Edinburgh Fringe

It's that time of the year, and I can't wait!  (I bought my train ticket over two months ago!)  I have been slowly going through the programme ("49,497 performances of 3,193 shows in 299 venues") and tonight I made a matrix of all the shows I was interested in, including showtimes, cost and location, and scientifically calculated the ideal running order for maximum enjoyment at minimum price.

Of course that's not true--most of the shows I'd never heard of, and I never made it through the whole programme.  But I still ended up with a list of 40 shows and, while I did make a grid, it was a bit haphazard and in the end completely worthless--one of my "must see" shows was sold out on Saturday and had to be shifted to Sunday, and Nina Conti was completely sold out.  If I was smart, I would have started over from scratch; instead I just stuffed a few bits in.

Nevertheless, I've got some semblance of a plan, and if there are some gaps I won't mind, you know, eating.  Or taking a nap.

Friday
Train arrives 6:30pm, taxi to hotel   
Joe Bor, A Room with a Jew @ 7:30 (free)
Alan Davies @ 9
Ennio Marchetto @ 10:30

Saturday
Mark Thomas @ 12:30
National Museum of Scotland @ 2 (free music)
Rory O'Keefe @ 3:15

National Gallery?

Monsieur Butterfly @ 8:10
Jess Robinson or Camille O'Sullivan @ 9:40

Sunday
Waters of Leith walk in the morning (free, including Royal Botanic Garden)
St Giles Cathedral @ 12:15 (free concert)
Daniel Cainer Jewish Chronicels @ 1:30
Old Men Walking @ 2:40 (free)
Underground Tour @ 4
Young and Strange: Delusionists @ 6:30 (free)
What Does the Title Matter Anyway @ 9

Monday
Train at 6:52am :-(

In between shows, I will be dining at establishments such as "Elfalafel," "Piemaker," "Engine Shed" and "Brazil Crepes" -- the latter is just a kiosk in the park -- but I will splurge at David Bann, a properly amazing vegetarian restaurant.  (The prices are actually quite reasonable; it's only expensive comparied to places which don't have seats.)
 
The hotel is £50/night (including breakfast), the train was £38 round-trip, I'll spend about £120 on 14 shows and £50 on food. Not bad for such an amazing weekend.