Today is our last day in Glasgow and Scotland all together. We started off with our final test of the two courses and this afternoon we had tea. Having tea is an everyday thing in Scotland and Europe. We had our tea at The Willow Tea Rooms. This is one of the most famous tea rooms in all of the UK. A man named Charles Renee Macintosh designed these rooms himself and there is in fact a whole wing in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum dedicated just to him. He was very influential in architect and design. Most of the things in the tea room show off his talent of interior design though and it was shown that he had a very unique style. He has built the Glasgow School of Art, the Hill House in Helensburgh, and the Scotland Street School in Glasgow. It was a very pleasant experience and ended our month abroad quite nicely. Overall it was an hour gossip session filled with delicious tea, sandwiches, scones, and our choice of cake.
Our month abroad has been filled with many new and exciting things. It is hard to be the last one to blog about our trip, because it makes one reminisce about all these great things and to know we leave in just 12 hours is quite sad. We have seen many historically relevant and beautiful things. We got to see the Highlands which would most likely be my favorite part because of the pure scenic beauty and as we found out in our course they had such a sad and demeaning history there. We have also found out that without the Scottish people we would not have many of the things we have today. They have had huge impacts on education, psychology, industry, technology, medicine, public health, and have explored and expanded many places. Without this course I would of never known that without the educational mastermind of Witherspoon we would most likely not of had the American Revolution, or that without William Hunter we would not have appropriate OBGYN, or of course the most relevant one to most people that without Alexander Graham Bell we would not have the telephone. The list of what the Scots have accomplished could go on and on.
Today has ended up being a very bittersweet day. As I write this blog most of the other girls are packing ever so slowly because they do not want to leave quite yet. Now don’t get me wrong we do want to see our friends and family, but we do not want to leave the beautiful Scotland and the amazing times we have had here. I hope that all of us will get the opportunity to travel abroad again to learn even more. I have learned a lot about myself personally by learning how other people live and how they react to Americans. We have had an amazing opportunity and are thankful for the experience we have had here and the person who has made it available to us. So tonight all of us girls are going to have a fun safe night out to celebrate our experience!
Monday, 2 August 2010
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
St. Mungo's-Whitney Cockrell
The Glasgow Cathedral, or St. Mungo’s Cathedral, is one of the oldest churches to have survived the reformation. Located in the center of Glasgow, it sits across the street from the oldest home in the city. It is a beautiful church and is home to the largest post war collection of stained glass windows in Britain.
St. Mungo was the patron saint of Glasgow. In the lower church, there is a shrine dedicated to him, and hundreds of people make a pilgrimage to this shrine each year on January 13, the day of his death. In 1451, the pope declared it as meritorious to make a pilgrimage to St. Mungo’s as to Rome itself.
We also visited St. Mungo’s Museum of Religious Life and Art. The museum houses religious symbols and artifacts from around the world. It explains how various religions affect the culture of the people participating. What I found most fascinating was that despite all of the differences, we have more similarities than we realize. Most religions share similar values, such as the sanctity of marriage, or being pious. The differences tend to lay in the variety of ways that people worship and their beliefs in the after life.
I find the different ideas of the hereafter both amazing and terrifying. For example, the Egyptians believe that you are brought before God and all of you sins are weighed against the feather of truth. If your sins weigh more than the feather, you are sent to the underworld. While it is a quick and decisive judgment, it is an intimidating idea to me.
I enjoyed looking at the various wedding day styles and traditions as well. Weddings are a time of great joy for all people of all cultures.
St. Mungo’s was a beautiful cathedral, and an enlightening museum experience. I would highly recommend it to anyone in the Glasgow area.
Monday, 12 July 2010
Independent Travel-Isle of Mull-Ben Gerrard
For the last free weekend of the trip Doc Long and I decided to set out to Scotland’s Hebridean Islands, with our sights set specifically on the islands of Mull and Iona: the latter being the burial ground of Scotland’s ancient kings and the arrival point of Saint Columba as he brought Christianity to Scotland (or Pictland as it essentially was) from Ireland in 563 C.E (in the process he built Scotland’s first monastery). Setting out at lunchtime on Thursday, we caught a three-hour train northwest from Glasgow to Oban on the coast. There was a little excitement on the train as it was held up at one of the stations for “police business”, which delayed our arrival in Oban and had us running late for the Mull Ferry, which had apparently announced that it wasn’t going to wait for the train passengers to board, despite the fact that the train station is right next to the ferry terminal. This had some of the Scots on the train looking positively irate. After a quick sprint though we still managed to catch the ferry, so there was no harm no foul. As we sailed out of Oban into the Sound of Mull the sun was shinning and we got a great view of one of the area’s largest towns, the lush green coast, and the islands of the Inner Hebrides (including Muck and Lismore, which stands out for it’s tall white lighthouse) and their rolling mountainous peaks.
We arrived off the ferry in Craignure at about five p.m. and jumped on a bus heading for Mull’s far west coast and the tiny town of Fionnphort, where we found our Bed and Breakfast among the sheep, seagulls, more sheep, and the slowly setting sun. Mull is shaped a bit like a backwards L (really more of a backwards E which is falling over a little, but with stick with the backwards L for simplicity’s sake), so Craignure is at the apex of the L, Fionnphort is out at the west end of the foot of the L, near the Isle of Iona, and up near the top of the L is Tobermory (which we’ll get to later). Once we checked in to the B&B we walked about 200 meters to the local pub/restaurant, which turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. The Doc and I can be a bit food snobbish sometimes, it comes from a good place though, as we both love food that is done well and it’s just disappointing when you think that is what you are going to get and it doesn’t happen. We are notorious for getting so exited about great food) especially when it is great local food) that we take photos of it. I got a stew of locally grown venison (which sounds like it would be good, right?) but it had been overcooked and just looked kind of tired and dried out, hence no photos of this one. After dinner however we had a lovely walk around tiny Fionnphort (also spelled Fionnnaphort in some places) and tried to make out the dwellings we could just see in the dusky light on the close by Island of Iona. I wanted to explore a little more so we climbed a wee hillock, and discovered that the most of the ground was swampy peat, hence the Doc got wet up to her ankles (oops, my bad).
On Friday morning we had a quick breakfast of LOCAL smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, in time to catch the ferry across Iona Sound, which took all of 15 minutes. We arrived in Iona amidst clouds of gloomy rain, which we though was appropriate for visiting one of Scotland’s most historic (and pretty remote) landmarks. We found our way on foot out to the beautifully restored stone abbey, which is where the monks carried on Columba’s work and where the ancient kings are buried. Incidentally Columba, I learned, means church dove. Sitting in the cloisters and just watching the rain fall in a puddle on the edge of the grassy enclosed courtyard was incredibly peaceful and we were so lucky to have beaten the other tourists there, having the place almost to ourselves. Inside the abbey was also very peaceful and, yes, just a little spiritually uplifting, paradoxically in a solemn grounding kind of way. We lit some candles and Doc wrote a prayer for our loved ones. From the Abbey we took refuge in a lovely hotel that had a view back over the sound and of the coast of both Iona and Mull.
We just sat and read by a heater for about an hour, before being treated to a lunch of delicious Isle of Arran cheeses and local grown and organic produce including wonderfully fresh fish, beef, and mushrooms. After lunch we got the ferry back to Fionnphort on Mull and then caught the bus back down to Craignure, before catching the bus north to Tobermory. Each bus trip was about an hour.
We arrived on the bus in Tobermory and once again tracked down our B&B, which this time turned out to be atop a large hill, so after a long day of travelling in the rain we caught the Tobermory taxi service to our evening’s digs. We had a very nice dinner (at a restaurant on top of the same hill, so we only had a to climb a little) including more local fish, scallops, cheese, and some very rich haggis, before a nice stroll back to the B&B, which was run by a very nice former Yorkshire man, and local artist, Mike Darling (I just called him Mike). Incidentally Mike’s wife Sarah had some stunning photos up around the B&B, which were from around Mull and the Inner Hebrides; including puffins and snow-covered mountains reflected in wonderfully picturesque lochs.
On Saturday we spent the day down in Tobermory’s picturesque harbor, which is lined with colorful painted old buildings, like one would see in pictures of Galway in Ireland. This was nice for me as I’ve never been to Ireland. We wondered through this seaside tourist and shopping area and hung out in a few pubs and coffee shops. I also went for a long walk to see if I could get around the coast enough to spy some otters but to no avail. We loved chilling in Tobermory and had a really nice dinner at Café Fish, which was pretty tiny but had a great view over the harbor and was a hot spot for the local sailing set. My particular favorite of the night was my sticky ginger pudding with vanilla ice cream and caramel/butterscotch sauce. I mean talk about dee-lish-us! Doc had a seafood salad, with local squat lobster and langoustine (a large local shrimp), which was also to die for.
