the comfort of saturdays

The reasons for me basically loving this fifth in one of my favourite series of books, the Sunday Philosophy Club-series by Alexander McCall Smith, are the same reasons as I love the series as a whole;

:: I can very much relate to the main character Isabel Dalhouise (philosophy paper editor/now owner and sleuth) and her musings, everyday philosophising, about every thing from the mundane to the truly world turning.

:: there's always something truly memorable and enlightening to quote/ponder about in every book. Many times it's my own thoughts put to paper by someone else. Such discoveries never ever fails to delight and uplift.

:: the main character's love for Scotland and Edinburgh - and I adore learning more from an insider's view on people and matters concerning them both.

:: the quiet kind of wittiness, humour and intelligence wrapped in unpretentious writing.

Thought provoking quotes from 'The Comfort of Saturdays' -

"... were they too brave, with the result that they were imposed upon in the name of vainglorious patriotism, chauvinism, easily led to slaughter? Should one be brave about the loss of one's only son, or should one break down and weep for the waste, the pointlessness of the loss; rail against the whole monstrous system that sent young men off in droves to climb up those ladders and stumble through the mud into veils of machine-gun fire? Why should anyone be brave about that?"

" ... the declaration of love could weaken its mystery, reduce it to the mundane. To say on the telephone, love you, ... was dangerous, .... because it made the extraordinary ordinary, and possibly meaningless."

There is one, not so tiny, recurring part of the books that now starts to annoy me though. That being the fact that a well-educated, well-mannered and kind, interesting, intellectual woman of independent means really shouldn't constantly question why her slightly younger beau prefers her over younger women. My advice would be, cherish and relish the fact that you've found a soul mate and any hesitations and specultions should be dealt with through talking with each other. There's time for quiet solitary musings as well as not.

More of my views on books by Alexander McCall Smith -
Folk Tales from Africa: The Girl Who Married a Lion
Friends, Lovers, Chocolate - SFC
The Right Attitude To Rain - SFC
Heavenly Date and Other Flirtations
The Kalahari Typing School for Men
The Full Cupboard of Life
Careful Use of Compliments - SFC
The 2½ Pillars of Wisdom
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
Blue shoes and Happiness
44 Scotland Street

the naming of the dead & exit music

It feels rather bittersweet when having to say goodbye to a book character you've followed in 10 books. I didn't realize there was that many of them, but yes, eight add two are now standing in my bookshelf. All read. By me. "The Naming of the Dead" and "Exit music", the two last books (ever) by Scottish crime novelist Ian Rankin featuring jaded, grumpy, too much whisky drinking, smoking and eating bad food but with a strong sense of what's right and what's not inspector John Rebus.

Just noticed that there are apparently 17 books written about Rebus, but only 10 translated into Swedish. How bizarre. As I picked up my first Rebus book in Swedish (Black & Blue), found it well written (translated) I've just continued reading them in Swedish and never thought there could be more, non-published books in English. I should of course known better. When the last book have been read I feel it would however just feel strange to step back in time, go back and pick up the not read ones.

One might say that Rebus is pretty much the average troubled with no private life to talk good about semi-alcoholic policeman in modern crime fiction personified. But his world of crime does have some extra perks that far from all crime novels have;

:: Set in Edinburgh, they do show the darker side of the city and lives that's usually very far from visible to the briefer (or more well off) visitor to the grand city. The books paint a rather bleak and grim picture of the Edinburgh life. On the other hand every city has the not so charming backside and it's the multilayering and history that makes most places as well as people interesting to know.

:: They are well written - which is imho so very far from the case with crime novels in general. Unfortunately. Because a well written crime novel is just an awesome way to spend reading time with! - well worked through with plots, interestingly and often tied to current political issues and tides. As well as the always and everywhere annoying office politics (including the always present people too often in charge whose only interest clearly is lining their own pocket on other people's expense).

:: The depiction of gorgeous Edinburgh and Scotland in general makes one feel very present, some streets and places very familiar, others not. The collection of characters are often very interesting, from all walks of life with a dry, quite entertaining, taking the edge of all the grimness humour weaved in.

What I personally would have liked from the books are more discernible, distinct stories. Because I find that after reading 10 of them I have to say, despite being of high quality, I wouldn't be able to tell one from the other. (The perfect example of very discernible crime novels is Swedish Arne Dahl.)

This is the end of an era. The Rebus era. I'm glad to have made your acquaintance, it has been overall very good to read you.

