Bus Tours, Coos and Gift Shops

This morning was a bit tough for the company. While we all had the great experience of seeing the Scottish countryside, we all found it tough to leave Edinburgh while there were still so many good shows to see.

We were met on the bus by the same Jersey tour guide from last week (!) and rolled out of the city of the bypass to travel to Sterling Castle. While many of the cast drifted back to sleep - it was 8 in the morning - our guide Davy put sentences together on the way to Sterling Castle. The hour drive took us through rainy Scotland, though everyone was equipped with rain gear. Davy told us how the castle recently underwent a £50 million restoration to make it look like it did exactly after completion. While it was still unbelieveably cool to climb into some of the smaller old spaces, the renovations seemed more cheesy than authentic. From the castle the William Wallace monument was visible in the mist. My family and I have an older picture from the top, though the stunning views promised by the guide book is replaced with a sheer white background.

Davy and driver George herded us back on the bus (after a gift shop, of course :) and brought us to Callander, a town about 75 minutes northwest of Edinburgh which. Built specifically for tourists in the late 1800s, we were encouraged to purchase our souvenirs, as they are cheaper there than on the Royal Mile. All my shopping was done there, and I got a nice sweater for myself for half-off! Isn't that interesting for you to read? Probably not.

Our next stop was five minutes down to road to see Hamish the friendly Highland cow. I kid you not. It was a cow, his mate and calf. That was 30 minutes, and another gift shop. (The video is not of someone we know. And she was fine. She's "used to it." ?????)

I still don't really know how the tour bus managed to meander up and down the narrow, windy roads, especially when we needed to pass another! Our fourth and final stop took us to the "Scottish Wool Centre" where there was a final gift shop, but also a cool Boarder Collie herding demonstration using ducks. And an owl. But not in the demonstration...there was an owl there...I'm very tired.

Our bus took us back to Edinburgh and after an hour nap on the coach, I was ready to see some shows! Our Papa John's pizza met us in the boy's dorm common room and then Jeff, James, Conor and ran to try to catch a show. Unfortunately, we didn't get to it in time, so James and Conor went to find a different show while Jeff and I wandered the Mile waiting for our show to begin. Both of the street performances involved fire - one was a fire breather, the other blew fire from his bagpipe, while playing. He was awesome!!

As Jeff and I walked back to go catch The Chronicles of Moonfish, we were offered half off or free tickets twice to the show! It always helps to scrounge for good deals on the street before buying. The show was a ridiculous sketch comedy duo whose jokes ranged from bald jokes in the beginning to a song about Chlamydia to their grand finale (their "Chorus Line moment") which involved me and Jeff getting up on stage, putting on wigs and singing a song about how all the world should be lesbians while in a kick line. Jeff and I have now performed at two venues. The show was beyond hysterical. Best comedy I've seen behind Hitler! The Musical.

We then met up with Stan, Jon and Mrs. Deana-Roga to watch the stand-up comedian Hannibal Buress, a current writer for 30 Rock and an ex-writer for Saturday Night Live. It was funny how he had to explain to the crowd what both of the shows were (Who doesn't know SNL?!). We sat, howling in laughter as he joked about how much he hates Edinburgh and doesn't understand the Fringe and his jokes about pickle juice and ham. We went up to him after and talked to him- he's a nice guy! Look him up on YouTube. He's good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBgoBjJkxfI

We're all excited for our FINAL SHOW tomorrow! It's weird that the process is finally going to be over after all this time. I can't believe we leave in less than 3 days. There's so much more that I want to see and see again, and I'll never have the time to fully explore the Fringe.

This is what the tour bus stopped for :)