On Sunday we said goodbye to Mike and walked down into town to catch the bus back to Craignure, then the ferry back to Oban, where we had a very cheese-heavy lunch in a pub, then finally back on to the three-hour train ride to Glasgow, through the last of the fabulous west Scotland scenery. Needless to say we really loved our time in Mull. We did a lot of people watching, as there were a lot of international tourists and families around, some of whom behaved much better than others. The scenery was spectacular and dare-I–say-it, even better than on our Highland tour, and we had some really spectacular local food, especially the seafood.
Tenement House-Laura Mersman
Today we had class in the morning and then headed for the Tenement House. To give some background on tenements: they are housing buildings often four stories high that contain housing for up to 16 families. They came into their popularity in the 19th century in Glasgow as the population was rising dramatically. The population grew from around 250,000 people in 1841 to over one million in 1912- a huge increase for one city to try and absorb. The majority of Glasgowians lived in housing of this sort up until the 1950s, no matter how rich or poor they were. Many lower income families lived in tenement flats that consisted of one room. This room would be where they cooked, slept, and did all of their other business, a bit crowded if you were a family with a few children. All houses were connected by one single staircase going up the middle- four families on a floor, four floors total.
This particular flat has been preserved in the time period of 1910-1960 and shows how day to day life was lived during this time. It recreates the life that Miss Agnes Toward lived for 50 years while she worked as a shorthand typist. The building which contains other tenement flats was built in 1892. Her flat consisted of four rooms- a bathroom, sitting room, kitchen, and bedroom. Both the sitting room and kitchen contained a bed closet which according to information in the museum actually became illegal to be built in 1900. A bed closet literally consisted of a closet fit to the exact size of a bed with no standing room with just a shelf above it. A staff member in the house told us that Scottish people hundreds of years ago were much shorter and as time went on the beds slowly got bigger to accommodate for the increase in height.
The range in the kitchen as well as many of the ornamental decorations are original from the time when Miss Toward lived there. For those that have not withstood the test of time, the caretakers and preservers of the Tenement House have done their best to duplicate what previously was there. The rugs did not last, but rugs that are similar to that time period have been put in. The wallpaper was covered over, but upon removing other layers within this flat and others in the building, they were able to discover the original design and then rewallpaper with a design that was very similar.
Information in the museum below the Tenement House gave detail on how these accommodations were rented, as well things that were going on at the time. Most of the tenement houses during this time period were rented on a yearly basis. This was very difficult for many people during because not only was there economic turmoil, but no matter whether they caught an illness or were suddenly unemployed, they were still expected to pay the year’s rent. If they were unable to pay rent, they were evicted. The tenements were owned by landlords who employed a person known as a factor to collect the rent for them. Often the renters had no idea who their landlord was and knew only of the factor. I found this interesting because in America, at least in current times, the landlord is normally always the person you pay rent to, and there is no go between person.
The town of Glasgow during this time was very dirty and many diseases and illnesses were being spread. The conditions described reminded me of the living conditions that factory workers in America experienced during the Industrial Revolution. This was also a time of famine and illness and many of the immigrants were poor and living in tiny establishments—there were too many people coming in at once, and this also seemed to happen in Glasgow. Highlanders of Scotland as well as immigrants from the Scottish potato famine moved to Glasgow. They moved for a new start, not realizing the turmoil they would face- just like many immigrants did in America.
Tomorrow is our first test for our second course in Scotland, and after that we will have our final free weekend- it has gone so quickly! Have a super day readers!
This particular flat has been preserved in the time period of 1910-1960 and shows how day to day life was lived during this time. It recreates the life that Miss Agnes Toward lived for 50 years while she worked as a shorthand typist. The building which contains other tenement flats was built in 1892. Her flat consisted of four rooms- a bathroom, sitting room, kitchen, and bedroom. Both the sitting room and kitchen contained a bed closet which according to information in the museum actually became illegal to be built in 1900. A bed closet literally consisted of a closet fit to the exact size of a bed with no standing room with just a shelf above it. A staff member in the house told us that Scottish people hundreds of years ago were much shorter and as time went on the beds slowly got bigger to accommodate for the increase in height.
The range in the kitchen as well as many of the ornamental decorations are original from the time when Miss Toward lived there. For those that have not withstood the test of time, the caretakers and preservers of the Tenement House have done their best to duplicate what previously was there. The rugs did not last, but rugs that are similar to that time period have been put in. The wallpaper was covered over, but upon removing other layers within this flat and others in the building, they were able to discover the original design and then rewallpaper with a design that was very similar.
Information in the museum below the Tenement House gave detail on how these accommodations were rented, as well things that were going on at the time. Most of the tenement houses during this time period were rented on a yearly basis. This was very difficult for many people during because not only was there economic turmoil, but no matter whether they caught an illness or were suddenly unemployed, they were still expected to pay the year’s rent. If they were unable to pay rent, they were evicted. The tenements were owned by landlords who employed a person known as a factor to collect the rent for them. Often the renters had no idea who their landlord was and knew only of the factor. I found this interesting because in America, at least in current times, the landlord is normally always the person you pay rent to, and there is no go between person.
The town of Glasgow during this time was very dirty and many diseases and illnesses were being spread. The conditions described reminded me of the living conditions that factory workers in America experienced during the Industrial Revolution. This was also a time of famine and illness and many of the immigrants were poor and living in tiny establishments—there were too many people coming in at once, and this also seemed to happen in Glasgow. Highlanders of Scotland as well as immigrants from the Scottish potato famine moved to Glasgow. They moved for a new start, not realizing the turmoil they would face- just like many immigrants did in America.
Tomorrow is our first test for our second course in Scotland, and after that we will have our final free weekend- it has gone so quickly! Have a super day readers!
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Side Trip to York--End of Week One-Ashley Lawson
This past weekend Casey, Laura and I decided to make the two-hour train ride to Yorkshire, England. Our first and only day in York was spent sight seeing and shopping. Personally, I really enjoyed going to the York Minster. The York Minster was originally built in 627 A.D. by Edwin of Northumbria, an Anglo Saxon King. Much like Edinburgh Castle, the York Minster has gone through many changes in its long and eventful lifetime. Now, it is one of the world’s largest medieval cathedral and even boasts to have its own police force.
When we arrived to the York Minster, the three of us had this bright idea to climb to the top of one of the towers. Once we found the ticket counter and told the woman we wanted to climb to the top, she then started reading a disclaimer about how they are not responsible if we get hurt and then asked us about our physical fitness. This should have been a warning, but we were apparently too excited to notice. As we started our ascent to the top of the Minster, I began realizing why the lady at the counter had the disclaimer. The staircases of this place were narrow, steep and winding the whole way! Over 200 steps later, we arrived at the top. I must say that the ending result was worth every step on that terrifying staircase. This was by far one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. I would argue that it is bout as beautiful as the views from the top of the Duomo in Florence, Italy.
Once we caught our breath and it was our time to go back down, we realized fully what we had gotten ourselves into. Instead of climbing up, we had to go down this behemoth steep tower… without falling. If you fell, you essentially would take down every person who was in front of you as well. I was behind the girls on the steps and I was terrified that I would lose my footing thus taking down half the study abroad program with me. Luckily, we all made it down without falling. Once we got down, we noticed that our legs were shaking from the physical activity we had just put them through. In the end, it was completely worth it though. Yes, I must say I am STILL sore from our excursion but I know that its not very likely that I will get to see a view so breath taking as from the top of the York Minster.
When we arrived to the York Minster, the three of us had this bright idea to climb to the top of one of the towers. Once we found the ticket counter and told the woman we wanted to climb to the top, she then started reading a disclaimer about how they are not responsible if we get hurt and then asked us about our physical fitness. This should have been a warning, but we were apparently too excited to notice. As we started our ascent to the top of the Minster, I began realizing why the lady at the counter had the disclaimer. The staircases of this place were narrow, steep and winding the whole way! Over 200 steps later, we arrived at the top. I must say that the ending result was worth every step on that terrifying staircase. This was by far one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. I would argue that it is bout as beautiful as the views from the top of the Duomo in Florence, Italy.
Once we caught our breath and it was our time to go back down, we realized fully what we had gotten ourselves into. Instead of climbing up, we had to go down this behemoth steep tower… without falling. If you fell, you essentially would take down every person who was in front of you as well. I was behind the girls on the steps and I was terrified that I would lose my footing thus taking down half the study abroad program with me. Luckily, we all made it down without falling. Once we got down, we noticed that our legs were shaking from the physical activity we had just put them through. In the end, it was completely worth it though. Yes, I must say I am STILL sore from our excursion but I know that its not very likely that I will get to see a view so breath taking as from the top of the York Minster.
