Meanwhile, the other tourists were doing the same … in their droves. Some even paying the fee to get in the gate and over the bridge to the island itself. Not our brave Italian hero. He just walked past the dozing attendant and got his shot in the can (well did apologise on the way back through).

Sandra had all three ‘vestitos’ on, plus a fleece and wind jacket and still couldn’t believe this was our summer. Well it wasn’t typical was it?

Well down the path and over to the Dunsapie Loch things got much better and we could even manage to get out of the car and see sunset over the city. There was a queue for the perfect photospot as all the budding snappers wanted to get the city at sunset. It was just too cold for Sandra – she retired to the car.

This image was taken on good old fashioned film, 35mm Ilford and developed and printed by my own skilled hands. It was taken in 1982 using a Pentax MX with just a straightforward 50mm lens, and no filters or other nonsense. All I’ve done to the print is use a very extinct paper called Agfa Record Rapid – a fibre paper which took ages to develop and even longer to wash and dry.

Back in the Eighties there were more street artists on the Mound, the High Street etc – anywhere you were able to draw a crowd to watch you perform. Eddie Izzard was still a nae’bdy then and could be found in all weird places doing his thing.

Those that could would have hundreds of tourists and even locals like myself watching their every move; that is, until the hat was passed around for ‘donations’ as this is how these guys made a living.

I always felt sorry for the ‘chalk artists’ as not only did people walk over their work once it was gone, but they were always fighting against the Scottish elements, peeing dogs and pigeon poop.

Some were canny enough to cover their work with plastic sheets, which allowed them to continue the work the later or the next day. That is, if the council street cleaners hadn’t done the dirty deed and removed all evidence of their handiwork.

As you can see, there are two of them, all dressed up to the nineties in their full regalia, and especially their bonnets. It was bad enough trying to get this shot with the rain pouring down but behind me are lots and lots of tourists taking the same shot and some getting angry because I won’t let them get into the shot with their wives, kids, mums etc.

We are just back from Skye and having watched Monty and his dog, Reuben in South Uist on telly you do miss the place; rain and wind included. Monty had just been to visit St Kilda, forty-one miles off the coast of the Outer Hebrides. Like many before him had fallen for the island, even after only being there less than a day. Hats off to him for making the crossing in a Rib boat with no shelter from the elements (even if the BBC camera crew were next to him).

This morning I couldn’t believe my eyes. Initially I thought the pile of bags dropped onto the walkway was the work of a ‘tipster’ but I now know it was the work of The Water of Leith Conservation Group who had been cleaning up this stretch of the river.

It’s not often you find a Honda 90 moped – this one needs a great deal of TLC and some. Not a project to take onboard when you’ll struggle to find the spares.

A real saving can be made in Tesco stores this week. Don’t buy the pack of six buns for 50p, buy two packs for a £1 … and save the time to have two packets scanned rather one. No-one at Tesco wished to comment. And based on previous mistakes in this store, they wouldn’t care.

Now this doesn’t seem fair at all! The park has everything a kid wants – swings goalposts, grass and lots of space. So why can’t it be used on a Sunday? Because that’s the day is called the Sabbath in this neck of the woods and you’re not meant to enjoy yourself.

They’ve only just allowed you to get here on a Sunday, as up to six months ago you had to swim across or land by parachute. But that would be enjoying yourself too so I’m sure you would have been met by a welcoming party from the Kirk Elders.

On the Royal Mile, aka the High Street in Edinburgh there are many, many closes (small alleys) which cut through the main apartment buildings, in both sides of the streets. Above each Close is a name plaque and sometimes a little bit of history. But one Close has the most decorative stonework plus a scroll dedicated to the person portrayed.
The building suddenly collapsed in a vertical fashion and when rescuers started to remove the rubble they heard the voice from within shout – ‘heave awa lads, I’m no deed yet’. And he survived.

At the top of a very, very steep pass in the Feltre area is the village of Croce D’Aune. Once you’ve got your breath back and look around you’ll see locals sitting under the canopy of the only hotel left open on the pass. Also around you is a tourist office, car park and some roads going in all four directions. However, what should catch your eye is a large marble monument to Tullio Campagnolo, the designer and inventor of quick release bicycle wheels, derailleur gears and lightweight cycle parts.