Day 10- Maybe it was the hot toddy talking

Not understanding exactly what is happening I go to the reception hoping to find someone who can help me with the door. I explain the problem and the friendly guy says he will have a look. As he climbs the stairs after me, I send a mental note to the door: ' you better not open now or you will make me sound like a fool'.

I rotate the key in the lock and push the handle but there is no movement forward. He receptionist tries it as well and looks at me flabbergasted. ' weird, it seems like some heavy weight is pushing it from the other side. There is only one way to open it, we will have to break the lock.'

'Not the kind of activity I normally do at midnight but let's do it, I always wanted to try.'

'shoulder or foot?' he asks

'foot' I answer. 'Don't want to damage my shoulder'

Ok, in 3' ..1, 2, 3, go!

We kick the door and it blasts open. I step back and let him peep through.

'No one here' he says.

I follow him inside and check all the corners but no signs of life or movement apart from ourselves. 

He picks up the lock from the ground and says,' weird, this still has the internal lock activated, it shouldn't be possible to close from inside. I will ask the cleaning lady if she sensed any problem with the door, it must have slammed close with the lock activated. I will fix this now, will come back in a few minutes if that is ok'

'Sure, thank you'

As I wait for him to return I make a cup if tea and can see the complementary cookies winking at me, or maybe it was the hot Toddy talking!

Ghost or no ghost I sleep wonderfully and miss breakfast so drop by the Henderson's in Hanover street for some veggie breakfast. Coconut yogurt with rye bread and freshly squezzed berries juice does the deal. 

Before heading to the airport I buy some vegan and Gm free protein bars in case the Icelandic breakfast doesn't live up to my dairy free, vegetarian and sugar free diet. Gosh, I am starting to sound a lot like Gwen Patrol.

Day 9 The Mechanics of Man

I lazy around in the morning and then meet P for a stroll, we have lunch and then hit the road to explore another part of town.
P is overly excited, showing me her previous dwellings from her student life in the city, 20 years ago.  She walks into an old cemetery which looks creepy as the sun starts coming down and I wonder how the city looked like two hundred years ago. Edinburgh is fascinating!

Overlooking Arthur's seat hill, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is hosting an exhibition about the never published studies of Leonardo Da Vinci on the human body, "The Mechanics of Man". It is the last day so we decide to get a ticket. Inside, the very impressive and detailed work of Da Vinci on anatomy, 500 years before modern science. I walk out of it feeling sick, too much information on the physical shell and it's components.

The sun is now gone and the cold is freezing our hands so we stop at a 19th century tea house for a hot beverage top up. P feels tempted by the scones while I scan the menu for non sugary alternatives and finally order a cup of tea. This is no fun, I am not enjoying this game anymore! Buuu :(

Feeling adventurous we decide to walk towards the port area which is relatively new and maybe have some grilled fish for dinner in one of the restaurants. All was well until we re-routed after  a misleading direction and got lost, walking for what it felt like an eternity in a particularly dodgy area. Sensing footsteps behind me I turn around to find no one in the vicinity, the streets are empty. 'Can you hear footsteps?' I ask Piera. 'Yes', she says. Have been noticing you turning your head and looking behind us. The path takes us to a closed shopping centre and bus depot, confused we manage to locate a bus and return to town. The bus turns a few blocks and drives us through the area where we actually wanted to go. Oh well, it was not meant to be.

Hours passed and after a delicious dinner and a hot Toddy, we part to our hotels.
I rotate the key in the lock and push the handle but the door doesn't move. I look at the keyring and check the number-6 then confirm the door number, 6 as well. What the!? Perplexed, I try a few more times and even press my shoulder against it and push, but nothing, it seems like there is something heavy against it on the inside that isn't allowing it to open.

Day 8 - My taste buds say yes but my mind says no

We walk through Edinburgh's narrow alleys of the old town, climbing used, slippery steps that have been marched over centuries. The city breathes culture and antiquity, there's a higher presence in the corners, a vibration that sets up the mood to explore the past.

Distracted in our thoughts, we let our moves guide us to the writers museum. As i learn about some of the Scottish famous writers, something rings a bell when i read a reference to castle street. 'Wait a minute, that is where i am staying'.

 I was half awake this morning when the receptionist handed a leaflet with the 'house regulations' but can recall something about the Guest house being on a listed historical building as a Scottish writer was born there.

We exit the small museum and now search for a place to have a cup of coffee. So many pubs and restaurants but where are the cafes in the grassmarket area? I finally spot a little coffehouse across the road called Cafe picollo.

P is happy, being an italian who appreciates proper 'caffeine juice', and soon becomes best friends with the owners (a...it's complicated couple/business partners who recently open the place). what was meant to be a short coffee break ended up on a long and interesting conversation with the owners, new  clients and their friends. Half way through, the generous young man comes back from the kitchen with 2 pieces of homemade raspberry pie with fresh cream. 'Oh god, why are you tempting me this way?'
Salivating, my taste buds say yes but my mind says no. I manage to explain that i am on sugar detox and they don't seem to take offense'.
Back at the guest house i open the door of the room only to find the blanket on the floor, along with the house leaflet. 'Weird, i am pretty sure that was not not the ground when i left, i am not a big fan of ghosts!'


Kenneth Grahame, author of 'The Wind in the Willows' is the writer mentioned in the leaflet. I google him and find some interesting quotes.   “Here today, up and off to somewhere else tomorrow! Travel, change, interest, excitement! The whole world before you, and a horizon that's always changing!” 

Day 7 Who needs sugar when there’s music that can make you feel at the top of the world?

