Dynamic Earth

This week has been half term in Falkirk and hubby took time off work so we could visit different areas. Unfortunately, tummy bugs put a bit of a spanner in the works and so we didn't get out as much as we would like. Last weekend, I was very excited to visit Dundee as a new Hobbycraft store has just opened there - this is a retail success story as lots of new stores are planned. Even though most of what they sell is more expensive than what can be bought online,I find it useful and inspirational to see things before buying.
On Monday we drove over to Livingston - the monsoon rain forced us into the huge shopping centre. Before moving to Scotland, I was warned off Livingston which is described as a new town that's a huge mall but it's where hubby works and the shops offer some chance of my getting a part-time job. It's also that much closer to Edinburgh. Livingston Village is very pretty and has a lovely school so we are crossing our fingers that a suitable place comes up.
Yesterday, we went into Edinburgh to visit Dynamic Earth  which is a new science museum all about Earth. There are loads of interactive galleries and young enthusiastic tour guides to lead you through from one area to another. Unfortunately, this meant waiting around sometimes for guides which I wasn't keen on (I'm a tad impatient but don't like being treated like some sort of sheep). It was also a little bit scary in parts for our 4 year old though she's already asked to go back. I thoroughly enjoyed the time lift which used the walls of the lift shaft to display different periods of history. There was a brilliant gallery showing the effects of the ice age, and another showing modern day Arctic and Antarctic with a huge real ice display in the middle. The rainforest gallery was a bit hokey but there is a 3d show about different biodomes around Earth which was very good. Finally, there is a half hour show about astronauts which didn't teach me much new but little one enjoyed it once she lay down on her chair. Definitely worth a visit if you have school age kids. At the mo there is a special on where you pay entry in October, a few pounds more and you get free entry for a year. Even if we go for one more trip, it will be worth it.