One is Silver and the Other's Gold

£8.50 is a good deal to see a world class symphony. Especially when that symphony, the London Symphony Orchestra, is playing Prokofiev. I don’t particularly love listening to classical music unless it’s live, then I find it astonishing. And this performance was virtually flawless. This orchestra courageously barreled into the music bringing each nuance to life with passion and authority. And then there was the featured cellist. I’m not sure what Prokofiev wrote is possible for any human to play, so I’m not sure this cellist was human because she seemed to defy the composer’s ambitions with every pass of the bow. What a humbling and exciting experience to be a part of.

I’ve mentioned before how good it is to see familiar faces on the road. Even though the faces I’m traveling with are becoming more familiar, well, as the song goes, “make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other’s gold.” Here in Edinburgh, my old friend Luke is finishing up his Master’s degree at the University of Edinburgh. I can’t actually remember the last time I saw Luke, but it may have been four years ago, which seems too long to be true. However, after a couple nights spent together, time doesn’t seem to matter much. That’s not to say that we’re the best of friends and it’s like we’ve never been apart. That’s not true. But there is an existing familiarity between us, a mutual respect, and an expanse of common ground between us in which we can gambol about.

What a blessing it’s been for me to get away from the bustle of the city and cook dinner in a flat overlooking the green grass of a neighborhood park. Good conversation, laughter, simple food, empathy, frisbee, a chance to meet local friends, walks about town, and some terrific curry from the Central Mosque’s kitchen. These things, not museums, churches, or even the symphony, have made my stay in Edinburgh these past few days enriching. I look forward to meeting up again when I’m back next week, but before that happens we’re heading north to the highlands. And I mean north.