The People's Palace-Ashley Lawson
Well we have successfully arrived in Glasgow after a 3-day excursion through the Highlands of Scotland and I have never been so happy to be off a bus and in a dorm! The Highlands were absolutely breath taking but I must say I was ready to be in a stationary place. I feel as if we are now going to get the true city experience and today’s excursion did a great job illustrating how the city has changed. Today’s excursion was at the People’s Palace and it was a needed break from the cold rainy weather outside. Unlike many museums or palaces, the Peoples Palace is set up to be very kid friendly and boasts a wonderful greenhouse on the back of the building called the Winter Garden. The building was erected in 1898 in the Glasgow Green district. The People’s Palace was set up to illustrate how people lived during the mid 1700’s until 20th century. I found this place to be very interesting because of how they set up their exhibits. Each exhibit had main items, such as having quotes from people who lived in that time, but the themes of each one was different. The themes of the exhibits surrounded such social issues as marriage practices, contraception and growing up in tenement housing. I believe that the tenement house portion will be a great precursor to yet another excursion we will be going on this week.
Most times when I go to museums, I find my mind wandering other places but I found that this museum kept my attention. It is very hard to visualize how a person in the mid 1700s actually lived but because of the interactive computer displays, I was able to gain a greater understanding of the lives of the people in Glasgow. I feel as if this is a great illustration of the cultural changes that occurred in Glasgow during the different periods. I found that I was able to tie this museum experience closely to the Ellis Island Museum in New York City. Both museums offered a highly insightful look into the people who once inhabited that area. Both areas seemed to show awareness for the health of their people and had exhibits devoted to its history. I know it is nearly impossible to fully grasp what was like to be in Glasgow in the 1800’s, but I feel as if the People’s Palace does a magnificent job doing so. One of the exhibits that I found to be particularly interesting was actually one of the most simplest tasks; washing laundry. I know that I have been truly spoiled because I have taken for granted the fact that I grew up with a washing machine and a dryer. The people in Glasgow once visited ‘Steamies’ or wash houses every week where they would have to wash their laundry by hand. From what the museum said, this was extremely hard work that took a very long time. The influence of the old Steamie can be still be seen in its modified form in every college town in the United States. The local laundry mat, this is where every college student, who is not within a short drive of their parents house, goes to do laundry. As a college student I have become more than familiar with laundry mats. It has become a place where I can study, catch up with friends and eat dinner. Steamies provided much of the same atmosphere as our modern day laundry mats do for us. They were almost considered a social site for women. It allowed them to catch up with their friends while also still being productive.
Personally, I found the Winter Gardens exceptionally appealing. I am sure that the weather outside played a big role in it. The garden is essentially a huge greenhouse that is filled with exotic plants and flowers from all over the world. I felt as if I had been whisked away from the cold Scottish climate to a tropical jungle. It was so tranquil and quiet in the gardens early in the morning but as the lunch hour neared, the hustle and bustle of people started to pick up in the café. I ended up having a wonderful lunch there with Laura. Overall, I am pleasantly surprised that I was able to enjoy the museum and also learn something pertinent to our class at the same time.
Most times when I go to museums, I find my mind wandering other places but I found that this museum kept my attention. It is very hard to visualize how a person in the mid 1700s actually lived but because of the interactive computer displays, I was able to gain a greater understanding of the lives of the people in Glasgow. I feel as if this is a great illustration of the cultural changes that occurred in Glasgow during the different periods. I found that I was able to tie this museum experience closely to the Ellis Island Museum in New York City. Both museums offered a highly insightful look into the people who once inhabited that area. Both areas seemed to show awareness for the health of their people and had exhibits devoted to its history. I know it is nearly impossible to fully grasp what was like to be in Glasgow in the 1800’s, but I feel as if the People’s Palace does a magnificent job doing so. One of the exhibits that I found to be particularly interesting was actually one of the most simplest tasks; washing laundry. I know that I have been truly spoiled because I have taken for granted the fact that I grew up with a washing machine and a dryer. The people in Glasgow once visited ‘Steamies’ or wash houses every week where they would have to wash their laundry by hand. From what the museum said, this was extremely hard work that took a very long time. The influence of the old Steamie can be still be seen in its modified form in every college town in the United States. The local laundry mat, this is where every college student, who is not within a short drive of their parents house, goes to do laundry. As a college student I have become more than familiar with laundry mats. It has become a place where I can study, catch up with friends and eat dinner. Steamies provided much of the same atmosphere as our modern day laundry mats do for us. They were almost considered a social site for women. It allowed them to catch up with their friends while also still being productive.
Personally, I found the Winter Gardens exceptionally appealing. I am sure that the weather outside played a big role in it. The garden is essentially a huge greenhouse that is filled with exotic plants and flowers from all over the world. I felt as if I had been whisked away from the cold Scottish climate to a tropical jungle. It was so tranquil and quiet in the gardens early in the morning but as the lunch hour neared, the hustle and bustle of people started to pick up in the café. I ended up having a wonderful lunch there with Laura. Overall, I am pleasantly surprised that I was able to enjoy the museum and also learn something pertinent to our class at the same time.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Highland Tour-Jill Peters
I am writing today from the city of Glasgow. We arrived here yesterday about 5:00 pm. We have not had much of a chance to explore and get to know the city, but we have taken a city bus tour and visited a museum, which someone else will be telling you about. So far, I like Glasgow. It has a very different feeling then Edinburgh and I am excited to spend the next ten days here getting to know the city and all it has to offer. One cool thing that is very near our rooms is a huge movie theatre. It has around ten stories and I am excited to go see Eclipse there this weekend. Anyway, today I am going to tell you about our tour through the Highlands of Scotland.
We left Edinburgh Friday morning to head out on a three-day tour through the Highlands. A very nice young man, named Liam, picked us up at St. Colms and we were off. The Highland tour is my favorite thing we have done on this trip so far. The Highlands have some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. As we were leaving Edinburgh, we saw two very famous bridges in Scotland. The names escape me at the moment, but I have seen them all over post-cards in the shops around town. We then headed up into the countryside.
We stopped in a small village, saw a beautiful old church by a picturesque lake, and took beautiful pictures under a tree filled with pink flowers. We also stopped at a great cheese shop where some of the girls got wonderful slices of cheese, and Dr. Long got an amazing sandwich. I also took a picture of a great shop called Going Pottie and then laughed hysterically because sometimes I act like I am 12. The store did have some very nice pottery though and I can always appreciate a clever name.
We then took a walk through a nice forest and ended up at a river with a great view. There was a pretty waterfall and great nature scenes all around us. I do not appreciate the beauty in nature enough sometimes, and it is nice to be reminded that there is beauty all around us. We were even able to see a few salmon try to jump over some rocks to continue their swim up river. They were not successful in their attempts, but it was still fun to watch.
One of my favorite stops along the tour was the beach. We stopped at the coast and got out of the bus to a beautiful white sandy beach. The view was breathtaking and it was so amazing to go from the awesome mountains to a beach in only about 30 minutes. It was a bit cold, but that did not stop us from enjoying our time there. We picked up seashells, wrote messages in the sand, took some great pictures, and Dr. Long was even brave enough to put her feet in the cold water.
Another breathtaking view we were lucky to experience was the three sisters, which are three mountains that are right next to each other in an area called Glencoe. We have talked a lot about the importance of this area in class and it was nice to see it in person. Anyways, back to the amazing view. There was a cloud of mist and fog around the top of the mountains, and since it was raining, there were numerous waterfalls cascading down the mountains. It might have been the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It was so pretty it could bring a person to tears. I got a couple great shots of the three sisters.
There is also a lot of important history that took place in the highlands. There was a massacre at Glencoe, where the MacDonald clan was slaughtered, and the battle at Culloden where the Jacobite armies were defeated by the English. These are the historical events we discussed in class, and as I mentioned above, it was nice to be able to see where they took place. It makes history come alive for me when I get to see the actual ground the soldiers and other highlanders walked on.
I have loved almost every minute of our trip here in Scotland, but I have to say the Highlands have been my favorite. There was so much beauty all around us that it was hard not to fall in love with Scotland all over again. I am excited to see what Glasgow has to offer and the adventures we will go on while we are here.
We left Edinburgh Friday morning to head out on a three-day tour through the Highlands. A very nice young man, named Liam, picked us up at St. Colms and we were off. The Highland tour is my favorite thing we have done on this trip so far. The Highlands have some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. As we were leaving Edinburgh, we saw two very famous bridges in Scotland. The names escape me at the moment, but I have seen them all over post-cards in the shops around town. We then headed up into the countryside.
