Robert Burns & Burns Night 2018

At Camera Obscura we are looking forward to celebrating Burns night supper tonight.

We are going have a quick look at “Rabbie” Burns life and things to do in Edinburgh to help celebrate the life of a beloved poet.

Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759, in Ayrshire, Scotland. He is an iconic Scottish figure gracing our ten pound notes and whose works of poetry are still recited to this day.

Burns was a cheeky lad, a romantic and a legend in his own right, managing to father 12 children in his lifetime before his death at the age of 37. He certainly had a way with words and flattery so it’s no wonder that he has captured the hearts of so many.

Burn’s suppers are hosted on the poet’s birthday to celebrate his life and his works. The first ever Burn’s Supper was hosted by friends of late poet marking the five year anniversary of his death. They ate, drank, and reminisced about their fallen friend by reading his works.

You could pay tribute to the poet by visiting the Robert Burn’s monument here in Edinburgh that resides on Regent Road just by Calton Hill.

Others prefer to attend a Burn’s Night Supper and ceilidh that are hosted all around Edinburgh. Due to the popularity of the poet, most events must be pre-booked, however you can have a look at “The List” which mentions a handful of celebrations happening in the city, check out the link below:

https://www.list.co.uk/events/burns-night/

If you don’t want to go out, many have a quiet celebration at home. If you want to know more about Robert Burns we have a few recommendations for you.

Artist David Begbie created a steel sculpture of Robert Burns which will feature in the Burns Unbroke Festival in Edinburgh which starts from today until March the 10^th 2018. You can find out more here https://www.summerhall.co.uk/burns-unbroke/

The artist has been quoted saying ““I am proud to be Scottish, and Robert Burns is certainly Scotland’s most famous poet. This, combined with his relationship with Alison Begbie, his first real love and the inspiration for many of his works, over two centuries later, inspired me to create this portrait.” – David Begbie.

We hope you have a fantastic Burn’s Supper!

Written by Christine McCleary

Panda on the Roof – Giant Lanterns of China

It’s a New Year and an exciting time for us at Camera Obscura. We had record visitor numbers over the festive period, but now the festive season is over you may be wondering what to do in Edinburgh in the New Year.

Camera Obscura is supporting Edinburgh Zoo with its “Giant Lanterns of China”; this includes beautiful displays of lanterns dotted around the city for you to discover along with the event itself taking place at Edinburgh Zoo.

We are currently looking after one the Zoo’s panda lanterns at the front of our building which you can see in picture below.

This unique display of lanterns at Edinburgh Zoo helps highlight the long-standing support Edinburgh Zoo has had with China and the ongoing help in raising panda numbers.

Edinburgh was all a buzz when Tian Tian (the female panda) and Yang Guang (the male panda) first arrived in the city back in 2011. They have captured the city’s hearts and we are always hoping that baby pandas will arrive in the future.

This Winter Edinburgh Zoo has a beautiful visual treat by displaying over 450 Chinese giant lanterns to discover across the Zoo itself. The event will also host Chinese performers and wintery food and drinks to keep you warm whilst you enjoy the displays. The full route takes place over a one mile loop and will take about one hour and a half to complete.

Tickets can be booked online through Eventbrite, Edinburgh Zoo’s ticketing partner or at Edinburgh zoo itself. Tickets will only be available at the door if there is availability. Due the event’s high demand we recommend booking in advance so you don’t miss out! The Giant Lanterns of China will be running up until the 25^th of February 2018 so catch it whilst you can. To find out more or book tickets just follow the link below;

https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/giant-lanterns/

Written by Christine McCleary

Teeny Tiny Toddler Fest ’18 Day Planner 2 (Other places)

If you find yourself with some extra time after visiting all of the floors in the Camera Obscura, and your kids are still itching for some activities, we can recommend you pay a visit to either the National Museum or the Museum of Childhood, the latter one located right on the Royal Mile.

