EIS –Edinburgh Scottish Night out (Day 06-still)

EIS –Edinburgh Scottish Night out (Day 06-still)


(8/23/2010) Tonight we attend the Scottish evening out. This dinner includes a show that features singers, dancers, bagpipes, other musicians and of course the Ceremony of the Haggis.

We jump into the bus which will take us to the old section of town and join others for the show. A gentleman in full highland regalia playing the bagpipes first meets us. He is good and the music at least does not sound like fighting cats.

We enter the hall and select a seat. We have reserved seating so there are already several tables, in the front I might add, thank you Gordon, and soon seated. The dinner includes wine, all you can drink. And I do. There are only two of us at our end of the table drinking white wine and we soon finish the first bottle.

We begin our meal service with an appetizer, then followed by the meal and lastly desert. I think I haven’t had pate in quite a while, so that was my appetizer, I don’t remember what Carmen had. We had a second bottle of wine brought to the table. Anyway, service for the main course and desert follow, along with our third bottle of wine.

Now mind you there is no wine served once the show starts, so we have the fourth bottle of wine served. Just in case we run dry mind you. Not that we plan on drinking all of it, well maybe.

The MC starts with introductions and reflects the makeup of the people in the hall. From almost every corner of the globe, including England with a few jabs interjected.

We begin the show with dancers accompanied by the shows band (drums, piano, and accordion). They danced several traditional folk dances which the MC walking around, sort of participates.  Thats the MC in the picture with the dancers.

Following the dancers, the MC introduces a violinist. She plays some very lively songs which kind of reminds me of the Canadian “gigs and reels” my grandparents would listen to on the radio.

The band’s accordion player plays several songs. Both before and after the MC banters with the accordion player, mentioning several times “knees, knees”, meaning keep your knees together there are people in the front row.

After the first round of entertainment, we have the Ceremony of the Haggis. Bagpipes precede the Haggis in a precession and brought to the stage. The haggis sits on tartan colors which are also on elk antlers. Accompanying the haggis is a glass of scotch for toasting. The ceremony, spoken in Gaelic, includes a toast and the cutting of the haggis. Of course there is the customary tasting and then we were served our own plates.

Tasting the haggis, I would say it has a similar flavoring to creaton that can be found in Maine. I thought it was good although Carmen did not like it at all. Maybe it was the wine, who knows?

The show continued with all of the performers dancing and playing again and the finally ending with all of the entertainers on stage for a final song. All in all this was a good show with the music very good.



Until later, Bob and Carmen – EIS.