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dinburgh life
Events are listed by date then type. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to edinburghGlist.co.uk, by post or by tax on 0131 557 8500. Listings are compiled by Anna Millar.
Book events
Hilary Norman James Thin. 53—59 South Bridge. 622 8222. 2pm. The popular thriller writer signs copies of Tii'fSN’d Mind.
Talks
David Livingstone: the Man Behind the Masks Royal Museum. 2 Chambers Street. 247 4219. 6.30pm. £4 (£3). Edinburgh University historian. Dr Andrew C Ross gives a talk.
Workshops
Christmas is Coming Lauriston Castle. 2a Cramond Road South. 336 2060. l()am—4pm. £7. Advance booking required. An adult workshop to make a festive centre-piece for the Christmas table.
Other events
The Tales and Traditions of Christmas Edinburgh Castle. Royal Mile. 225 9846. l lam. noon. 2pm & 3pm. £8 (£2—£6). Come and get in the festive spirit as Victorian characters bring Christmas alive for Castle visitors.
Book events
Party for Pamphlets: Scottish Pamphlet Poetry Fair Dom. 8 Advocate's Close. 357 High Street. 225 927 l. 5—7pm. Festive celebrations with pics. punch and poets.
Poet (els Passages: an Intersection of Scottish and French Contemporary Poetry Institut Francais d'licosse. 13 Randolph Crescent. 225 5366. 6.30pm. Free. Graham Martin is in conversation with Jacques Rancourt. a poet. editor and translator from Paris to discuss the last 25 years of French poetry.
Other events
The Tales and Traditions of Christmas Edinburgh Castle. Royal Mile. 225 9846. l lam. noon. 2pm 8; 3pm. £8 (£2—£6). See Thu 12.
Public Observation Nights Royal Observatory Visitor Centre. Blackford Hill. 668 8404. 7pm. £2.50 (£1.85). Come along to the Visitor Centre and appreciate the beauty of outside with the warmth inside. Booking recommended.
Christmas Creeps 8. Festive Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. 354 Castlehill. the Royal Mile. 220 0441. 7.30pm. £5. Mercat Tours lead you on a festive wander through the darker times
Saturday 14
Other events
Guided Tour - Chocolate and Spice Royal Botanic Garden. lnverleith Row. 552 717]. l().l5am. £5. Fuel up with hot chocolate and spice biscuits before a wintry tour of the glasshouses. looking at the origins of flavours. foods and spices.
30/2D Craft 8. Design Fair Assembly Rooms. 54 George Street. 220 4349. |().3()am—5.3()pm. 90p (60p); under 12s free. Week-long Christmas event of contemporary craftwork sold direct by the makers.
Scotland’s Whisky Regions Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. 354 Castlehill. the Royal Mile. 220 044).
l lam. Free. Learn about typical characteristics found in malts from the four main whisky regions of Scotland. Craft Market Grassmarket.
l lam—4pm. Scottish themed craft fair to delight all the family at Christmas. Christmas Creeps 8. Festive Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. 354 Castlehill. the Royal Mile. 220 0441. 7.30pm. £5. See Fri l3.
Other events
30/20 Craft 8. Design Fair Assembly Rooms. 54 George Street. 220 4349. 10.30am—5.30pm. 90p (60p); under l2s free. See Sat 14.
Craft Market Grassmarket.
l lam—4pm. See Sat 14.
The Good Old Days Lauriston Castle. 2a Cramond Road South. 336 2060. Noon—4.30pm. £3. Step back in time at this period afternoon featuring traditional floral decorations. demonstration of old toys and family entertainment.
The Tale of Burke and I-lare Edinburgh Castle. Royal Mile. 225 9846. 1pm. 2pm 8; 3pm. £8 (£2-~£6).'l‘he 'I‘rabboch Players‘ living history demonstration of the infamous bodysnatchers. Burke and Hare. Ceilidh at the Caley Caledonian Brewery. 42 Slateford Road. 623 8066. 7pm—lam. £6 (£5). Caledonian Brewery"s annual event.
Christmas Creeps & Festive Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. 354 Castlehill. the Royal Mile. 220 0441. 7.30pm. £5. See Fri l3.
Monday 1 6
Other events
30/20 Craft 8. Design Fair Assembly Rooms. 54 George Street. 220 4349. I0.30am—5.30pm. 90p (60p): under l2s free. See Sat 14.
Other events 30/20 Craft 8. Design Fair
Edinburgh life
CAPITAL CHRISTMAS CHECKLIST
The Edinburgh Wheel Until 5 Jan (not 25 Dec). Princes Street Gardens. 10am—11pm. Come and join in the fun as Edinburgh‘s famous giant wheel returns to light up Princes Street. A great opponunity to see the Capital and Winter Wonderland in all their festive glory.