We stopped in a small village, saw a beautiful old church by a picturesque lake, and took beautiful pictures under a tree filled with pink flowers. We also stopped at a great cheese shop where some of the girls got wonderful slices of cheese, and Dr. Long got an amazing sandwich. I also took a picture of a great shop called Going Pottie and then laughed hysterically because sometimes I act like I am 12. The store did have some very nice pottery though and I can always appreciate a clever name.
We then took a walk through a nice forest and ended up at a river with a great view. There was a pretty waterfall and great nature scenes all around us. I do not appreciate the beauty in nature enough sometimes, and it is nice to be reminded that there is beauty all around us. We were even able to see a few salmon try to jump over some rocks to continue their swim up river. They were not successful in their attempts, but it was still fun to watch.
One of my favorite stops along the tour was the beach. We stopped at the coast and got out of the bus to a beautiful white sandy beach. The view was breathtaking and it was so amazing to go from the awesome mountains to a beach in only about 30 minutes. It was a bit cold, but that did not stop us from enjoying our time there. We picked up seashells, wrote messages in the sand, took some great pictures, and Dr. Long was even brave enough to put her feet in the cold water.
Another breathtaking view we were lucky to experience was the three sisters, which are three mountains that are right next to each other in an area called Glencoe. We have talked a lot about the importance of this area in class and it was nice to see it in person. Anyways, back to the amazing view. There was a cloud of mist and fog around the top of the mountains, and since it was raining, there were numerous waterfalls cascading down the mountains. It might have been the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It was so pretty it could bring a person to tears. I got a couple great shots of the three sisters.
There is also a lot of important history that took place in the highlands. There was a massacre at Glencoe, where the MacDonald clan was slaughtered, and the battle at Culloden where the Jacobite armies were defeated by the English. These are the historical events we discussed in class, and as I mentioned above, it was nice to be able to see where they took place. It makes history come alive for me when I get to see the actual ground the soldiers and other highlanders walked on.
I have loved almost every minute of our trip here in Scotland, but I have to say the Highlands have been my favorite. There was so much beauty all around us that it was hard not to fall in love with Scotland all over again. I am excited to see what Glasgow has to offer and the adventures we will go on while we are here.
Katie Zogelman-Kelvingrove Gallery
For our first full day in Glasgow our group first went on a bus tour of Glasgow and then stopped off at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. This museum was very visitor friendly and had a large amount of unique art. Having three main levels there would have been something for all ages to enjoy. We were able to spend time learning more about Scottish history, prominent architectural people from history, along with other exhibitions. I enjoyed this excursion because I felt we were able to explore and enjoy the art but also learned more about Scotland and its culture.
After being opened back up around 2006, the gallery and museum is different than a lot of others that I have been to in the past. The admittance was free, children were able to explore, and we were able to discuss and have a more hands on experience in the gallery. For me, this was beneficial and more enjoyable because we could converse with each other about what we enjoyed and could point out interesting pieces of art. I also noticed that there was even a section in the gallery that held artwork that children had created. This helps to portray the diverse amount of art that was present there.
One section that was important to our coursework was of the section concerning Scottish individuals and events from the past. There was artwork about Robert the Bruce, the Clans, William Wallace, and many other individuals and groups important to Scotland. A very moving piece of art was one that displayed a clan saying goodbye. The caption to the side of the painting explained that it was attempting to capture what it was like for the Highlands. Many of the highland clans moved away but some were left behind in Scotland. After learning about this time period in class, it was definitely a different experience to see the reactions and feelings that would have been present for those of the clan that may have stayed behind.
A second section in the gallery that was interesting showed and explained artwork about architecture. Charles Mackintosh was a very influential architect and designer that is remembered in Glasgow and has been very influential in terms of style and design. He created many buildings but also worked and produced interior pieces as well. A few of the buildings that he created were the Glasgow School of Art, the Hill House in Helensburgh, and Scotland Street School in Glasgow. Mackintosh was definitely an innovator and strayed from the norm to create things that changed the city and traditional ways of architecture. I do remember reading that his death went largely unnoticed in Glasgow for a period of time shortly after his death. This seems to be sort of common among people that become famous and well known many years after their death. However, it is good that his work was finally recognized because it is such an influence in today’s society.
In the same section of craft, art and industry, there were many pieces that I enjoyed reading about the story behind the art itself. This was definitely a bonus of Kelvingrove. For instance, learning about the history behind a tearoom was fascinating to me. Tearooms were unique spaces, had quality food, and served alcohol-free drinks. These places also introduced the remarkable new interior designs that were being created to the public. If individuals did not have enough money to entertain in their own homes, the tearooms would have been a place where they could meet up with friends to visit.
Only having been in Scotland for about three weeks, there have been numerous times that we have been associated with the Wizard of Oz because we are from Kansas. Stereotypes are unavoidable to any culture and society. I enjoyed a specific piece of art in the museum that dealt with stereotypes associated with Scotland. In this piece, there were many things that I do pair with Scotland probably in a stereotypical manner. I am sure that kilts, shortbread, plaid and paisley designs, and bagpipes are not the only things that Scotland may want to be remembered for. It is these items among many others that were depicted in this particular picture.
I did not come close to seeing all of the artwork in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, but enjoyed what I did view. The collection was phenomenal with something that could intrigue everyone who visited. Again, I liked that the experience was more hands on and open to everyone.
After being opened back up around 2006, the gallery and museum is different than a lot of others that I have been to in the past. The admittance was free, children were able to explore, and we were able to discuss and have a more hands on experience in the gallery. For me, this was beneficial and more enjoyable because we could converse with each other about what we enjoyed and could point out interesting pieces of art. I also noticed that there was even a section in the gallery that held artwork that children had created. This helps to portray the diverse amount of art that was present there.
One section that was important to our coursework was of the section concerning Scottish individuals and events from the past. There was artwork about Robert the Bruce, the Clans, William Wallace, and many other individuals and groups important to Scotland. A very moving piece of art was one that displayed a clan saying goodbye. The caption to the side of the painting explained that it was attempting to capture what it was like for the Highlands. Many of the highland clans moved away but some were left behind in Scotland. After learning about this time period in class, it was definitely a different experience to see the reactions and feelings that would have been present for those of the clan that may have stayed behind.
A second section in the gallery that was interesting showed and explained artwork about architecture. Charles Mackintosh was a very influential architect and designer that is remembered in Glasgow and has been very influential in terms of style and design. He created many buildings but also worked and produced interior pieces as well. A few of the buildings that he created were the Glasgow School of Art, the Hill House in Helensburgh, and Scotland Street School in Glasgow. Mackintosh was definitely an innovator and strayed from the norm to create things that changed the city and traditional ways of architecture. I do remember reading that his death went largely unnoticed in Glasgow for a period of time shortly after his death. This seems to be sort of common among people that become famous and well known many years after their death. However, it is good that his work was finally recognized because it is such an influence in today’s society.
In the same section of craft, art and industry, there were many pieces that I enjoyed reading about the story behind the art itself. This was definitely a bonus of Kelvingrove. For instance, learning about the history behind a tearoom was fascinating to me. Tearooms were unique spaces, had quality food, and served alcohol-free drinks. These places also introduced the remarkable new interior designs that were being created to the public. If individuals did not have enough money to entertain in their own homes, the tearooms would have been a place where they could meet up with friends to visit.
Only having been in Scotland for about three weeks, there have been numerous times that we have been associated with the Wizard of Oz because we are from Kansas. Stereotypes are unavoidable to any culture and society. I enjoyed a specific piece of art in the museum that dealt with stereotypes associated with Scotland. In this piece, there were many things that I do pair with Scotland probably in a stereotypical manner. I am sure that kilts, shortbread, plaid and paisley designs, and bagpipes are not the only things that Scotland may want to be remembered for. It is these items among many others that were depicted in this particular picture.
I did not come close to seeing all of the artwork in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, but enjoyed what I did view. The collection was phenomenal with something that could intrigue everyone who visited. Again, I liked that the experience was more hands on and open to everyone.
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
Surgeon's Hall Museum-Laura Mersman
Today we decided to get lost one more time Edinburgh, and after a bit of misdirection from strangers we made our way to the Surgeons’ Hall Museum: History of Surgery. We walked through it at our own pace, observing worldwide and national accomplishments that had been made in the area of medicine through the years. The history of medicine in Scotland began with information on James IV, who apparently had an interest in remedies and minor procedures and experimented with blood-letting. History went on to describe the early surgeons as doubling as barbers and specializing mainly in blood letting. They also spoke of the apothecaries and their role in prescribing and dosing the medicine and how often they messed up.
