Culture elsewhere

Letter from our Iain:

Good sunny afternoon,

Yes that's the truth it is lovely and sunny here in Edinburgh and has been
for a while which is great for the hundreds of thousands of visitors happily
clogging our streets. The city is looking and feeling great and the festival
this year is brilliant, Again.
Was at a recital this morning by Christina Stotijn singing Richard Strauss
in the first half which was beautiful and Schoenberg "The book of the
hanging garden", which was ok, in the second. I'm not sure I'm culturally
sophisticated enough for Schoenberg but it was much less atonal than
most of his stuff. Went to a concert performance of Mozart's Idomeneo
last night with Steve Hall. I neglected to tell him beforehand that it is
3 3/4 hours long It was spectacular and we both enjoyed it even if bums
were numb by the end. Going to the ballet tonight, Groupo Corpo from
Brazil which looks to be spectacular. Tomorrow night is Joyce Di Donato
an American soprano singing Pergolesi, Leoncavallo and others. Sounds
great. Steve and I go to Puccini's Girl of the Golden West on Monday
and I'm going to Purcell's The Indian Queen on Tuesday ( Purcell is a
lways good for a counter tenor and I suspect it would be Annie's sort of
thing). Then there's Pina Bausch, Paco Pena and much more. That is
all the official festival and we've also been to some stuff on the fringe.
My ticket for the recital this morning was £3.50 and Idomeneo last night
was a fiver. I just love being over 60.
The point of telling you all of this is that you should come over next year
and enjoy a frantic week or so. I know you have been to the festival
before but it just gets both bigger and better. See www.eif.co.uk.
The Edinburgh Book Festival still has nine days to run
www.edbookfest.co.uk but ticket for who I want to see are sold out.
I'll book earlier next year.

Finally I have FSA approval for my business so all I have to do now is
find the clients. I start advertising next week and hope to build contracts
with local letting agents over the next few weeks. If I'm honest I'm feeling
a little nervous about it all but I expect I'll be fine after I've completed a
couple of contracts. It's good getting up and going to work though.
I really was getting bored witless. Steve of course is working like an
indentured labourer. The festival is the busiest time for him. Most days
he leaves mid morning and arrives home early the next morning.
I suspect he is getting a bit old for these hours although he does not
look it.

I was going to holiday in October but hopefully now I'll be too busy and
if I'm not I'll have no bloody money so holidays are out until next April.
I hope. Bilo looks and sounds so happy on Facebook. Very heart warming.
Jeremy actually looks younger. By the way your new look is quite startling.
Your social life seems to be as lively as ever.

Molly was supposed to be going to a lot of concerts with me but she has
shingles poor thing and is really not at all well and in considerable pain.
I'll need to go to my concert tomorrow night and look at an empty seat.
I don't think I know any other friend who would like to go. I'm hoping she
is feeling better for the last week as we are going to the Final concert
and fireworks in Princes Street Gardens. Mind you if the past is any guide
it will piss with rain anyway.

I hope you are all well and enjoying the endless sunshine. See Ya.

Love

Iain