The liquorice tea must be doing the trick as after 7 days I don’t feel any cravings.

As I walk into the building where a meeting that can change my future is to occur, a famous song is playing in the reception area.’ So many times it happens too fast; You trade your passion for glory; Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past; You must fight just to keep them alive’

The song is off course – Survivor, ‘The Eye of the Tiger’, which became famous for being Rocky’s soundtrack.

Hearing it at this particular time made me believe that I am invincible; who needs sugar when there’s music that can make you feel at the top of the world and change your mood in just a few seconds?

Could you take this challenge?  It is proved that some of the reasons you are craving sugar, chocolate, crisps or any other conventional unhealthy food is because you are lacking enthusiasm  in that particular moment, feeling gloomy, overwhelmed, stressed or unsatisfied with life.  Next time you sense it coming, listen to a song that never fails to give you positive energy and a good buzz before hitting the vending machine and you might even forget that you wanted candy in first place.   

As I walk out of the meeting, one hour and 20 minutes past, having exhausted all of my brain cells, the same song is playing: ‘Risin' up, straight to the top, Had the guts, got the glory, Went the distance now I'm not gonna stop, Just a man and his will to survive. ‘

Whatever the outcome, take the opportunities as they come and never give up on your dreams! 

Day 6 I blame Alexander

Sugar is a grandpa - Sugar is one of the oldest ingredients, dating back to 326 BC

I wonder if that’s where the ‘great’ nickname is really coming from. - In 327 BC, Alexander the Great discovered the sugar cane; it then spread through Persia and introduced it in the Mediterranean.

Sugar was fancy, now it's a 'cheapo' - In the 1500s sugar was a costly treat and was called the ‘White Gold’. Until the late 1700's, sugar was a luxury that European nobility used to validate their rank and social power.

Sugar is beautiful- A grain of sugar under the microscope is a translucent crystal, reflecting light from its 14 facets like a jewel.

It was worth having sugar shares - A teaspoon of sugar, 2 centuries ago was still the equivalent to 5€.

Sugar is a worker like us- It is used to slow down the setting of cement and it is involved in the leather tanning process.

Sugar has ambition to explore other galaxies now that he conquered us- Glycolaldehyde, an eight-atom sugar, has been found in an interstellar gas cloud near the centre of the Milky Way.

Freshly cut flowers, (flowers that are about to die) seem to like sugar, it prolongs their life.  Unfortunately, the same doesn't apply to the human body, no matter how much you soak in sugar.

Sugar is greedy- When you consider the health of your teeth, it's better to eat 10 jelly beans all at once than it is to eat two jelly beans every hour.

Now that is not a great recommendation is it? Can you resist this? 

Day 5 The conspiracy theory

We all know that sugar is bad for you as we all know smoking is bad for you but people still consume sugar and still smoke.

I won’t bore you with all the facts but I assume you are aware that sugar is responsible for a good percentage of all cancers, diabetes, dementia, obesity and obviously tooth decay.

I start thinking that there is something like a sugar conspiracy. Imagine this...since you are a kid you grow up with the idea of candy as a reward. You have behaved well so you get a lollipop, you have a birthday party and there are plenty of sweet treats to choose from. Growing up, you are given heart shaped chocolates by your boyfriend and as an adult; you receive boxes of expensive handmade truffles from your business partners. If you think about it, there isn't a celebration where sweets aren't somehow involved.

You go to the cinema and along with your ticket you buy popcorn, chocolates or ice-cream. You are out for dinner and you have a three course meal that involves dessert. You spend Easter and Christmas with your family where you will share a huge variety of traditional desserts.

If you walk into the tinniest petrol station shop, you might not find anything proper to eat but i am sure they will sell chocolate bars.

We have taken for granted that sugar is in our lives to stay, it is definitely addictive but thinking about the bigger picture do you really want to give up your health for something that gives you instant reward but a possible lifetime of pain and disease? 

If you really feel like something sweet at least choose the freshly baked option and preferably organic or made with fine ingredients, it will not only taste better but will also feel special and with that in mind suddenly the vending machine doesn't sound that appealing.

Like anything in life, moderation is the key, unless we are talking about kisses, there’s never a limit for kisses or hugs.  

Day 4- The finest Hungarian cookies

Nothing screams cake reward louder than a pos medical appointment.

As a kid, I remember dreading the regular check-ups’ but if there was one thing that used to put a smile on my face was knowing that once we were out of that clinic we would go for ice cream or chocolate croissants.

As a 36 year old kid, I still repeat this routine, except for today.

Letters from the GP and optic clinic recommending exams arrive in the post with the exams date. ‘Call if you can’t attend’, they write. 

Not enjoying talking on the phone I always accept, which makes me feel like a very responsible adult. 

We can delegate many things that we don’t appreciate doing, and I have recently learned that, but unfortunately we have to attend our own physical maintenance examination. Not even the busiest entrepreneur can get away of this one.   

I tend to do my medical exams all at the same time (normally in the Winter and on the last months of the year), it may sound silly but when there’s something that I hate doing, such as ironing, I just pile it all up and do it in one go.

Not having a cleaning fairy, I pretend not to see the mountain of clothes that grow after each washing, until the day I finally decide that I want to wear them again; get the ironing board out of its hiding place and spend 2 hours eating chocolate and watching a movie (last one was magic Mike- perfect for the activity), while removing the creases from my skirts, trousers and shirts.

I end up meeting friends for dinner and the main meal is so filling that I completely forget about chocolate. At the end of day 4 I am quite surprised to say that I don't feel like having something sweet after dinner, even knowing about the existence of the finest Hungarian cookies in the cupboard.