Acrobounce Until 5 Jan (not 25 Dec). Princes Mall Rooftop Plaza. Princes Street, 01620 870318. Mon—Fri 10am—8pm; Sat—Sun 10am—10pm. £4 for 3mins. Enjoy this high flying experience as you're catapulted 9 metres high to weightless freedom.
German Market Until 5 Jan (not 25 Dec). Princes Street Gardens East. Princes Street. 473 3600. 10am-8pm. Get a taste of a real traditional German market at the heart of our fair city with customary food. drink and gifts on offer.
Winter Wonderland 6 Dec-5 Jan (not 25 Dec). Princes Street Gardens East. Princes Street. 473 3600. 10am-10pm. 84.50—25.50 ($32.50): £16 for family. Now in its 5th year. Winter Wonderland's spectaCUIar frozen playground is bigger and better than ever before. Surrounded by twinkling fairy lights and the dramatic
Edinburgh skyline this is sure to capture the imagination of children and adults alike. As wel: as the ice rink, Winter Wonderland includes an awesome Snow Slide. a fairground and traditional food and drink to warm your cockles. The official opening takes place on 5th Dec at 6pm.
of Edinburgh's past.
Permanent
attractions
Brass Rubbing Centre
Chalmers Close. Royal Mile. 556 4364. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm. Free. but there is a charge for making a rubbing. Situated in the apse of a gothic church dating back to 1460. the centre houses a selection of church brasses and anCient Pictish replicas —
Assembly Rooms. 54 George Street. 220
as well as lots of crayons so you can get rubbing. Camera Obscura Castlehill. Royal Mile. 226 3709. Mon—Fri 9.30am~6pm. Sat & Sun foam—6pm. 84.95 (22.50—23.95); famin ticket E14. Pick up a pedestrian in your hand at this attraction. which gives visitors a real-time. 360' image of the City. The most recent addition to the venue is the Magic Gallery. giving hands-on experiences of the art of visual trickery. Craigmillar Castle Craigmillar Castle Road.
661 4445. Daily 9.30am—6pm. fit .80 (75p—E1.30). For a real taste of histOry. take a drive out to this ramshackle old castle. which although not qwte as intact as Edinburgh Castle. is far more atmospheric and the scene of much plotting during the reign of Mary. Queen of Scots. Dynamic Earth Holyrood Road. 550 7800. Daily 10am—6pm. $37.95 ($4.50). With volcanoes erupting beneath yOur feet. a tropical rainstorm pouring
4349. l().30am— 5.30pm. 90p (60p): under 12s free. See Sat 14.
Wednesday 18
Other events
3D/2D Craft & Design Fair
Assemva Rooms. 54 George Street. 220
30/20 Craft 8: Design Fair
Assembly Rooms. 54 (ieorge Street. 220 434‘). 10.30am 5.30pm. 90p (60p):
under l2s free. See Sat 14. The Tales and Traditions of
Christmas lidinburgh Castle. Royal
4349. l()i30am -5.30pm. 90p (00p);
under 12s free. See Sat l4.
Other events
Continental Market (‘astle Street. 652 5940. l()am—6pm. 'l‘hirty live producers from all over liurope join forces in this impressive market line-up.
down. earthquakes and tidal waves at every turn, the history of the earth has never been more interesting.
Edinburgh Castle Royal Mile. 225 9846. Daily 9.30am—6pm. $28 ($22—$76). Although much of the castle's medieval character was lost when it was converted into barracks in the 19th century. continuing excavations aim to redress this. Edinburgh Dungeon 31 Market Street. 0870 8460 666. Daily 10am—6pm. £7.50
Mile. 225 9846. I lam. noon. 2pm 8; 3pm. £8 (£2- £6). See Thu 12.
Book events Guid Crack Club Christmas
Special Netherhow Arts Centre.
tales.
(ELSE—£5.95). Cruel methods of torture. pestilence-ridden streets. grave-robbers. prostitutes and cannibals — Edinburgh's latest gruesome v1s1tor attraction takes you on a Spine-chilling tour of the deepest darkest chapters of Scottish history. Edinburgh Zoo Corstorphine Road. 3134 9171. Daily Stun—(3pm. £77 (514—85); family ticket $20—$2460. Widely accepted as one of the finest zoos iii Britain. there’s plenty here to while away an afternoon.
43 45 High Street. 556 9579. 7.30pm. Frances Logan joins the monthly storytelling club for some seasonal
or even a whole day if you take yOur lllt‘f}. The newly—built African plains afford a fantastic View of the city.
Museum of Chfldhood
‘12 High Street. 520 4142. Mon—Sat 10aiii—5piii. Free. Founded in 1955. the museum has five public galleries with all manner of artefacts relating to childhood through the ages. F rom antique dolls to a 1980s BMX bicycle. there's plenty here to send you off on a tin down memory lane.
1900(22002 2 Jan 9003 THE LIST 1 13