30 November: Edinburgh

Today is St Andrew’s Day, the patron saint of Scotland. Here are 10 things you might not know about Edinburgh, capital of Scotland.

1. The castle is built on a mound formed by a volcanic eruption 340 million years ago. The castle is actually sitting on the vent of an extinct volcano. While there was no longer a risk from volcanic eruptions when the castle was built, it has been under threat from human activity – it is the most embattled fortress in Europe, having been attacked 23 times.
2. An Elephant once lived in the castle. It was a regimental mascot brought back from Sri Lanka, and while resident in the castle, developed a taste for Beer. Nowadays Edinburgh Zoo is home to its exotic animals. It is the only zoo in the UK that houses Koalas and Giant Pandas, and there’s also a knighted Penguin. Sir Nils Olav III is the mascot and colonel-in-chief of the Norwegian King's Guard, and was knighted in 2008. In 2016 he had the title of brigadier bestowed upon him in a special ceremony at the zoo with 50 Norwegian soldiers in attendance.
3. While on the subject of animals, Edinburgh has more statues of animals than it does of women. Most of the city’s statues are of men, but there are three of animals: Polish Bear Wojtek, who was involved in the Second World War and lived out his last years at Edinburgh Zoo, 'Bum' - a dog who died in San Diego, a city twinned with Edinburgh, and of course, the famous Greyfriars Bobby. Queen Victoria and community campaigner Helen Crummy are the only women to be honoured with statues.
4. The Royal Mile is actually one mile and 107 yards long.
5. The clock of The Balmoral Hotel hardly ever tells the correct time. When it was installed in 1902 it was set three minutes fast so that people were less likely to miss their train at Edinburgh Waverley Station – though I’m sure the people of Edinburgh are wise to it after 120 years. Edinburgh Waverly Station, by the way, got its name from The Waverly Novels by Sir Walter Scott.
6. Talking of literature, a number of authors have been inspired by the city. To name but a few: JK Rowling famously wrote the first Harry Potter novel in Edinburgh cafes, but not only that. She got the names Thomas Riddell and William McGonagall from gravestones in Greyfriars cemetery. Charles Dickens also took inspiration from a tombstone, in his case in Canongate Kirkyard. The grave belonged to one “Ebenezer Scroggie – Mealman” which Dickens misread as “Ebenezer Scrooge – Meanman”. The rest is history. Finally, Edinburgh Castle witnessed a gruesome event in 1440 known as the 'Black Dinner'. The teenage James Douglas, 1st Earl of Avondale was invited to dine with King James II’s younger brother at the Castle. The king's men dragged the Earl and his entourage into the courtyard and staged a mock trial which found them all guilty of treason and the lot of them were beheaded on the spot. Centuries later, this event would become the inspiration for the Red Wedding in Game of Thrones.
7. Edinburgh once hosted the Eurovision song contest. In 1972, it should have been held in Monaco, since the tiny country had won it the previous year. However, perhaps surprisingly, Monaco couldn’t afford to host it, so Usher Hall offered to host it for them.
8. Edinburgh is sometimes nicknamed “Auld Reekie”, but that’s nothing to do with it being smelly. It’s actually derived from Scottish words for “Old Smokey”, because of the trains which used to run on coal and create a lot of smoke.
9. Edinburgh was the first city in the world to have a fire brigade. James Braidwood developed the first municipal fire brigade in 1824.
10. The expression “getting off scot-free” originated in Edinburgh. It originated when everyone in the city was given a day off work, except for children at school. A bunch of schoolboys took exception to this and barricaded themselves into their bedrooms in protest. During the fracas that followed, with the army sent in to sort it all out, a schoolboy shot a soldier and killed him. The boy in question was the son of a lord and therefore got away with it. In England, they joked about it, and invented the term, to get off scot-free.

Killing Me Softly

Sebastian Garrett is an assassin. It wasn’t his first choice of vocation, but nonetheless, he’s good at it, and can be relied upon to get the job done. He’s on top of his game.

Until he is contracted to kill Princess Helena of Galorvia. She is not just any princess. Sebastian doesn’t bargain on his intended victim being a super-heroine who gives as good as she gets. Only his own genetic variant power saves him from becoming the victim, instead of Helena. 

Fate has another surprise in store. Sebastian was not expecting to fall in love with her.

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