Edinburgh Blend III - In Black & White Only

Time for the final Edinburgh Blend in the series of three according to undersigned - first blend, second blend ~

Old Calton Burial Ground

Parts of New Town

At Waterloo Place

The National Monument, Calton Hill

Very noisy roadworks at Grassmarket

Enthusiastic men at so-so work at Grassmarket

Preparing for the Edinburgh Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle

The dog Bum in Princes Street Gardens, read more

The Nelson Monument, Calton Hill

Forth Railway Bridge

Castle Spotting - Lauriston, Edinburgh

Lauriston Castle, in the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland, is one of those exemplary places that actually has free admission to the grounds. If not exactly a castle in looks, more of a pretty mansion house, Lauriston at least gets and A+ as far as admission without cost goes.

Built in the 16th century, rebuilt over the years and since the 1920ies it has been in nation's trust. It has a very peaceful and vast garden area and a grand view over fields and the Firth of Forth - though a view that doesn't include Forth Railway Bridge alas.

Perfect for leisurely strolls, running - well, for those inclined to that completely unappealing way of exercise... - and picnics. With its perfect lawn Lauriston is also the home of the Edinburgh Croquet Club.

For garden buffs there's of course quite a lovely one which also includes green house and Japanese garden. And oh yes, mustn't forget, there are lots of sheep roaming the nearby fields. That's another extra plus as far as I'm concerned.

The grounds are open all year around from 9 am to dusk, if you want a peak inside the mansion there's, naturally, a fee and the opening hours are slightly more restricted. Lauriston Castle is situated about four miles northwest of Edinburgh city centre at 2A Cramond Road South, Davidson's Mains.

Edinburgh Blend II - In Colours Only

On days when you get more than slightly annoyed about your country of origin, home and people around you it's nice to be able to dream your way back and to other places through pictures. Here's the Edinburgh Blend in colours only (yes, there'll surprisingly enough be one post of in only black and white too), here is where the the blend began ~

Scottish-American monument at beautiful, though eerie Old Calton cemetery

The National Monument, on Calton Hill, that never was completed

Take the yellow or the red coach to get a tour of the city

Outside Starbuck's on Royal Mile is the place where...

... one might encounter Mr Red Pants & Stripey Socks

Stick around for the Edinburgh Tattoo,

partake in a bit of witchery or...

... take a stroll in Princes Street Gardens

Enjoy some gorgeous facades and splendidly varied architecture...

... and have a drink of this water, before a meal or two of choice

Eating Out - Hotel Ceilidh-Donia, Edinburgh

After a long drive up to Edinburgh, during which we hadn't stopped for dinner, it was pretty late and we were craving nourishment. The friendly proprietor of the lovely B&B we had chosen pointed us down the street to a small hotel situated in this pretty residential area. She promised us that we wouldn't be disappointed.

I find that one of many good things about staying at B&B's in Scotland and England are that the proprietors' tips on food and restaurants are with few exceptions really very good, and as it turned out this place wasn't one of those exceptions.

Hotel Ceilidh-Donia was not only a pretty Victorian building but one with a friendly, relaxed ambiance and accommodating staff - including two adorable golden retrievers, that would be completely out of question due to health regulations at a Swedish hotel, sigh... -, even though we were late and hadn't booked a table. Since it was a lovely, warm evening we decided to have our dinner outside in the secluded garden area.

Cider first, then a look at the menu which offered various vegetarian dishes - places with such good judgment are of course always top notch establishments - since I missed my carrots and my beetroots at home I opted for the goat's cheese, beetroot and caramelized walnuts salad. It was an absolute spot on mmm-choice.

I'm no fan of goat's cheese in general, but this teamed up so very, very well with the beetroots, the rest of the carefully prepared salad - although less, much less of rocket please - and the delicious bits of caramelized walnuts. Oh what a great detail those were!

For dessert I had a nice sticky Highland toffee pudding - yes, I do like my sticky toffee pieces when on holiday in the British isles -

and M had a creme brulee, which was of course nothing remotely close to the heavenly sinful one but it made for a pretty picture at least.

