Day 5...

Today I woke up to an envelope with a card that said:

Congratulations!! We've reached the end of our festival experience, and sadly (or gladly!) the final shows.

AM - sleeping/lounging/breakfasting

We were really good at this... seriously, we are champions! If there's a medal for going out and staying out all day and most of the night every day this week then we win!!

PM - Touristy things/free fringe shows/out and about/sightseeing/mooching

We sort of failed a bit today. Well it wasn't a failure for either of us but we hung out at home. It was a beautiful day but neither of us could really be bothered. We'd decided last night that we'd go out of town for the day. We definitely stayed out of town but we did bugger all else. (Although it did give me time to sort through the rest of the photos from the charity fun day last Saturday.) It was the most awesome bugger all I've done for about a fortnight!

20.15 - Dusty Limits: Post Mortem - Comedy

We managed to be late... can you believe that?! All day we've had to get to a show at quarter past eight. Now you might see a pattern forming here no I'm not talking about Gem's ability to be late for pretty much everything with the Dusty Limits fetish? Twice in less than 24 hours?! His show is in the Counting House and it's free (there's a donation bucket at the end cause he needs to drink eat!) And deservedly so! Thoroughly nice guy and he took the time out to let stalker Gem have a photo or two with him. It's fair to say Gem was a happy bunny again! Fabulous show about death and in a cute venue that I had no idea was there. Cleverly written, well delivered and funny, you can't really ask for more in a cabaret show.

22.00 - Bongo Club - Cabaret

I had no idea this was here either. This week has been an eye opener on new venues and it's fair to say that the Spiegeltent in George Street (although I still think whoever decided to put it there is an arsehole) I love, love, loved it as a venue. I'm going to go back before the festival is over for sure. As we were waiting in the venue for the room to open, half a dozen random people dressed in burkas. The gobby Irish bird sat on the side loudly piped up asking why they were dressed as pigeons about five times before one of them got his cock out and flashed her shouting "that isn't a pigeon now is it" which wins the most random eavesdropping prize of the day! So we sat at a table in the front - we've been lucky with seats most of the week, no-one wants to sit in the front row at comedy shows just in case (been lucky with not being picked on too although the 'open your mouth before you think' with the doorbell chat could have done with more thought!)

Gem noticed the flyers on the table for Dusty Limits... guess who the host of the Bongo Club was?! Oh yes... and you think I'm a stalker having happened across hot boy by accident and taking a ridiculous number of photos of him? Oh no... we've seen Dusty Limits three times in 24 hours... so I figured that it was only right to blip him today, he should be paying us! The show finale were East End Cabaret who we've also seen three times now. They work hard for sure. I was shocked last year when I found out how much it actually costs for the performers to come to Edinburgh and put on their shows. They have to pay for the venues and generally don't make very much from doing their shows. Clearly they are all maximising the exposure and putting a little back into the Fringe for our pleasure. And a pleasure it's been.

00.00 - Itsy's Midnight Kabarett - Cabaret

We left there and decided we'd go and take advantage of one of the free shows in the Voodoo Rooms. I really love the Voodoo Rooms... as a venue it has everything (except maybe cheap booze), it's my kinda place (although I'd still favour a real pub over it). The show was pretty good even though we'd had a mild panic as to whether Mr Limits would appear on that one too he didn't... phew! Ria Lina was also on and similarly we've seen her in three different shows too. However, she's very talented and really funny and I didn't tire of her either. I'm changing my thinking on finding women funny, generally I don't as a rule. There were a whole variety of other acts, all of whom put on a good show. It's great that the fringe is still within reach of those of us who are on a budget and have to really pick what we've seen carefully. I also like the cabaret shows, firstly cause I haven't seen many but when you get the chance to see a little bit of all sorts, it makes choosing the people you want to see a whole show of that bit easier.

The card ended with:

Wow! All done! Death by cabaret, comedy and music! DONE!

We got home about half one, we're still awake at 4am and my body clock is all wrong. I have to be up and out by midday tomorrow to go meet some fellow blippers for lunch and a bit of a wander. If you want to come out and play then we're meeting at Jamie Oliver's restaurant in Rose Street at 12.45pm for 1pm.

I've only just turned the last little card over and noticed that there's a little P.S. on the back which says:

Thank you for your fabulous company this week. A joy, as ever. Gemma x

Well it's been exhausting fabulous indeed and I'm slightly tired totally knackered and already planning next years' week hibernating for the rest of the weekend... can't wait!!

Love you lots lovely lady! It's been amazing and we've crammed in millions, I've learnt lots of things about my own city and feel like I need a holiday to recover and make an attempt never to drink wine for breakfast ever again!!

*mwah*

For anyone who's managed to get to the end of this and wants more then my pics for the rest of the week are here!