4

Edinburgh life

Monday 3 continued

Capital Christmas

St Columba’s Hospice Light A Light Christmas Tree Switch- On Charlotte Square (iardens. Charlotte Square. 551 4567. 6.30pm. Free. \I'iv l.timsden svvitches on the Christmas lights with music from the Balerno High School Band. £5 to sponsor a light.

Talks

What If The World’s Flat? lidinburgh City Chambers. High Street. 228 l 155. 6.30pm. Free on day t£3 in advance). Breitling ()rbiter Round The World Balloon pilot Brian Jones.

Other events

Job Search Seminar Abbeyhill Baptist Church. Church llalls. 22 lilgin 'I‘errace. 558 3180. ‘).30am —l.30pm. £16.51) (free to unvvaged). The Honeycomb Community Project lead a seminar on job search techniques. Preview Night Spice Scotland. ()verseas House. 100 Princes Street. 317 8822. 8pm. Free. An introduction to the mtilti—activity social group.

Tuesday 4

Book events

Simon Yates Waterstone‘s. l3 -l4 Princes Street. 556 3034. 6.30pm. Free. Best-selling mountaineer Yates tiisc‘tfsscs 'I‘llt' I'iltum’ (Jr‘sitll't'llllll't’.

Talks

Asteroids And Comets Royal Observatory Visitor Centre. Blackford Hill. 668 8405. 7.30pm. Free. .\larek Kuktila on comets colliding with liarth.

Other events

Job Search Seminar Abbeyhill Baptist Church. Church llalls. 22 lilgin Terrace. 558 3181). ‘).30am 1.30pm. £16.51) tfree to tinvvaged). See Mon 3.

Wednesday 5

Book events

Valerie Thornton and Hamish Whyte Scottish Poetry Library. 5 (‘richton‘s Close. Canongate. 557 2876. 7.30pm. The authors read from their vvork.

Capital Christmas

Winter Wonderland Preview Night Princes Street (iardens F.ast. Princes Street. 473 3600. 6pm. A sneak peek at lidinburgh’s ice spectacular.

Talks

Equal Pay For Equal Work Open Door. 421) Morningside Road. 447 1103. 10.30am. £1. Peter ()‘Donnell of the liqual ()pporttinities Commission. Edinburgh’s Transport Strategy lidinburgh City Chambers. High Street. 44‘) 5003. 7pm. Free. Councillor Andrevv Burns speaks at this CRA(i meeting.

Georgian House

7 Charlotte Square. 225) 21130. Mon~~8at 10anrf$pmz Stii12~fipni Serif/.1.1-xperiencea perio<1(;‘.eorgian house. giving a taste of life in Edinburgh when the No.7 Town '.".’£1E; built. Christmas at Charlotte Square runs from Thu 1 Nox—Mon 24 Dec. and includes tips on Christmas decoration.

4 115:3. Daily

port.

tastings e‘ seasonal culinary creations and gift ‘.’/f<’1[)l)lfi(1 .‘if?f‘.’|(L(}fS. Newhaven Heritage Museum

102 THE LIST '2‘.) No: 1?: Desi/5,1121

Newhaven Harbour. 13:31

noon—4.45pm. Free. Memorabilia and reconstructed scenes fell the story of Nev/haven and its sea-going heritage. from its origins as a naval dockyard to its continued use as a fishing

Rosslyn Chapel Roslin. r1/‘30 215‘).

Mon —Sat 10am—-:’3pm: Sun 11.45;iiii—4.4£3piii. 5‘4 ($13.50;. What you get out of a trip to Rosslyn Chapel may depend on your familiarity Wlill books

Grand Fantastioal Parade Another festival, another parade. Not so fast. this parade is quite different. First of all a crack team of designers have been drafted in to give the parade a ‘fantastical‘ theme.

What’s ‘fantastical’ about it? The all-encompassing phenomena that is Harry Potter reigns supreme. and a magical array ofenigmatic street performers. mysterious kinetic floats and marching bands should make this an enchanting spectacle.

Anything I should look out for? Interactive street performers from Nantes. Amsterdam. Barcelona and Toulouse add a spark of colour and a cosmopolitan feel to the parade. and in particular Dutch company (‘lose Act (pictured) vvill have five of their bizarre ’Ama/ing Aliens' babbling avvay in their fantasy language against a background of music atid lire.

Anything else? This year the parade vvill culminate in a spectacular grand finale in Festival Square vvhere Santa

vvill make a very special entrance [hqu so top secret. even vve don’t knovv vvhat it is.

I The Grand Fantastica/ Christmas Parade. Princes Street, 4 73 3800. Sun 2

Dec. 5pm. Free.

Conan Doyle’s Edinburgh? Augustine l'nited Church. 41 (ieorge 1\’ Bridge. 225 6575. 7pm. Free to members: non-members £2. ()vven Dudley lidvvards on the Sherlock Holmes creator.

The Alnwick Garden Royal Botanic Garden. lnverleith Rovv. 552 7171. 7.30pm. £5 £8. The Duchess of Northumberland gives a talk.

Book events

Big Word Performance Poetry (iilded Saloon. 2.3.3 Covvgate. 226 6551). ‘)pm. £4 (£3). Sandie Craigie. Anne Rouse. Nick 1i Melville and \'iv (iee star.

Capital Christmas

Winter Wonderland Princes Street (iardens liast. Princes Street. 2266551). l()am l()pm 18pm Stin-- Wed). £5 (£4); family ticket £15. A magical ice extravaganza featuring an open air ice rink. festive music. a Christmas market and a heart-racing toboggan ride.

