It is such a beautiful city so full of history.  Even the New Town is over 250years old.  Whenever you go there it is a special city just because its so lovely but during the month of August, I don’t think any place in the world can beat it.  I’ve visited the fringe festival every year since I was 17.  So six times now.  

Walking up and down the Royal Mile collecting all the leaflets you could possibly want and more, a brochure from the Fringe office and going to a nice little cafe to decide what to see is one of my favourite parts of the fringe.  Then there is all the street shows that happen regularly throughout the day.  Some of them are really great, some really rubbish.  One of the rubbish ones was a contortionist.  Really all he did was make his shoulder pop out.  One of the really great ones was Gareth the Great.  He juggled a chainsaw and swallowed fire.  Some really impressive stuff and a good showman.

Some of the shows I saw were very clever.  The ones I enjoyed the most was Keith Farnan’s show called No blacks, No Jews, No Dogs and No Irish (the word ordering may not be right but its the gist).  Comedy based on racism.  Its intelligent stand up comedy based on a real problem in the world.  Plus that cheeky Irish charm in abundance.  One stereotype aside, it is a really good show that doesn’t treat people like idiots.  I saw his show last year, Cruel and Unusual based on his time at the Innocence Project in America speaking and joking against the death penalty.  It was so good that I wanted to incorporate a couple of points in an essay I had to do for a uni course.  According to a tutor it is not appropiate to reference a standup comedian.  Boo is all I really had to say to that.

One of the other really good shows I saw was called bambollzement which was a magic show and had elements of Derren Brown style psychic tricks.  One of which I was a volunteer, not that I had much choice in that.  Anyway I had to pick a name of a friend, write it down then say it aloud in my head.  There were two performers in the show so was was talking to me giving me instructions while the other stood a bit behind writing stuff down.  In the end the one behind me wrote a name on the board showed it to the rest of the audience before I saw what was written.  Then I was asked to say the name aloud which was greeted by gasps and applause as the guy had it right.  I was very spooked

I also saw a show in which a reincarnted sky diving instructor as praying mantis ate a male praying mantis after mating.  Bit odd.  Incidently it was a show by an Australian company.  In less than three weeks I will be flying through to Australia on a ticket that cost me all of £10.

I was 14th in the queue at the Glasgow branch.  A few days later I went in to purchase a starter pack and I asked the guy helping me how many tickets ended up being sold at the Glasgow branch.  Only 15 were sold which means I managed to buy the second to last ticket.  Im usually not that fortunate.  Not that I’m going to complain.

I really need to start packing