I found the experimentation that lead up to the discovery of chloroform anesthesia interesting, James Simpson, the man who discovered it, perfected the dosage and strength by testing it on himself and his friends after he invited them over for dinner parties. The display talked about how dangerous this was for him and his friends, but lucky for them it all worked out okay!
They had a large display on Sir Arthur Conon Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, and how his character was modeled after Dr. Joseph Bell, a professor of clinical surgery at Edinburgh University. There were actual letters in the display that showed the exchange between Doyle and Bell describing how closely Doyle thought the character resembled Dr. Bell. Conon Doyle had worked with Dr. Bell when he was a young medical student, so this is where he was able to model Dr. Bell. I thought this was kind of neat and an interesting tie to Scotland.
They showed many displays of the older tools used such as the trepanation drill, amputation knives, and the tools used for an old Chinese technique of cupping. Those were pretty unpleasant looking and definitely lead me to have a greater appreciation for modern medicine. There were many displays depicting earlier research on preserved body parts, models of the veins, and military wounds found in bones. One not so pleasant, but famous one, was of John Barclay’s anatomy specimens that he once used for teaching of a baby- it showed only the bones and veins—eek!!
I think everyone found something of interest in this museum, the upper level covered sports injuries as well as modern sports and health concerns in Scotland. It was also the level of modern medicine, and there was an engaging display on keyhole surgery which happened to have been developed in Scotland. It also contained an interactive part that was set up to mock keyhole surgery with the camera screen and probes, and some of the girls raced to see who could remove the blockage first- there is always fun to be found, even in a museum full of preserved body parts!
We read about the Scottish Hunter Brothers and their accomplishments in the areas of medicine prior to coming to the museum and were surprised to see no mention of them. William Hunter is attributed to having been one of the first to delve into the studies of ob/gyn and make midwifery a division of medicine. His brother John Hunter was also well known for his studies on anatomy, and he did very well in the areas of surgery, later being appointed surgeon to King George III. Dr. Long said maybe they predated the museum, or according to what I just looked up on the very reliable Wikipedia they may have been murderers or body-snatchers, so maybe they just didn’t make the cut J
Tomorrow will be our final exam and our last day in Edinburgh. It seems crazy that we have already been here 15 days! I will miss this city very much as it has quickly become home, and such a place of excitement and adventures! I have really enjoyed learning the history of this city (not something I ever pictured myself saying), and I think understanding the significance behind everything from the street names to the country’s flower has made staying here even more significant for me. However, there’s really no time to dwell because soon we will be off to the beautiful Highlands and the busy hub of Glasgow, and I’m sure many adventures will await us there!!!
I found the experimentation that lead up to the discovery of chloroform anesthesia interesting, James Simpson, the man who discovered it, perfected the dosage and strength by testing it on himself and his friends after he invited them over for dinner parties. The display talked about how dangerous this was for him and his friends, but lucky for them it all worked out okay!
They had a large display on Sir Arthur Conon Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, and how his character was modeled after Dr. Joseph Bell, a professor of clinical surgery at Edinburgh University. There were actual letters in the display that showed the exchange between Doyle and Bell describing how closely Doyle thought the character resembled Dr. Bell. Conon Doyle had worked with Dr. Bell when he was a young medical student, so this is where he was able to model Dr. Bell. I thought this was kind of neat and an interesting tie to Scotland.
They showed many displays of the older tools used such as the trepanation drill, amputation knives, and the tools used for an old Chinese technique of cupping. Those were pretty unpleasant looking and definitely lead me to have a greater appreciation for modern medicine. There were many displays depicting earlier research on preserved body parts, models of the veins, and military wounds found in bones. One not so pleasant, but famous one, was of John Barclay’s anatomy specimens that he once used for teaching of a baby- it showed only the bones and veins—eek!!
I think everyone found something of interest in this museum, the upper level covered sports injuries as well as modern sports and health concerns in Scotland. It was also the level of modern medicine, and there was an engaging display on keyhole surgery which happened to have been developed in Scotland. It also contained an interactive part that was set up to mock keyhole surgery with the camera screen and probes, and some of the girls raced to see who could remove the blockage first- there is always fun to be found, even in a museum full of preserved body parts!
We read about the Scottish Hunter Brothers and their accomplishments in the areas of medicine prior to coming to the museum and were surprised to see no mention of them. William Hunter is attributed to having been one of the first to delve into the studies of ob/gyn and make midwifery a division of medicine. His brother John Hunter was also well known for his studies on anatomy, and he did very well in the areas of surgery, later being appointed surgeon to King George III. Dr. Long said maybe they predated the museum, or according to what I just looked up on the very reliable Wikipedia they may have been murderers or body-snatchers, so maybe they just didn’t make the cut J
Tomorrow will be our final exam and our last day in Edinburgh. It seems crazy that we have already been here 15 days! I will miss this city very much as it has quickly become home, and such a place of excitement and adventures! I have really enjoyed learning the history of this city (not something I ever pictured myself saying), and I think understanding the significance behind everything from the street names to the country’s flower has made staying here even more significant for me. However, there’s really no time to dwell because soon we will be off to the beautiful Highlands and the busy hub of Glasgow, and I’m sure many adventures will await us there!!!
St. Andrews-Whitney Cockrell
On Saturday, I took the train to St. Andrew’s, home of the famous golf course and the world’s oldest university. The town’s people were busy making preparations for the upcoming graduation from University and the Open.
Golf has been played and refined at St. Andrew’s for over 600 years. The course is open to the public, but visitors are only allowed to tour the course on Sundays without playing golf. People began golfing at St. Andrew’s as early as 14oo AD and St. Andrew’s is often referred to as the home of golf. In fact, in the early 1500’s, King James the II, banned young men from playing golf for a brief time, because it was distracting them from archery practice.
Originally designed with 22 holes, (11 out, 11 in), golfers finally decided to refine the course. They combined the first four holes, and the last four, making them into two long shots. This made the game a bit more challenging and shortened the playing time. 18 holes, continues to be the standard round of golf to this day.
In 1754 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club was founded and was comprised of 22 members, all of whom were either royal, or nobleman and landowners. This society is still in existence today, and governs all the rules of golf worldwide, except for the USA.
Sadly, I was in town on a Saturday, so I was unable to tour the golf course myself, but I did see the many preparations being made for the upcoming championship. I was told that the town would make 124 million pounds during the four day tournament, just from the television rights alone.
Tiger Woods, was among one of the many famous golfers expected to play in the open this year. The town is hoping that Jack Nichols will be coming. They love Jack Nichols because he is loyal and so kind. They told us that during Nichols first open at St. Andrew’s, he wasn’t allowed to stay at the country club with the other golfers because he wasn’t as well known, and no one expected him to win. So Nichols went in to town looking for a place to stay, but everything was full. Finally, he walked a few miles out of town and found a small bed and breakfast. He won the Open that year, and to this day, whenever he is in St. Andrew’s he will only stay at that small bed and breakfast. This has endeared him to the people of St. Andrew’s.
The people of St. Andrew’s were charming and engaging. The town was quite nice, and easy to navigate. I stopped by the Abbey, where my son was delighted to play soccer (football) with some of the local children for awhile in the courtyard.
St. Andrew’s was a lovely place. It sits along the coast and it was a beautiful, scenic train ride. If you are an avid golfer, you should come and play a round at St. Andrew’s at least once before you die. It is an exquisite course, in a lovely town. It does not disappoint.
So grab a jacket, your clubs, and umbrella and stay a bit in St. Andrew’s.
Golf has been played and refined at St. Andrew’s for over 600 years. The course is open to the public, but visitors are only allowed to tour the course on Sundays without playing golf. People began golfing at St. Andrew’s as early as 14oo AD and St. Andrew’s is often referred to as the home of golf. In fact, in the early 1500’s, King James the II, banned young men from playing golf for a brief time, because it was distracting them from archery practice.
Originally designed with 22 holes, (11 out, 11 in), golfers finally decided to refine the course. They combined the first four holes, and the last four, making them into two long shots. This made the game a bit more challenging and shortened the playing time. 18 holes, continues to be the standard round of golf to this day.
In 1754 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club was founded and was comprised of 22 members, all of whom were either royal, or nobleman and landowners. This society is still in existence today, and governs all the rules of golf worldwide, except for the USA.
Sadly, I was in town on a Saturday, so I was unable to tour the golf course myself, but I did see the many preparations being made for the upcoming championship. I was told that the town would make 124 million pounds during the four day tournament, just from the television rights alone.