A meal that was really lovely round off to a day spent too much in the car and an equally lovely this time around first food encounter of the Edinburgh kind. Needless to say I very much recommend a visit if hungry and in the vicinity of 14-16 Marchhall Crescent, Edinburgh, Scotland, that's where you'll find Hotel Ceilidh-Donia

Eating Out - David Bann, Edinburgh

One thing Stockholm really lacks in, is classy vegetarian restaurants. Sure we do have vegetarian places that serve really nice food and yes many, if not most, restaurants do cater for vegetarians when asked. And sometimes really well. But as far as swishy solely vegetarian places go, nope, nada, nothing.

We have nothing whatsoever that resembles De Waaghals in Amsterdam, or, as this post will be about, David Bann in Edinburgh. Places that take vegetarianism seriously, places that are particular with interior details as well as in a decent, inventive menu. Places that don't suffer from the sometimes too, alas, dopey "happy hippie" syndrome, places that mean business AND serve vegetarian food in an overall pleasant surrounding and not buffet style.

So every time I get the chance to experience such a place I get such a happy buzz inside, it's not that the food always is fantastic, like any restaurant I can get disappointed by ingredients and taste, but still. That such places exist, places that offer a smart lieu as well as serve well thought through menus, you don't have to ask for a special order, the menu is full of interesting choices anyway and there's not a whiff of meat in the air. And it still is a place that due to its classiness and non slovenly approach to vegetarian food appeals to non-vegetarians that are looking for a good meal out.

My latest encounter of the classy, yet relaxed, fully vegetarian eating out experience was above mentioned David Bann. A place where it felt rather silly to be fluttering the camera, so the pictures are unfortunately rather lousy, but at least they give and idea of the ambiance and food.

I went with this - tart of mushroom, spinach and Criffell cheese meal, wild and cultivated mushrooms cooked with wine, garlic and tarragon blended with fresh spinach and Criffell, a semi soft cheese from Dumfries, baked on homemade puff pastry. Served with baby potatoes, carrots and onion gravy - and oh it was just lovely! The ingredients and the flavours worked so very well together.

M opted for this - Harissa roasted aubergine, aduki and sweet pepper meal, roasted aubergine and aduki beans cooked in red wine and spice with smoked paprika, cumin, caraway, chili and garlic (harissa) served in a sweet red pepper. With juniper pickled cucumber served with chips, homemade apple and tomato ketchup, crème fraiche and chives - and not being a vegetarian and not too keen on trying new *weird vegetarian food and flavours* he was rather raving about how good it was. Strong flavours and quite spicy.

The only real disappointment was the sadly savorless dessert we chose - assiette of desserts for two to share, hot rhubarb and vanilla steamed pudding with rhubarb and ginger sauce, cognac chocolate truffle, hot pear and passion fruit tart with raspberry ice cream and pineapple sorbet. The sorbet was the nicest thing on that assiette.

No cider in the house, I went with water and freshly squeezed orange juice. And it was truly fresh and an absolutely perfect blend of sweet and tangy. I think I had at least two of them... I'm not sure, I might have gone a bit orange juice tipsy there.

And then, one of the best thing with these classy vegetarian restaurants, they mostly show you can make quite wonderful (vegetarian) often organic food and serve it in a place with a most pleasant ambiance and you don't have to charge unreasonable prices for it. Quite the opposite really. Oh and sigh, I do wish such places of fine vegetarian dining could open up here in Stockholm too, that would be truly wonderful... And I'm not demanding, I'd be quite happy with just one really.

David Bann is situated not far from the Royal Mile, on 56-58 St Mary's Street, Edinburgh -

ps, the servers are really nice too and the website quite lovely

The Edinburgh Blend

Today I've once again had the great honour of being guest blogger at stockholm by pixels and their contribution to the Daily Photo Theme Day. Theme of the day being Sister City, and since Stockholm has no official twin city, but consider all capitals, especially those in northern Europe, to be twin cities I immediately knew I had to go either Edinburgh, Scotland or Copenhagen, Denmark. Two capitals in the northern part of Europe with which I do have semi-secret love affairs of the very serious kind. Sorry, Stockholm, but even if variety is the spice of life, you're still the love of mine.

Since daily photo means just one bitsie-witsie picture, and Edinburgh has so. Much. More. To offer, than that one glimpse, I thought I'd make the most of this day and do one of the things I like best, let the pictures do the talking rather than words and show a whole lot of glimpses of one grand, lovable, amazing city in one blog post. So here are a few more photos, a few more peeps from Edinburgh, taken this last summer on our latest visit there - Forth Railway Bridge has its own post already and More can be seen, as usual, at Flickr, in my Scotland set - enjoy ~