I often receive visitors from overseas, and showing them around Edinburgh is something I really enjoy.
There are so many things of interest to show them, it’s difficult to know where to start. A particular favourite of mine is the National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street.
I recently had the pleasure of a visit from Udo Steingraeber, the owner of Steingraeber pianos of Bayreuth, Germany. Makin is the sole representative in Scotland for these wonderful handmade instruments and I would be happy to talk about them all day (if permitted!) I’ll definitely be returning to this subject.
The reason for Udo’s visit was primarily business, but we managed to fit in a quick tour of Edinburgh, including a brief visit to the museum. The museum has a long and fascinating history – it really is one of Edinburgh’s most precious assets. I can’t quite remember my first visit, but it must have been around the age of five.
On entering the museum, there is a very striking exhibit which is almost impossible to miss – the skull of a 40ft whale. Readers may remember that in March 1997 a sperm whale beached on the banks of the river Forth – the first such occurrence for this species for over 200 years.
He came to be known affectionately as Moby. Well… this is where he is now to be found. The sheer scale of this magnificent animal certainly leaves a lasting impression. I’d like to think Udo had a whale of a time visiting Edinburgh (oh dear…).