Trips

            Continuing our journey toward Edinburgh, we re-entered the Scottish lowlands at Perth and the land became fertile and agricultural again. As we drove through Perth we saw the Royal Research ship Discovery, that took Scott to Antarctica.
            We also saw the Tay Rail bridge - the original collapsed with the fourth train to cross it, creating a monumental scandal for the engineer who designed it, Thomas Bouch.
            We stopped in St. Andrews by the golf courses right at the edge of this old university town. Golf was played here as early as the 1400's but it is not the oldest course in the UK. The rules of golf are determined here at St. Andrews.
            After looking at golfers, some not very good but rich enough to play here, we walked into town. We ate a bowl of lentil soup and brown soda bread and then walked to see the ruins of St. Andrew's Cathedral built originally in 1272. The square St. Rule's Tower and parts of the walls still stand. St. Andrews Castle was built in 1204 as a palace and is also in ruins.

Royal Research Ship Discovery

Tay Railroad Bridge

Coat of Arms of St. Andrews Golf Club

Map of the links

Looking back at the clubhouse

St. Andrews University - one of many buildings

Street scene

St. Andrews Cathedral

St. Andrews Cathedral ruins

St. Andrews Cathedral - wall detail

St. Andrews Cathedral - St. Rule's tower (right)

Street scene

St. Andrews Castle

Birds flocking above St. Andrews Castle

Fourth Rail Bridge

We finally arrived in Edinburgh.

For dinner we met Dr. Joe Goldblatt who was a professor at Temple University in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, after Marge retired. The three of us ate at the Deacon Brodie tavern. Brodie was a pious deacon during the day and a thief at night. He was the inspiration for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. We had a good time talking to someone who emigrated here and is now a Scottish citizen and teaching at the Univ. of Edinburgh.

The legend of Deacon Brodie

Joe, Gale, and Marge at Deacon Brodie's

Tues., 5/21/13 - Edinburgh
Today was the first day that was sunny all day! It was nice not to wear a rain jacket. Edinburgh is at 55°57’ north latitude and it is light from 5 AM to 0:30 AM - and we have a month until the solstice.
A local guide took us on a tour of Edinburgh. We drove up and around Arthur's Seat. The hill has nothing to do with King Arthur but was probably named for the archers who practiced there. We looked down at a lake full of swans - one sitting on a nest - and on the Duddingston Lake where the sport of curling began. It was a great view across the city.

Duddingston Lake

City View

Next was a tour of Edinburgh Castle that is built high on a rock outcrop and encloses eleven acres. There are naval cannons around the ramparts for decoration but one modern cannon is shot off everyday at 1 PM and has been since 1861. The citizens set their watches by it and the tourists jump!
Our guide left us in Crown Square within the castle and we went inside to view the crown jewels, also called "The Honours," and the Stone of Destiny, which has a long legendary history but is the coronation stone. The path inside took us through life sized displays of how the jewels - crown, sword, scabbard, and mace - were made, hidden from Cromwell, returned, taken to London and finally, in 1993, returned here to Edinburgh Castle. In 1707 when England and Scotland were united, the Honours were locked away in England. We looked at the jewels and then wandered through Mary Queen of Scots’ apartments and the room where James VI of Scotland was born in 1566.