Captain Picard on the Mile

Walking down the Royal Mile one bright morning to work, passing the City Chambers I saw the distinctive visage of Patrick Stewart's Captain Jean-Luc Picard looking out onto the ancient thoroughfare; not what you expect in the heart of a historic world heritage site. No idea why there was a lifesize standee of Picard gazing out of the City Chambers, perhaps it was the office of a fan, perhaps it was because Patrick Stewart was coming to town with Ian McKellen to perform waiting for Godot (I'd love to have gone to it but the tickets are just too damned pricey, sadly, a common problem with a lot of theatre these days, I hardly go any more). Whatever the reason seeing it on a crisp, spring morning on the Royal Mile made me smile and the juxtaposition of the captain of the Starship Enterprise, a historic street and a streetsweeper's wheely bin amused me and I had to pause and take a pic.

View from Mercat Cross vid

View from Mercat Cross vid
Originally uploaded by byronv2

Taking advantage of Doors Open Day to go inside the Mercat Cross and to the top - not terribly high up, but it does give a different perspective on the Royal Mile from what I normally see and besides, I walk past it all the time but had never been inside it, which was reason enough.