Tiger Woods, was among one of the many famous golfers expected to play in the open this year. The town is hoping that Jack Nichols will be coming. They love Jack Nichols because he is loyal and so kind. They told us that during Nichols first open at St. Andrew’s, he wasn’t allowed to stay at the country club with the other golfers because he wasn’t as well known, and no one expected him to win. So Nichols went in to town looking for a place to stay, but everything was full. Finally, he walked a few miles out of town and found a small bed and breakfast. He won the Open that year, and to this day, whenever he is in St. Andrew’s he will only stay at that small bed and breakfast. This has endeared him to the people of St. Andrew’s.
The people of St. Andrew’s were charming and engaging. The town was quite nice, and easy to navigate. I stopped by the Abbey, where my son was delighted to play soccer (football) with some of the local children for awhile in the courtyard.
St. Andrew’s was a lovely place. It sits along the coast and it was a beautiful, scenic train ride. If you are an avid golfer, you should come and play a round at St. Andrew’s at least once before you die. It is an exquisite course, in a lovely town. It does not disappoint.
So grab a jacket, your clubs, and umbrella and stay a bit in St. Andrew’s.
Literary Pub Tour-Jill Peters
Greetings from Scotland, the weather has been great here so far which I am told is not the norm so we have been pretty lucky. Of course I have been lugging my rain coat around with me everyday in case it decides to rain, and well today it did during our dinner at the restaurant formerly known as Monster Mash, which name was stolen by another restaurant but that is a story for another time. So, of course the one time it rains I have left my coat back at St. Colms sitting comfortably on my bed. I was a little disappointed in my planning skills, but I do not want to dwell on the negative so I must inform all of you that we are having a great time here in Edinburgh. We only have a few more days here and I am a little sad, but also excited for our adventures to come in the Highlands and in Glasgow.
Today after our very good and very filling dinner, we went to our excursion, which was a literary pub tour of Edinburgh. I chose to blog about this for two reasons, first I love literature and would love to spend my days reading the classics like Pride and Prejudice in the beautiful Princess Street Gardens. My second reason is I always love a good pub, and I am really enjoying the pub culture here. The tour was not what I expected. I was not aware that it was given by actors. I was worried when an older woman entered the room and seemed to be very stuffy and proper. All I could think was how much she was going to dislike our group of fun loving, joke cracking girls. Well the joke was on me because she was part of the tour. It was a new experience to learn about literary history through comedic acting. I liked the lighthearted tour through Edinburgh’s history.
The tour took us to four different pubs located throughout Edinburgh’s new and old town. We walked through a lot of the city, which before I came to Scotland would have seemed horrible, but now walking long distances seems normal. Let us see if I can keep up the walking when I get home. One pub in particular was very charming it was called the Jolly Judge. It is the smallest bar in Edinburgh and has a beautiful hammer beam roof made out of wood from old ships. It was very small though so it was hard for the whole tour to fit inside, we had to take turns, but it was a quant little place I would not have encountered without this tour.
The tour not only focused on the history of literature, but on the contrast of good and evil, the dark and the light side of writers and the city itself. They told us, in their own theatrical way, of how these literary artists were pioneers of the time, but also had their vice and crosses to bear. The dualistic personality of the city is very apparent while walking through the streets. From certain points in the city, you can view the new town full of shops, restaurants, and bars built in a more modern fashion, and then look across the street and see the beautiful old buildings, churches, and Edinburgh Castle staring down at you. I really enjoy walking through old town on the Royal Mile, which connects the Castle with Holyrood Palace. The architecture and charm of the streets is amazing.
The tour not only made me think about the duality of the city itself, but the dualistic personality that resides in all of us. Most of us have more then one side to our personality and we all certainly have our vices, whether we like to admit it or not. It was comforting to know that even the great writers and visionaries of Scotland’s past struggled with some of the same issues facing many people today. They wrote many of their great works in pubs and taverns, enjoyed a drink now and again, and wrote about the common people they saw inhabiting Edinburgh. Great inspiration can come from the most humble of places, the everyday things in life are what make life worth living.
I have learned a lot so far on my trip to Scotland and I can only imagine the things I will see and learn in the weeks to come. I am looking forward to growing and changing throughout my experiences here, and to become more aware of the different aspects of my own dualistic personality.
Today after our very good and very filling dinner, we went to our excursion, which was a literary pub tour of Edinburgh. I chose to blog about this for two reasons, first I love literature and would love to spend my days reading the classics like Pride and Prejudice in the beautiful Princess Street Gardens. My second reason is I always love a good pub, and I am really enjoying the pub culture here. The tour was not what I expected. I was not aware that it was given by actors. I was worried when an older woman entered the room and seemed to be very stuffy and proper. All I could think was how much she was going to dislike our group of fun loving, joke cracking girls. Well the joke was on me because she was part of the tour. It was a new experience to learn about literary history through comedic acting. I liked the lighthearted tour through Edinburgh’s history.
The tour took us to four different pubs located throughout Edinburgh’s new and old town. We walked through a lot of the city, which before I came to Scotland would have seemed horrible, but now walking long distances seems normal. Let us see if I can keep up the walking when I get home. One pub in particular was very charming it was called the Jolly Judge. It is the smallest bar in Edinburgh and has a beautiful hammer beam roof made out of wood from old ships. It was very small though so it was hard for the whole tour to fit inside, we had to take turns, but it was a quant little place I would not have encountered without this tour.
The tour not only focused on the history of literature, but on the contrast of good and evil, the dark and the light side of writers and the city itself. They told us, in their own theatrical way, of how these literary artists were pioneers of the time, but also had their vice and crosses to bear. The dualistic personality of the city is very apparent while walking through the streets. From certain points in the city, you can view the new town full of shops, restaurants, and bars built in a more modern fashion, and then look across the street and see the beautiful old buildings, churches, and Edinburgh Castle staring down at you. I really enjoy walking through old town on the Royal Mile, which connects the Castle with Holyrood Palace. The architecture and charm of the streets is amazing.
The tour not only made me think about the duality of the city itself, but the dualistic personality that resides in all of us. Most of us have more then one side to our personality and we all certainly have our vices, whether we like to admit it or not. It was comforting to know that even the great writers and visionaries of Scotland’s past struggled with some of the same issues facing many people today. They wrote many of their great works in pubs and taverns, enjoyed a drink now and again, and wrote about the common people they saw inhabiting Edinburgh. Great inspiration can come from the most humble of places, the everyday things in life are what make life worth living.
I have learned a lot so far on my trip to Scotland and I can only imagine the things I will see and learn in the weeks to come. I am looking forward to growing and changing throughout my experiences here, and to become more aware of the different aspects of my own dualistic personality.
National Gallery of Scotland-Casey Van Houtan
Today we had the opportunity to visit the National gallery of Scotland. I am very excited to write this blog for I am an art appreciator for I have absolutely no artistic ability but to be able to view different eras of art and how each was different was quite the experience. The gallery itself has a very specific place in Edinburgh which is on top of The Mound. The Mound is literally a hill of earth and can be found in the perfect spot right in between the Princes St. Gardens. Before the building was put here, a man had put up this panorama (which this man is said to invent this word and it is a Scottish invention) to view. You could come pay a pound to come into this tent like structure and get this picturesque view of the city of Edinburgh. The gallery not stands in its place and was created by William Henry. It was finally to be opened to the public in 1859, though it would not get its purchase grant until 1903 which is quite surprising. The gallery holds a printing and drawing collection of 30,000 works, which is considered small, but I considered quite huge. Every year they welcome over a million visitors from Scotland and the rest of the world just to view the building of art.
They hold not only portraits but also sculptures, which are strewn randomly over the building. They have certain rooms dedicated to each period of art. We started in the medieval times, moved on through Italian, Spanish, Dutch, and Scottish of course, and we then ended in the impressionist period which is my absolute favorite. They are more modernesque pictures in old flashy frames which is where you would find Romantic and Reneissance period types of art. My favorite piece from the impressionist period was a Van Gogh. He drew this from his window while he was kept in an asylum which I also find to relate to this course. He uses the impressionist form of art which uses less strict detail than any other time of art even found now. He did commit suicide only weeks after he painted this picture though which is quite ironic. Another art appreciator beside me was talking about the impressionistic period of art and said “What is so ironic about this time is they had the most use of colors and everything is so bright and not dark, but they almost all, committed suicide.” Which I find to be quite ironic as well and sad how can you draw these paintings and be so sad on the inside.
