cycling along the canal...

despite having lived in Edinburgh for a couple of years now... there're still many pockets of it which i've yet explored. today, i took my bicycle along the Union Canal, which is really not far from where i currently live...

water hens, mandarin ducks and swans could be spotted along the canal, busy with their spring bounty... and daring sparrows and silly flies (or were they midges?) flirt with death as they zip or hover across the path while cyclists, pedestrians and dogs venture through.

i couldn't help but find the path along the canal reminding me of that along the Nekar river in T?bingen, which is truly idyllic and beautiful in summer... i suppose the difference is that while there are canal boats here, wooden punts line the banks of the Nekar (T?bingen is sometimes referred to as the Oxford of Germany)...

despite the rare speckle of good weather, i didn't go all the way along the path... which would have taken me to Falkirk or Linlithgow... i suppose, alternatively, i could have carried my bike down the steep flight of steps onto the other path, The Water of Leith Walkway, and that would take me towards the botanical gardens... perhaps another day, i thought, when i have the company of a friend... so i turned around at that juncture... and headed back... on my way home, i passed by the canal boats again

and learnt that one of them is actually a cruising restaurant called Zazou, which seemed like a lovely place to dine if you have a group gathering... perhaps i could go there to celebrate after attaining my phd... if i ever will! i'll need 7 other diners to join me in this luxury treat... so let me know if you'd be interested!

posted by ~overacuppa~ on Sunday, 29 May, 2005 at 21:07 hrs