Edinburgh: Fun, Food, and The Fringe

There are some real weirdos in this world, and I love it.

Apparently they all congregate in the beautiful city of Edinburgh during August.

This gathering of weirdos is also known as The Edinburgh Festival Fringe. And it's AWESOME.

I'd never been to the Fringe before, so on our way up to spend a few days with my parents in Aberdeenshire, my friend Polly and I decided to stop off in Edinburgh for a night and explore the festival.

This is Polly.

It was all rather last minute, so of course all the well known shows were sold out, but that didn't matter because we stumbled upon some absolute crackers. Even just strolling up and down The Royal Mile there's so much to see, like these amazing roller bladers (who were actually figure skaters but had adapted due to the somewhat lack of ice on the street)...

 ...or these amazing acrobats just being completely casual (follow them here).

The first actual show we went to see was an improvised murder mystery, appropriately called 'Murder, She Didn't Write'. We weren't really sure what to expect but it turned out to be hilarious! The 'detective' of the cast asked the audience for a setting, an object, and a quality of this object, and so began 'The Case of the Chinese Teapot', a never-before-seen, and a never-again-seen murder mystery. If you ever have the chance to see the company, Degrees Of Error, I would highly recommend! (Follow them here) 

For our second and final show we decided to go and see an improvised musical (mainly because it was free #haterzgonhate #studentlyf), so we were slightly thinking it might be terrible. BUT YAY WE WERE SO WRONG. I don't know how these people do it, this improvisation business, but it is so funny. Like I'm talking close-to-tears laughter. This was put on my Men With Coconuts (great name (follow them here)), and they invited three members of the audience onto the stage, quizzed them about their lives, and then made up three musicals right in front of our eyes!

As well as sampling only a tiny pocket of the madness that is the Fringe, we also went for a wander around the city. We were really lucky to find space in a really nice hostel with a great location (Kick Ass Hostels), and we were doubly lucky with the weather, who knew it could be sunny in Scotland?!

Edinburgh Castle

Castle selfie (kind of)

But probably my favourite find of our trip was Hula Juice Bar.

We loved it so much we went twice, once for an afternoon smoothie and cake (/second lunch if you're Polly) and then for breakfast the next day, and there were still so many delicious things on the menu I could've gone back for!

Blueb, strawb, 'nana and apple smoothie + millionaire shortbread

I went for granola with blueberries, yoghurt and honey and a peanut butter and banana smoothie (classic me), while Pol chose a bacon bagel and strawberry, peach, banana and apple smoothie. General NOM all round. 

#werkit

And that was our fleeting yet fabulous trip to Edinburgh!

It's such a great city to visit, not only when the Fringe is on, so if you've never been before you better get on that - smoothies and sunshine (probably not) await!

Holly x