Another ironic piece of art that turns out to be one of my favorites is a photograph taken by Annie Leibovitz. It is of course of one of my main men John Lennon and his lover Yoko Ono. The caption that was by it is “In this comparatively simple portrait, Leibovitz relies on intimacy for effect. Her aim was to immortalise John and Yoko's deep love for one another. But within hours of taking this photograph John Lennon was shot dead. Distributed around the world as a 'Rolling Stone' magazine cover, the photograph was instantly transformed. It became a memorial to Lennon and a symbol of the vulnerability of human passion.” The great thing about art that it is ultimately up to the viewer to decide how to interpret it, sure the artist probably had their own idea but everyone is unique so who is to say who is right and who is wrong. One person may not understand what they see in front of them while another is totally drawn into the piece. For instance during the same period the Italians and Spanisher were more into drawing and trying to relieve the religion era. They were all Catholic so they had a different view on what art should look like, while at the same time the Dutch were drawing hunting scenes. Which only the rich could do in those times so it gave people hope to look at these painting and to have them in their houses as too think hey that could be me someday. I quite liked the Dutch painting, though the dead animals put a morbid touch on it. The thing I found interesting was that it looked like the man was on a windowsill and this vsat majority of land was behind him including on the side a sprig of Sunflowers which they thought to be magic. Who would of thought that today our state flower was magic because it followed the sun and was quite large.
I very much enjoyed the gallery and it opened my eyes to a lot of great art and older art I would have never got the chance to see in the states. I hope to go to many other places to view their collections.
They hold not only portraits but also sculptures, which are strewn randomly over the building. They have certain rooms dedicated to each period of art. We started in the medieval times, moved on through Italian, Spanish, Dutch, and Scottish of course, and we then ended in the impressionist period which is my absolute favorite. They are more modernesque pictures in old flashy frames which is where you would find Romantic and Reneissance period types of art. My favorite piece from the impressionist period was a Van Gogh. He drew this from his window while he was kept in an asylum which I also find to relate to this course. He uses the impressionist form of art which uses less strict detail than any other time of art even found now. He did commit suicide only weeks after he painted this picture though which is quite ironic. Another art appreciator beside me was talking about the impressionistic period of art and said “What is so ironic about this time is they had the most use of colors and everything is so bright and not dark, but they almost all, committed suicide.” Which I find to be quite ironic as well and sad how can you draw these paintings and be so sad on the inside.
Another ironic piece of art that turns out to be one of my favorites is a photograph taken by Annie Leibovitz. It is of course of one of my main men John Lennon and his lover Yoko Ono. The caption that was by it is “In this comparatively simple portrait, Leibovitz relies on intimacy for effect. Her aim was to immortalise John and Yoko's deep love for one another. But within hours of taking this photograph John Lennon was shot dead. Distributed around the world as a 'Rolling Stone' magazine cover, the photograph was instantly transformed. It became a memorial to Lennon and a symbol of the vulnerability of human passion.” The great thing about art that it is ultimately up to the viewer to decide how to interpret it, sure the artist probably had their own idea but everyone is unique so who is to say who is right and who is wrong. One person may not understand what they see in front of them while another is totally drawn into the piece. For instance during the same period the Italians and Spanisher were more into drawing and trying to relieve the religion era. They were all Catholic so they had a different view on what art should look like, while at the same time the Dutch were drawing hunting scenes. Which only the rich could do in those times so it gave people hope to look at these painting and to have them in their houses as too think hey that could be me someday. I quite liked the Dutch painting, though the dead animals put a morbid touch on it. The thing I found interesting was that it looked like the man was on a windowsill and this vsat majority of land was behind him including on the side a sprig of Sunflowers which they thought to be magic. Who would of thought that today our state flower was magic because it followed the sun and was quite large.
I very much enjoyed the gallery and it opened my eyes to a lot of great art and older art I would have never got the chance to see in the states. I hope to go to many other places to view their collections.
Ireland Trip-Katie Zogelman
For our first free weekend of independent travel Jill and I went to Ireland. We flew from Edinburgh to Dublin on Thursday afternoon and returned on Sunday. While in Ireland we were able to experience several different aspects of the culture there. I have a cousin who lives in Ireland so being able to stay at her home was great. It was nice to be around a family atmosphere for a couple days after being away from ours for a couple of weeks. Marissa’s husband is from Ireland so he was able to explain some things to us about Ireland that we may not have been able to learn from others.
Thursday evening we arrived at Roscrea around eight p.m. Roscrea was about an hour and a half drive from Dublin Airport. Roscrea is a neat little village with several pubs and stores in the downtown area. That evening we were able to eat dinner with Marissa, Noel, and their children. After dinner we sat around their house, played with the kids, and watched a video.
Friday morning we drove to the Cliffs of Moher. These were amazing to see and experience. Just recently they had to build a safety wall surrounding the edges of the cliffs. Marissa informed us that it can get really windy at the top and if people were to get too close to the edges they would fall over the edge. Even with the wall there it was beautiful to look out over the ocean and the nearby islands.
After the cliffs of Moher we drove to Galway which is one of the bigger cities in Ireland. We walked around the downtown area, did some shopping, and then checked into our hostel that we stayed in that night. Interestingly, the other three girls in our room were Americans who were studying in Dublin for the summer. Next, we went out for traditional fish and chips then went out to a couple clubs that night.
After getting back to Roscrea on Saturday morning we soon headed for Kilkenny. Every road that we drove on seemed to be very curvy and narrow. However, from all of these roads we were able to see some great scenery. In Kilkenny we saw the castle there and then walked around to some of the shops.
Saturday night we went to Kennedy Castle which is where Marissa and Noel got married a few years ago. This castle was magnificent! We were able to listen to live traditional Irish music and even saw trapeze artists. Sunday morning Marissa fixed us an Irish breakfast which was interesting. It was great to be able to see family on this short trip but also to fun experience parts of Ireland that I hadn’t been to before.
Thursday evening we arrived at Roscrea around eight p.m. Roscrea was about an hour and a half drive from Dublin Airport. Roscrea is a neat little village with several pubs and stores in the downtown area. That evening we were able to eat dinner with Marissa, Noel, and their children. After dinner we sat around their house, played with the kids, and watched a video.
Friday morning we drove to the Cliffs of Moher. These were amazing to see and experience. Just recently they had to build a safety wall surrounding the edges of the cliffs. Marissa informed us that it can get really windy at the top and if people were to get too close to the edges they would fall over the edge. Even with the wall there it was beautiful to look out over the ocean and the nearby islands.
After the cliffs of Moher we drove to Galway which is one of the bigger cities in Ireland. We walked around the downtown area, did some shopping, and then checked into our hostel that we stayed in that night. Interestingly, the other three girls in our room were Americans who were studying in Dublin for the summer. Next, we went out for traditional fish and chips then went out to a couple clubs that night.
After getting back to Roscrea on Saturday morning we soon headed for Kilkenny. Every road that we drove on seemed to be very curvy and narrow. However, from all of these roads we were able to see some great scenery. In Kilkenny we saw the castle there and then walked around to some of the shops.
Saturday night we went to Kennedy Castle which is where Marissa and Noel got married a few years ago. This castle was magnificent! We were able to listen to live traditional Irish music and even saw trapeze artists. Sunday morning Marissa fixed us an Irish breakfast which was interesting. It was great to be able to see family on this short trip but also to fun experience parts of Ireland that I hadn’t been to before.
Monday, 28 June 2010
Scottish Parliament-Ben Gerrard
For much of the past week and a half, since we arrived in Scotland, we have been exploring the political history of this unique country through a cultural and psychological lens. Today we had first hand experience of Scotland’s modern day political process as we visited the new Scottish Parliament buildings.
Like many structures housing the seats of Government these building seek to represent the aspirations of it’s founders and it’s people, but having been built in the modern era it does it in many much more visually spectacular ways than traditional structures could ever hope to achieve.
Designed by a Spanish architect Enric Miralles, the overall layout of a the buildings that make up the Holyrood Parliament, represent a handful of leaves that he threw down on a piece of paper. The buildings are meant to feel like they erupt from the landscape in synergy with their surroundings. These surroundings include a park, the volcanic crag of Arthur’s Seat and Holyrood Palace. Thus the park forms the stem or branch to which the leaves are attached and the grass running down off the slopes of Arthur’s Seat is left unkempt to brush up against the buildings contoured walls and windows.
Once inside the main building one can look up to see large overhead skylights in the shapes of the leaves, many of which also look like large eyes. The use of the upside down boat structure that is seen in ancient buildings such as St Giles church has been reinvented inside the parliament to represent Scotland’s affinity with boating, fishing, and it’s picturesque coastline.
