Around Town
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THE BEST EVENTS, TALKS AND SPORT
3|: The Parthenon Divided Anthony Snodgrass, Cambridge University's Professor Emeritus in Classical Archaeology and chair of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. will argue for the return of the ancient treasures to Athens. Seems fair enough. Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. Thu 20 Oct.
3|: The Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival Highlights include films of peOple mountain biking down a volcano in the Andes, BASE jumping into a cave in Mexico and a film called My Sore Pussy, about kayaking down New Zealand’s rivers (apparently). George Square Theatre. University of Edinburgh, Fri 21—Sun 23 Oct.
1‘ Gymnastic Grand Prix World Cup qualifier with bendy people coming together to leap, jump, spin, tumble and balance. while wearing excellent geometric velour leotards. Hopefully. Kelvin Hall International SpOrts Arena, Glasgow, Tue 25—Wed 26 Oct.
* Look Who’s Talking . . . A couple of very interesting and intelligent blokes, Stephen Fry and Roy Hattersley, come to plug their new books and say some interesting and intelligent things. Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Wed 26 & Fri 28 Oct.
What sOn
ose encounters
Fancy meeting the ancestors this Hallowe’en? Morag Bruce joins the SCOTTISH PARANORMAL INVESTIGATION SOCIETY on a ghost finding mission.
since the creation ol' the world. and still it is undecided whether or not there has cy er been art
‘ I t is wondcrl‘ul that 5()()() years have now elapsed
instance ol‘ the spirit ol‘ any' person appearing alter
death. All argument is against it: but all beliel‘ is l‘or it.’ liightcenth century literary titan Samuel Johnson might have been skeyswhil'l on the age ol‘ the world. but dead on (sorry i about our relationship with the paranormal. It's an etnotive issue. and certainly was as I stood in a circle with the Scottish Paranormal Investigation Society below lidinhurgh’s ('ity ('hambers in Mary King’s (‘lose at midnight. l l'ound mysell~ ys ishing like a kid at ('hristmas that we‘d hear something. that a
child's chuckle would break the silence or the sound ol‘
l‘ootsteps would thump past in an empty corridor. However. at the same time. it anything had actually happened. let tne be the lirst to admit that l would have required a change ol underwear.
'l'hc Sl’lS are a group ol‘ enthusiasts who aitn to approach supposedly haunted places with a scientilic head on. armed with (i/iosI/iuslt'i's-stylc equipment to measure temperature and fluctuations in the electro magnetic l‘ield ll'..\ll"l. 'l’hcy do look l‘or other explanations bel'orc assuming they've witnessed a paranormal happening. ‘Wc'rc still sensible people. despite going ghost hunting at the weekend.’ says the group's medium. liiona Williamson.
The team had already taken measurements to hay c ligurcs to work from. but it was with some trepidation that I volunteered to take the electronic thermometer gi/mo and wander ol‘l‘ down the cavern. What w as the worst that could happen: l gct possessed by a l7th century plague-ridden harpy"? Would anyone notice'.’
Nothing did happen. but l‘iona had picked up a male spirit in the room who was apparently pleased at the number of ladies present. It would be easy to wear the sceptic hat. but with so many correlated stories from this site. surely not everyone is a suggestible nutter‘.’ It‘s easy to let your imagination sprint away with you. especially as the assembled group prod your paranoia with ‘what was that'." and 'my left palm is tingly‘ — is yours'."
We were sitting in a room just off what used to be an urban cow shed. and the instruments started going loopy and the temperature dropped. The group were silenced and gentle tapping was all that could be heard (although that might have been my heart beating. as it was in my throat at the time). (iroup exit sharply.
liven it you’re not ghost-hunting Mary King‘s (‘lose itself' is incredibly interesting. The stories ol~ people being bricked tip and left to die ol’ the plague are just stories. but to have a tangible bricks and mortar document of‘ people‘s lives under the cobbles of the Royal Mile is bizarre. even without factoring in the paranormal goings on. Beautiful block-printed l‘oliage patterns still adorn the plastered walls of one 17th century dwelling. lntact the places and door l'rames make this a living testament to the 2().()()() people who lived crammed into a Tour-block area.
It‘s hard to say whether anything other-worldly goes on in Mary King‘s (‘lose. but it you’re not a scaredy- cat. trying to lind out is tremendous l'un.
Join the Scottish Paranormal Investigation Society in the Real Mary Kings Close, on 28, 29 and 31 Oct. See listings for details.
90 Oct ~15 Nov 200:3 THE LIST 23