The museum is the first of its kind in the world; it is dedicated to the history of childhood with a great collection of old toys and board games to admire with nostalgia, you might find things you or your parents used to play with, and you’ll get to share it with your kids. Look out for the Puppet Theatre, they might have it on depending of the time of your visit, and don’t forget to snoop around the gift shop, they have a wide selection of Scottish books for children. There’s no fee to enter but the building is not that buggy-friendly to be honest, so you might have to leave any prams by the desk and take your kids with you for the tour.

Outdoorsy stuff

For the ones that are a little bit more daring, there are a lot of outdoor options despite the cold January weather: Princes Street Garden, The Royal Botanic Garden and Gorgie Farms are great places to explore with your winter jackets, not that far from the Camera Obscura.

Princes Street Gardens is the closest one; the garden is beautiful all year round but will be closing around 18:00 each day during the winter months. At the West end of the garden there is a play area with ramps, tunnels, slides and roundabouts suitable for toddlers. Older kids might enjoy better some train spotting from the Waverley Bridge on the East side of the garden. It might be a tad too cold for a picnic but you can enjoy strolling around with a great view of the Edinburgh Castle above you and the Walter Scott Monument next to you.

We can also recommend paying a visit to the Royal Botanic Garden, it is a beautiful place in all seasons and it is really accessible for prams, with levelled and ramped ground floor access and lifts. Inside there is a Chinese garden, a rock garden, the Scottish Heath Garden and the Queen Mother’s Memorial which looks like a little maze that kids will definitely enjoy and it could also serve as great location for an impromptu photoshoot of your favourite baby model.

The garden is free of entry but you do need to pay a small fee for the Glasshouses, which might be worth checking out, especially due to the cold, unfortunately they are not that accessible for buggies, so be warned. The garden is so big that they have a restaurant in the John Hope Gateway building, and two cafes: the East Gate Cafe and the Terrace Café for any snacks or toilet check-ins.

Last but not least, we are also big fans of Gorgie Farms: an urban farm with a café, just over a mile away from the Camera Obscura. It is a great opportunity for kids to get close to farm animals: pigs, cows, goats, sheep, chicken, etc. There is no entry fee but donations are welcome as the farm offers different services to the community, fresh produce, pet minding, etc. We are pretty sure that kids will love finishing their day out in town surrounded by mud, animals and vegetables.

Written by Simon Maracara

Teeny Tiny Toddler Fest ’18 Day Planner 1 (Food)

There’s only a few days left until Toddler Fest ’18 begins! Since you already have your tickets, you might be thinking about planning the rest of your visit.  If your tummy starts rumbling while exploring the Mirror Maze, there’s nothing wrong with stepping out for lunch and coming back with replenished energy. Here is a list of places near the Camera Obscura you might like to check out:

The most obvious recommendation for a quick bite would be is Café on the Mound, going down from the Camera Obscura on to North Bank Street, with tons of space for your pram, some really comfy couches and even highchairs for the babies.  The staff are always friendly and very quick, and the wee ones can find toy boxes and lots of coloured books and pencils to stay busy while you sip on hot tea and put your feet up for a while.

A “two birds, one stone” recommendation would be the National Museum of Scotland. It’s only a few minutes away, it’s free to enter and has a large restaurant and a café for that mid-break you’re looking for with the kids. The Museum itself is beautiful, and has countless exhibits including animals, dinosaurs, cars and planes, and much more. They have a lot of interactive stations too, if your kids would like to play and learn about our mysterious and exciting planet Earth.

The Museum Brasserie restaurant is in the basement, next to the main foyer, it has a lot of space for the strollers and the service is really good. The menu is mostly made up of main meals with a lot of Scottish recipes, including veggie and gluten free options. Upstairs on the third floor, there is the Balcony Café with a self-service counter with different sandwiches, cakes and soups. The space here is limited as the tables are all closer together, but they have big windows with a lot of natural lighting early in the day which some might prefer. They have a £1 cloakroom for buggies and big spacious lifts if you need them.

You can also stop by the Camera Obscura Gift Shop and ask the staff there for a discount voucher we have for other restaurants in the area, includes a nice little map and it has kids’ specific offers.