Edinburgh festival

I had an early start to get up to Edinburgh for my first day at the festival this year.

I waited for Jenny to arrive from her train then we walked up to the French Centre for a quiet coffee and a chat before walking to Queens hall for the Albrecht Mayer Quartet. He plays the oboe and was joined by Liisa Randalu on violin (a Stradivarius 1695), Diana Tishkenco on viola and Istavan Vardei on the cello which had belonged to Jacqueline du Pre. They played Britten, Mozart, Servais/Ghys and and Moeran. It was wonderful.

After a couple of small plates at a nearby Italian we headed for the book festival for the discussion on GDR by the historian Katja Hoyer, writer of Beyond the Wall, and Jenny Erpenbeck, on her latest book Kairos. We had time for a quick chat with Blipper ArcLight before the event. Unfortunately the room was very stuffy and the seats were uncomfortable so we were glad to get out in the air, despite wishing we could hear more from them. I splashed out and bought both books, one for #2 daughter’s Christmas, the other for Mr C.

We had a drink while we waited for Polly Toynbee, interviewed by Sally Magnasson. She was entertaining and very much on the ball as always. But she was speaking to a sympathetic room.

We dashed off for our trains. There’s no longer an 9pm train to Newcastle so I had to get the very crowded Borders one to Tweedbank, where Mr C will meet me then it’s over an hour home. Apparently I walked 6 miles today. I’m pleased to be wearing a mask. The train is packed, all corridors full of standing passengers. I had some sympathy with Lady Findhorn today as the streets were so crowded. Maybe I’ve not been here on a Saturday before but in all the years of festival-going I’ve not known the city so crowded. A great buzz.