Edinburgh  city of dramatic hills, grand gestures and vaulting aspiration. Home to devolved government, the Scottish Assembly and the City of Edinburgh Council. A prime-mover in civic redevelopment of scale and ambition unsurpassed since the days of James Craig. Ancient site dun eideann; formerly Auld Reekie; self-styled Athens of the North; cradle of the Scottish Enlightenment; and the venal, spiritual and actual Heart of Midlothian. A menacing backdrop to Jean Brodie, John Rebus, Mark Renton, Henry Jekyl and Edward Hyde. Grounded on a bastion of rock, yet riven in the annals of history by fury, fire and retribution. Her destiny forever compelled to forge hope and salvation from the crucible of misery and oppression. Scotlands dichotomy articulated by Hugh McDiarmid: 'for we ha'e faith in Scotland's hidden poo'ers'. And amplified by Ukrainians in Scotland whose memorials, to Saint Wolodymyr and to forcibly starved millions, sit beside Calton Hill. That a beacon for the entire scottish diaspora, whose silent hoards, relics and artifacts reside across the way in the National Museum of Scotland. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.