The dark time


Darker than usual this year, as the tramworks have put out of action some of the city centre streetlights. On Saturday afternoon the streets leading off Princes Street were unlit chasms. Dark in the countryside enfolds, but dark in a city, among the press of shadowy crowds, is unsettling. The streets that were lit reminded me of the opening of Ursula Le Guin's 'The Left Hand of Darkness'. "Rainclouds over dark towers, rain falling in deep streets, a dark storm-beaten city of stone, through which one vein of gold winds slowly."

But Edinburgh's 'Winter Wonderland' is taking shape again (already?). Behind the spire of the Scott Monument the big wheel experiments with a red zig zag of lights.

In answer to Tami's question, we have about 7 hours 40 minutes of daylight this week, but with low cloud it feels MUCH less!

Comments

  1. I walk through the gardens after work and I can hardly see anything, but the castle looks amazing and because of the lack of lights on Princes Street, everything in the gardens has a sort of surreal glow. Helps put my mind in a good perspective after a long day.

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  2. Oh it is dark - never thought about the tramworks having that effect. I noticed the big wheel and wondered if it was up. Was in town today but only around The Meadows. Waiting on your book recommendation to arrive from amazon marketplace - 1p :)

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  3. Cool lighting and lights in this one.

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  4. How many hours of daylight do you have this time of year?

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  5. It is really a serious looking picture. I saw the wheel immediately and wondered what that was all about. I hope you cloudy dark day didn't have moisture with it. Thanks for sharing, I always enjoy your site.

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  6. Linda, I like this view of Edimbourgh at sunset. I see you have not fog there.
    Happy Tuesday!

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  7. Gorgeous picture. I love it when its like that outside, instead of all lit up! Yes, a bit on the eerie side walking downtown I would imagine, but beautiful nonetheless. Make sure to post pics of the Winter Wonderland. I have to "live" Scotland through you, ya know? lol

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  8. Very mysterious and beautiful!

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  9. This photo reminded me that Edinburgh is the city of Rebus, and Jekyll and Hyde - brooding and menacing.

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  10. I have less so there is not much else to do than enjoy the rain and darkness!

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  11. What a gorgeous night photo. Really well done. I think you do this well even before your night shots lesson.

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  12. Our worlds are about as different as they can be, and your posts always remind me of that.

    As I begin to read my way through Ursula Le Guins' books, I find that there are so many lines that I want to remember. These are novels to savor and to re-read, and I will be coming back to them again and again. I am going to keep a notebook of quotes as I do so.

    Thank you for this moody, unsettling picture and for the perfect quote to go with it.

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