Talks

Art, Worth, People, Money Royal Museum. 2 Chambers Street. 247 421‘). 6.30pm. £3 (£2). The Scottish Arts Council’s chairman James Boyle. From RSS Discovery To Space Shuttle Discovery llei-iot Watt l'niversity. James Watt Centre 1. 228

1 155. 7pm. Free on day (£3 in advance). Astronaut and Assistant Director of NASA Bonnie Dunbar discusses the frontiers of space exploration.

Capital Christmas Simurgh: The Enchanted Kingdom Of The Birds Parliament

of the conspiracy theorist genre. What is certain though is that the chapel contains enough historically fascinating carvings and symbols to hold tne attention of even the most determined philistine.

Royal Botanic Garden lnverleith Row. 5:32 7171. Daily 9.80am—zlpm. Free. A sea of tranquillity in the hubbub of the city. the Botanic Garden is home to a wealth of flora from around the globe.

Royal Museum

2 Chambers Street. 247

Square. off High Street. 473 3801). 8pm. Free. Acclaimed French street theatre company Plasticiens V'olants transform the Royal Mile into a magical vvorld of inflatable exotic birds set to live music and pyrotechnics.

Spons

Edinburgh v Bridgend .\fyi-eside. Myreside Road. 346 5252. 7.30pm. lidinburgh Rugby take on the Welsh team in the Welsh/Scottish league.

Talks

Chile - A Long Thin Country llarry Miller llall. Kirk 0' Field Church. 7.30pm. 70p 135p). Learn more about this South American country in an illustrated lecture from Sheila Coull.

Other events

Old Town Christmas Market (irassmarket. 652 5‘)40. l lam 4pm. Free. A huge selection of seasonal produce direct from the farm.

Saturday 8

Capital Christmas

Simurgh: The Enchanted Kingdom Of The Birds Parliament Square. off High Street. 473 3800. 8pm. Free. See Fri 7.

Political

Student Conference l'nivei'sity of lidinburgh. 07‘)3‘) 863204. ()rganised as part of the Stop the War campaign.

Spons

Hibernian v Motherwell liaster Road. 12 Albion Place. 661 1875. 3pm. £17 £22 (£10). SP1. football match.

4210. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm; Sun noon—Spin: Tue 10am-8pm. Free. A 10111 century museum housing international collections of natural history geology. science. technology and the decorative arts. plus two permanent exhibitions: Art (‘2 Industry and The Ivy Wu Ga/Ier'y'. Royal Yacht Britannia Ocean Drive. Leith. 5355:“) 5:366. Mon—Fri 10am—330pm;Sat-Sun 0.30am—«180i)m. $37.76 1533.754756155): family ticket 5‘20. lhe former

royal yacht has opened its doors to members of the public after a $22.5 million refit. The on-shore Visitor centre contains historical information on the boat and its furnishings while. on the yacht itself. members of the public can have a good nosy round the Royals' former quarters. St Giles’ Cathedral Royal Mile. 22:") 0442. Mon—Sat 0.30am—i3pm: Sun 1—5pm. Founded in the 1100s. this church has Witnessed executions. riots and

Edinburgh Rocks v Sheffield Meadovvbank Sports Centre. 13‘) London Road. 661 5351. 7.30pm. £7 t£5 ). Trophy cup basketball match.

Talks

Conference: Redefining Memory National (iallery of Modern Art. Belford Road. 624 6200.

1 1am-4pm. £21) 11)). Aimed at arts professionals. this seminar discusses collective memory and identity.

Other events

Book Fair Assembly Rooms. 54 (ieorge Street. 221) 434‘). 10am-5pm. £1 (Free). Second hand and antiquarian books. maps and prints for sale.

Old Town Christmas Market (irassmarket. 652 5‘)40. I 1am---4pm. Free. See Fri 7.

Christmas 1800 (ieorgian House. 7 Charlotte Square. 243 ‘)346. 3.30pm. £5 (£4). See Sat 1.

Culinary Arts - Scandinavian The Hub. Castlehill. Royal Mile. 473 2001). 7.30pm. £22 £25. The region's food comes alive at this time of year and is replicated using seafood. vvild game. berries and Danish pastries.

Other events

Body & Soul Psychic and Healing Fair Sf Bride‘s Centre. to ()rvvell 'l'errace. 226 7601. l 1am~6pm. £2 (£1.50). Psychic readers. complementary therapies. mind. body and spirit books. and much more.

Talks

Submarine Rescue Capabilities: Past, Present And Future lidinburgli City Chambers. High Street. 228 1155. 6.30pm. Free on day (£3 in advance). Tom lleron and Ben Sharples on submarine rescues. What Is The Christmas Star? Royal Observatory Visitor Centre. Blackford 11111. 668 84115. 7.30pm. Free. Rtissell iiberst on the phenomenon of the brightest star in the Fast.

Wednesday 1 2

Other events

Corstorphine Torchlight Procession St Margaret‘s Park. Dovccot Road. ('orstorphinc. 473 3801). 7pm. A festive torchlight procession follovved by a carol service in ()1d Parish Church.

Talks

Tales And Traditions Of Christmas Iidinbttrgh Castle. Royal Mile. 225 ‘)846. l 1am. noon. 2pm & 3pm. Normal admission applies. A Victorian character tells stories of the first Nativity play and the legend behind Boxing Day.

celebrations. With spectacular stained glass \‘Jindows. ornate stonework and guided tours as a good starting point for exploring the Royal Mile.

Water Of Leith Visitor Centre

24 lanark Road. 1'80}? \V'Ved—Sun 10am-4pm. Discover everything there is to know about the 24 mile Journey the Water of Leith takes from the Pentland Hills to Leith, through interactive displays and Video panels.