Scottish Gorse

As part of my Euro '05 tour I returned to Edinburgh for 3 days in May. Stark contrast to my last stay here for over a month last year from November to December. It is a cool May by anyone's standards but it is much brighter and the people are out and about.I made a trip, again, up Arthur's Seat which is the local outcropping near the city. This time it was not shrouded in clouds but covered in a beautiful yellow flower. While walking up the side of this rock I kept thinking that I was on a beach in the tropics. The smell of Hawaiian Tropic just couldn't be shaken. After closer inspection it seems that this wild flower has a potent cocunut smell to it. But underneath the fragrent smell is a thorny reminder; don't get too close. This is just pure thorns under the outer shell.Still, every turn I took up the hill I kept smelling the beaches although not wishing I were there but just enjoying the wonderful late spring evening and sunset over the city of Edinburgh.