Rainbows and Turkish Baths

It's nice to do a thing or two which has nothing to do with any of the festivals. This is why last Tuesday found me standing at the wrong bus stop on Princes Street, looking like a drowned rat, watching every bus which approached and then passed me by with unflinching optimism. Maybe this one would take me to Portobello...no. Maybe this one...no. This one? No. That's because you're on the wrong bloody street, you idiot, as you would have found out sooner had you immediately done the sensible thing and asked a bus driver. Right bus stop, George street, bus to Portobello and the most grand and beautiful rainbow hovering over the firth that I have ever seen. Almost makes the bucketing rain worth it. Almost.The Turkish baths at Portobello swim centre have been there since the town's glory days of seaside getaway for Edinburgh Victorians. They are partly original and partly refurbished. By no means grand and decorous, the steam rooms are, however, pleasantly functional for those of us who like to sweat away stresses and strains in near-unbearable heat. It was a mixed gender session and most of the other patrons were men – either pensioners or younger men built mostly out of tattoos – not ideal for me but better than not sweating away stresses and strains in near-unbearable heat. The greatest disappointment of the day was that the chippy was shut by the time I got out.One of this week's highlights has to be being taken out for a stout by Charlie Chuck (Vic and Bob's Uncle Peter....donkey!) and being told by him that I don't look normal. Pot. Kettle. Black.Brilliant.