Building bridges
It is, averred the prime minister, about building bridges, not burning boats.
David Cameron was chatting with Tavish Scott, an erstwhile Guizer Jarl at Up Helly Aa where boat-burning is compulsory.
But, alongside the joshing, a visit with a decidedly serious purpose. , an indication of his intent to re-engage, if possible, with the entire Scottish body politic.
Symbolism all round.
Mr Cameron said it was his first visit as prime minister to a parliament anywhere. He has yet to go to Westminster.
His talks with the opposition leaders were held in Queensberry House where the second Duke of that ilk crafted and propagated the Union Treaty in 1707.
And the PM had to enter Holyrood via a side door because of a noisy protest outside against public sector cuts.
Future progress?
But hard bargaining in outline form with the FM. Alex Salmond said after the talks that he had been surprised that the new PM was ready to engage, seriously, about financial issues such as new borrowing powers or Scotland's demand for a comparable share of the money currently being spent in the east end of London in association with the Olympics.
Will there be final deals today? No, of course not. Might there be progress in future? Perhaps.
Privately, those observing the talks with Opposition leaders say that the PM was open to the idea of progressing the Calman reforms to Holyrood with relative speed.
Indeed, it was Mr Cameron who raised the issue.
Understandably, he would not give an immediate assurance that Calman would feature in the first coalition Queen's speech.
Holyrood reform
But those seeking to advance the Calman agenda felt reassured by Mr Cameron's response.
Frankly, those supporting the Union felt he had got the concept: that further reform at Holyrood would be required, from their standpoint, to counter the SNP arguments which will now be advanced in the run-up to the elections next year.
From an SNP perspective, Mr Salmond appears to be sustaining his broad strategy which is to govern as consensually as possible within the present Union settlement - while simultaneously inviting the voters to infer that things could be better under independence.
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