A Warm Welcome or a Photographers Gripe?

Some say I take too many pictures, and I take my camera everywhere I go.  Well that was the case on Saturday when we went into town, to the Royal Mile to see what was happening in the Festival.  Obviously the Royal Mile during the Festival is a photographers dream with performers walking up and down the street in costume trying to grab your attention.  They are all more than happy to pose for the myriad of amateur photographers, as long as you take a leaflet!

The warm welcome of the street performers was completely contrasted by the welcome we got in a certain Church on the Royal Mile!
 I have visited many churches and cathedrals and I don't mind paying to enter to help to maintain the church.  I like to take pictures but always respect the wishes of the church we are visiting.  Generally there are signs saying that they prefer that pictures are not taken and of course I respect this. People come to churches for quiet contemplation and don't want to be bothered by flash guns and photographers.  Some churches say that you have to pay extra admission to take photos, and in this case I just don't bother to take any.  St Giles, as far as I could see did neither.
We decided to go in for a walk around as it was the weekend we got married there 15 years ago! Entering through the shop (there was no admission fee) I was stuck by the fact that the church was very busy, with lots of tourists, and lots were taking pictures.
Walking down to the main door we passed the scaffolding and admired the new lights.  I stood and waited while MaryAnn showed Calum and Aileen where their grandparents were married.
At this point a member of staff from the church approached me and without any introduction told me in an unfrindly tone that I needed a licence to take photo's.   I didn't say much but was taken aback!  Although I had my camera around my neck I wasn't taking any photos, and as far as I could see there were not any prominent signs warning me of the 'rules'.

It wasn't really a warm welcome and made me leave thinking the church was  just after tourists money.  I would have preferred if there was an admission price so I could decide whether or not I wanted to enter, rather than being 'embarrassed' into paying a fee once already in!  So no photo's of the inside of St Giles this time.  I suppose I will just have to look at the picture from our wedding that was taken inside the church!

Jumping on the Bandwagon

Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was released from Jail on Thursday 20th August amidst hails of complaints and objections. Within minutes politicians from both sides of the Atlantic were queuing up to voice their opinions for and against. According to the BBC this morning ' a previous first minister of that country' was voicing his objections and saying it was a "grave error of judgment". I am perhaps becoming too cynical as my first thought was that no matter what the decision was, it would have been a "grave error of judgment" to that politician, wanting to jump onto the bandwagon and get his face on the morning news!

I feel for the families of the victims, it can't be easy for all this to be brought up again. I did notice in a recent poll that some of the families agreed with his release which I thought was a very brave stance to take. It would be easy to take the 'let him rot in jail' approach. To put themselves above the political wrangling and show compassion is very admirable

If I was asked I would agree with the decision to release him. I don't agree with the welcome he got, but I can see why it happened. I certainly don't agree with the comments of politicians trying benefit from this, and I think the calls for boycotting Scottish goods from certain Americans is ludicrous!

Hopefully this will all become old news in a couple of days, when the next political scandal hits the news, after all parliament will soon be back after the summer holidays!