Weekend

This weekend was dedicated to admission free sightseeing in view of the fact that we quite blew up our sightseeing budget during the Easter holidays. Consequently, we got to see four museums, the Scottish Parliament and the only Hindu temple in Edinburgh.

The museums were amazing; we saw the Money Museum, the Writers Museum, Museum of Childhood and the Edinburgh Museum. At the money museum we saw a million pounds for the first time in front of our eyes; unfortunately all the currency notes had already been cancelled and so were of no use to any robbers. The money museum is housed in the same building as the headquarters of the Bank of Scotland. It is awesome because it showcases the history of banking and insurance. There were letters on display which had been written in the year 1857 or earlier by bank officials to the government or a letter of condolence written by bank official on the demise of one of its clients. It was a thrill to see such a piece from the bygone days, made it easier to imagine the people then, their emotions and circumstances. The history of the bank of Scotland was also shown right up to the current date where it is now owned by Halifax. There were also interactive display items given, like if you crack the answers of the 3 questions then you would get to know the numbers of the bank safe lock placed there and then you can proceed to unlock that safe. There was also a printing machine to print out your insurance policy of the year 1824 which Shaiwal did and very proudly collected the policy too.

From there we went into the writers’ museum, which showcased the brilliant authors of Scotland including R L Stevenson who wrote Treasure Island. It was lovely to read about their lives, their quotes and passages from their books. Shaiwal got a little bored there but I thoroughly enjoyed myself in that one. The Museum of childhood displays all sorts of toys, from dolls, to rides, to toy cars, to toy trains and best of all to dollhouses. It definitely lives up to its name of being the noisiest museum in the world. Those dollhouses, with all that small furniture inside it was so cute, of course, the boys (Shaiwal’s friend joined us by then) enjoyed checking out the toy cars and trains more.

The Edinburgh Museum was the largest of the museums we saw, the money museum was one floor with 6 sections to view while the other two museums had been 5 floors each. The Edinburgh museum however was a palace, it didn’t look so from the outside but once you enter you realise how huge the place is. It has a lovely collection of silver and glassware. The museum of course has a detailed account of the history of Scotland, right from the early times of trade, its artwork, the lives of the people here, including its involvement in the woman suffrage moment. There was a painting of an Indian Sardar as well, which however was labelled as “”The Indian Sowar”, I am assuming that would have been a spelling mistake! :) Even though I spent a considerable amount of time there I feel I still haven’t seen it all, so I am definitely heading back there.

The Scottish parliament was a treat due to the fact that after 4 museums we thought we wouldn’t be able to make it in time to view the parliament, so it was more a case of walking till there to have a look from outside. Imagine our joy when we found that the parliament was indeed open for viewing and it would remain so for another 45 minutes. Well we wasted no time and entered; as soon as we did we arrived at the security check area exactly like the ones we go through in airports. Even though I put everything in my handbag and put it for screening including my belt, I still managed to set off the alarm as I walked through. My glass bangles set the alarms off! Anyways, after being physically screened as well, I was let off the hook and I entered the parliament. This is a very recent parliament as it was set up in 1999.

The parliament history is very minimal since its only 11 years old so instead in the beginning the displays revolve around the functioning of the parliament, the physical structure of parliament and the materials used. What I fell in awe with and I really cherished was being able to see the debating chamber. I have put in a photograph for everyone to see. I felt inspired just standing there in that place where government policy decisions were recommended, debated on and finally taken. You have to be there to feel it, I guess. It was really small but it still had its impact. On Tuesdays and Thursdays visitors can come and sit in on parliament while it is in session and that is one thing I would dearly like to do.

Well that was all about our sightseeing this weekend, we also did go to the Hindu Temple here, which is the only one here. It’s actually a church brought out by the Hindu Community and right now in its transformation phase. When we walked in the puja had finished and Prasad was being distributed. Prasad was chocolates and a few Indian sweets. The temple doesn’t have a pujari and opens only every fortnight the 2nd and 4th Sundays of a month. It does celebrate major festivals like Navrathri, Ramnavmi, Krishna Jayanthi and Ganesh Chathurti and all. Currently the temple committee members are in the process of collecting money to transform the church into a proper temple; right now it’s just a huge hall with lots of pictures of hindu gods. One of the methods of money collection is membership, you become a member to the hindu community and they send you emails on major functions and festivities that will take place. Individual memberships are annual and cost you five pounds. It wasn’t a big amount and it was for a good cause so we became members as well. I was however disappointed to see the temple, I expected more I guess. I hope with time it does become better.

Well that’s all from my side today, everyone have a great week ahead. :)