Hello my friends! I’ve had a bit of a busy week, due in no small part to the weekend I just had, which I shall tell you about. Last Saturday, four of my friends and I decided to take a day trip to Stirling. ‘Why Stirling?’ I asked. ‘Why not?’ was the answer I was given. And then I was told that it had a castle, and I was perfectly happy to go. Besides the pictures I’ve posted here, I also have a public google album, viewable at this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/riordan.frost/ADayToStirling#. On another note, I also have an album consisting of a collection of pictures, primarily from Holyrood Park, from my first month here. It is at http://picasaweb.google.com/riordan.frost/RuggedWondrousScotland#. I think you can comment on the photos there, so please do if you are so inspired.
Last Saturday morning we went to the Edinburgh Bus Station (which used to be the first Veterinary College in Edinburgh, as the first photo in the album shows) and bought a round trip ticket for only £6! Two of my friends and I went on the earlier bus, with two others going on one an hour later. Whilst waiting for them to arrive, the three of us went to The Church of the Holy Rude (‘rude’ I believe was derived from ‘root’ which I believe used to mean ‘cross’... same derivation of Holyrood Park in fact). It was closed, but we happened to walk up to it as a kindly old Scotsman was walking out while cleaning the place. He welcomed us in, and we trod very quietly around the place where King James VI was named king in his infancy, towards the stained glass, and to the old Scotsman as he beckoned us on to look at this architecture or that window, speaking in hushed voices all along. We left and met up with the other two and went to Stirling Castle, which was beautiful. The sun was shining in and out of the clouds, causing the lighting to change rapidly, and causing the beauty to never really fade. I had a sample of haggis, followed later by a much better sample of whiskey mixed with cream and honey. It tasted, as my friend Alena put it, like sunshine. I don’t even like whiskey (gasp! I don’t say it out loud here, don’t worry) and I loved this stuff. We walked all about the castle, and then three of us decided to become members of Historic Scotland. I got my membership card just today. What does it do? What doesn’t it do is a better question. I get in to any castle or historic site in Scotland for free. It was a fabulous deal, and it will prove itself to be even more fabulous, I am sure. And it is the prettiest card I have in my wallet. So we explored the castle, and then walked a bit around the city. It felt surprisingly good to be out of Edinburgh and in a more peaceful and serene place. I do love Edinburgh, but it was lovely to get out for a day. And my friend Allie took this dashing picture of Alena, me, Taylor, and Sarah (left to right), which I quite enjoy:
I’ve decided to close this post with some cultural observations:
-Cars (and all vehicles) aren’t too keen on the concept of ‘yielding to pedestrians’
-Pedestrians aren’t too keen on the concept of ‘yielding to pedestrians’ - there is no set traffic flow of pedestrians at all. Do you walk on the left side? No. You walk wherever it is bloody well convenient and do whatever you please.
-In the pantry on every floor of my dorm there is what? Not a coffee maker, but a hot water boiler. Civilisation at last!
All for now. Take good care!
I like the photo - very nice. hey. remember on Thanksgiving Day when we listen to "Giving Thanks" and they always read the story of going to Chartres Cathedral and being given a tour of the cathedral and the stained glass windows and all the colors by the man who worked there? Sounds like you had your own experience like that at Stirling. Totally cool!
ReplyDeletehere at home, I know that spring will come because I have forsythia in the vase on the front hall table and it is blooming. and it may get up to 30 degrees today. we're actually hoping it doesn't go higher so we can match some record set in the 1890s for an entire january where it doesn't go above 32.