Edinburgh, and especially the famed Royal Mile (should be called the Royal Mile of Souvenirs, really) seems quite fond of signs with a humorous twist, or at least a clever opportunity for intended or unintended misunderstandings.
Thistle do Nicely has at least three branches along the mile (and isn’t connected to the Thistle Stop cafe nearby…) The Fringe Shop is home to the headquarters of Edinburgh’s annual Fringe Festival.
Truth in advertising…
I’m fairly sure the company advertised on this taxi is not offering to remove the historic fortress; ‘removals’ covers what Americans call ‘movers.’ But there’s a lot of taxi advertising—including an advertisement for taxi advertising.
There are quite a few buskers of all sorts along the Royal Mile, including not a few bagpipers. There are also quite a few reminders of the rules. And a sign that I nearly bought a copy of to take home… It comes from the store below that specializes in Harry Potter and other pop culture merchandise; until a few years ago it had housed a broom and brush maker’s shop for centuries.
Not the only store for that, of course: Here’s the Knights Vault, featuring Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and a near-frightening display of sharp weapons along with a reminder not to potentially decapitate other customers…
What was once a charity hostel for indigent women has its beautiful old sign still, but new owners and a new theme…
An elegant cat cafe with an appropriate name, and quite a few cats to be seen through the window, although no humans present when I passed…
And then there was a spate of clever hair-cutting shops… Bad Boy’s attitude is expressed in a slogan in the window—but Medusa Hair relies on you remembering your classic mythology.
Two signs at the Writers Museum….
And a trio that more or less defy classification…
