DAY 294

Monday 30 April 2012

Since we hadn’t gotten up at 4:45 AM with corn flakes and driven to nearby Fort Augustus, we missed seeing “Nessie” (this was how our campsite manager had instructed her children when they were young for a guaranteed sighting of the monster). It was just as well since Nicole had risen at 7:30 to sort photos on the computer taking advantage of the electricity included in our camping price. With the Loch a stone’s throw away, we lingered a bit to enjoy the magnificent view. After showering in the nicest restrooms we had encountered (wood panelling, real glass doors, air tight rooms to change in and HOT water), we packed up and headed out of Loch Ness. While Charles filled the tank at the gas station with diesel, Nicole did an impromptu clogging dance to a Kitty Wells song and had Dian cracking up as she groped for the camera to capture the moment on video. She did.

All along the 50 mile drive down to Fort William we saw snow covered mountains – the last of our majestic highland views.  Since our dear Scottish friend, Frances had recommended the town of Stirling (and her other recommendations had turned out to be sterling), we drove there by way of Loch Lomand. Of course the guitar had to come out for a final version of "On The Bonnie Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomand" and a final goodbye to Scotland with "Auld Lang Syne." The departure was capped with the last of our oak smoked salmon overlooking the loch.

As we headed for Edinburgh we really weren’t sure where we were going to find the Beltane Festival. All we knew was that it was on Calton Hill. Luckily our GPS had a listing for that and we drove there fairly directly. Upon arriving in the area we learned from a friendly policeman who was setting up barriers that we were close to the festival site and learned from another friendly local that we could park on the street and only have to be out by 9:30 the next morning. Perfect! As we looked out our windows we saw a group of volunteers gathering outside an apartment so we went over to them to see if we could volunteer. They were enthusiastic after hearing we had come from California but then realized the “health and safety” regulations would need to be adhered to. They told us who to go see and so we hurriedly gathered our warm clothes and umbrellas and climbed the steep stairs to the top of Calton Hill.

Ivan, the photographer we met

There we found John Wilson, one of the event managers who kindly informed us that due to fire retardants needing to have been sprayed on our clothes it was too late to help out. He did, however give us a wonderful overview of what we were going to witness complete with an Eddie Izzard/Craig Ferguson style delivery which lasted about 10 minutes. We were given his permission to do a walk about which gave Nicole a chance to shoot some pre-show photos. We met another student photographer named Ivan with whom we ended up spending some time chatting while eating our haggis and chips and fish and chips. He was quite interesting and had grown up in Bulgaria. We also met a woman from Boston who had stayed after her tour group left so she could experience the pagan rituals of Edinburgh’s 26 year old Beltane Fire Festival. We were starting to get really excited as the actors began to walk around in their costumes and make up. There was an unmistakable vibe of magic in the air and the cold mist added to it.

Thankfully, Nicole’s photos tell the best story of our experience but suffice it to say it was a real slice. After greeting the re-birthed Green Man and his May Queen at the bonfire, we walked down the hill to our van and turned the heater on full blast. Happy Summer!!!