The architectural splendor and hefty financial investment in this structure speak of its great importance to the Scottish people. Scotland’s first record of a parliamentary meeting was in 1235 and was known as the Travelling Parliament, as it had no home. In 1639 Parliament Hall was built behind St Giles church on the Royal Mile for the princely sum of 10,500 pounds. In 1707 Scotland was on the verge of bankruptcy and to settle its accounts signed the act of Union with England, agreeing to transfer its parliamentary representation to Westminster. Here it stayed for nearly three hundred years, until the modern day Scottish Nationalist movement finally won it’s push to reinstate a Scottish Parliament in 1999, and five years later this magnificent (yet controversial) structure was completed. As we have also learned in this class Scotland can be attributed with being at the watershed of modern day, bureaucracy, the separation of church and state, and civil rights: all dating back to the Arbroath declaration under Robert the Bruce in 1320. In the present day Scotland still leads the way as 45 of it’s 129 MP’s are women.
Among the buildings physical and visual features are several pieces of art representing Scotland’s evolution, and the thoughts of its people. One of these is a three panel text-based piece drawn from the women of Scotland, a disparate group of which were asked to write a single sentence about the most influential woman in their lives. Put together by the artist Shauna McMullin Travelling the Distance makes reference to such significant Scottish figures as Mary Queen of Scots, as well as many lesser-known Scottish mothers and matriarchal figures. Other features of the building include the structures around the odd shaped windows of the 129 Scottish Members of Parliament (MP’s). These structures, along with the prodigious use of glass in the building, represent the openness and accountability of its inhabitants, and the political process. Likewise, the structures around the windows represent curtains that can never be closed. Inside the MP’s offices the windows form unique window seats, or thinking pods, for the MP’s to sit in and contemplate their roles before getting down to work.
In an airy atmosphere dominated by light oak the main debating chamber is a sight to behold. With the largest public gallery of its kind in Europe and unlike traditional parliaments in Westminster and the like, Scottish parliamentarians do not face off opposing each other (at a distance of two and a half sword lengths) but sit in a semi circle around Alec Ferguson, the Presiding Officer, who plays a role like that of the speaker of the house, but unlike the English parliament the role is up for election every four years with the other MP’s seats, on the first Thursday in May. The Parliament also has meeting rooms for its 14 committees, the most unusual of which being the Public Petitions Committee, which must consider every petition put forward by a Scottish citizen baring at least one signatory. From these public petitions many pieces of Scottish legislation have been born. The Countries National Parliament has devolved to Scotland all matters not pertaining to national or international issues and this combined with the fact that regaining their parliament against the tide of history is probably why the term devolution is used to describe Scotland’s modern day parliamentary process.
In handing this power back to the Scot’s the Queen of England has also gifted them with some beautiful structures and works of art as well as a young tree known as a Rowan tree, which is said to have the ability to ward off witches. This is perhaps a subtle reminder of how a former English Queen also baring the name Elizabeth, felt about her menacing Catholic cousin Mary Queen of Scots.
Like many structures housing the seats of Government these building seek to represent the aspirations of it’s founders and it’s people, but having been built in the modern era it does it in many much more visually spectacular ways than traditional structures could ever hope to achieve.
Designed by a Spanish architect Enric Miralles, the overall layout of a the buildings that make up the Holyrood Parliament, represent a handful of leaves that he threw down on a piece of paper. The buildings are meant to feel like they erupt from the landscape in synergy with their surroundings. These surroundings include a park, the volcanic crag of Arthur’s Seat and Holyrood Palace. Thus the park forms the stem or branch to which the leaves are attached and the grass running down off the slopes of Arthur’s Seat is left unkempt to brush up against the buildings contoured walls and windows.
Once inside the main building one can look up to see large overhead skylights in the shapes of the leaves, many of which also look like large eyes. The use of the upside down boat structure that is seen in ancient buildings such as St Giles church has been reinvented inside the parliament to represent Scotland’s affinity with boating, fishing, and it’s picturesque coastline.
The architectural splendor and hefty financial investment in this structure speak of its great importance to the Scottish people. Scotland’s first record of a parliamentary meeting was in 1235 and was known as the Travelling Parliament, as it had no home. In 1639 Parliament Hall was built behind St Giles church on the Royal Mile for the princely sum of 10,500 pounds. In 1707 Scotland was on the verge of bankruptcy and to settle its accounts signed the act of Union with England, agreeing to transfer its parliamentary representation to Westminster. Here it stayed for nearly three hundred years, until the modern day Scottish Nationalist movement finally won it’s push to reinstate a Scottish Parliament in 1999, and five years later this magnificent (yet controversial) structure was completed. As we have also learned in this class Scotland can be attributed with being at the watershed of modern day, bureaucracy, the separation of church and state, and civil rights: all dating back to the Arbroath declaration under Robert the Bruce in 1320. In the present day Scotland still leads the way as 45 of it’s 129 MP’s are women.
Among the buildings physical and visual features are several pieces of art representing Scotland’s evolution, and the thoughts of its people. One of these is a three panel text-based piece drawn from the women of Scotland, a disparate group of which were asked to write a single sentence about the most influential woman in their lives. Put together by the artist Shauna McMullin Travelling the Distance makes reference to such significant Scottish figures as Mary Queen of Scots, as well as many lesser-known Scottish mothers and matriarchal figures. Other features of the building include the structures around the odd shaped windows of the 129 Scottish Members of Parliament (MP’s). These structures, along with the prodigious use of glass in the building, represent the openness and accountability of its inhabitants, and the political process. Likewise, the structures around the windows represent curtains that can never be closed. Inside the MP’s offices the windows form unique window seats, or thinking pods, for the MP’s to sit in and contemplate their roles before getting down to work.
In an airy atmosphere dominated by light oak the main debating chamber is a sight to behold. With the largest public gallery of its kind in Europe and unlike traditional parliaments in Westminster and the like, Scottish parliamentarians do not face off opposing each other (at a distance of two and a half sword lengths) but sit in a semi circle around Alec Ferguson, the Presiding Officer, who plays a role like that of the speaker of the house, but unlike the English parliament the role is up for election every four years with the other MP’s seats, on the first Thursday in May. The Parliament also has meeting rooms for its 14 committees, the most unusual of which being the Public Petitions Committee, which must consider every petition put forward by a Scottish citizen baring at least one signatory. From these public petitions many pieces of Scottish legislation have been born. The Countries National Parliament has devolved to Scotland all matters not pertaining to national or international issues and this combined with the fact that regaining their parliament against the tide of history is probably why the term devolution is used to describe Scotland’s modern day parliamentary process.
In handing this power back to the Scot’s the Queen of England has also gifted them with some beautiful structures and works of art as well as a young tree known as a Rowan tree, which is said to have the ability to ward off witches. This is perhaps a subtle reminder of how a former English Queen also baring the name Elizabeth, felt about her menacing Catholic cousin Mary Queen of Scots.
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Edinburgh Castle-Ashley Lawson
Today I am writing to you from my room at St. Colms International House. It is a magnificent day in Scotland. I am very blessed that I ended up in a room with such a splendid view of Edinburgh. Just outside my window, I can see a perfect view of Old Town, the old clock tower and best of all Edinburgh Castle. I have been particularly excited to go to Edinburgh Castle because it is so beautiful sitting up on its steep hill. In the past few days, I have found my imagination wondering back to my childhood when my parents would read me the whimsical fairytale of Cinderella. I remember how amazing it must have been to live in castle and have a pumpkin turn into a carriage. Upon talking to many other girls, I found that they also shared similar memories of their childhood as well. Until this trip to Scotland, I have never had the pleasure of seeing a castle in person. Although, the history of Edinburgh Castle is far from a fairytale, it is still majestic in its own right.
The long history of this area dates back to 340 million B.C.. At this time, it was nothing more than a humungous mound of volcanic rock, which would come to be known as “the fortress on the rock” around 600 A.D.. The true building of the castle did not start until around 1130 A.D. when David I decided to build a royal castle. Along with building his royal fortress, David I also commission to have a chapel built in honor of his mother Queen Margaret. This history of this castle has been stricken with battles and enemy overtakes that date back to the late 1200’s. Until mid 1300, the castle had been caught in a treacherous game of tug-of-war between England and Scotland. Eventually in 1341, the Scots took back control of this glorious structure and began remodeling it. Since the original construction of Edinburgh Castle, it has had many “face lifts” and changes. David II decided to build a tall large tower in his own honor during his reign at Edinburgh castle. After that James IV build the Great Hall and then half-mooned and battery gates were added for defense. If you think that this is where the building stops then you are sadly mistaken. This castle has been under construction and renovation for much of its lifetime. After our tour of the castle, I could not help but think of the old Winchester Mansion in California. The building on this mansion did not stop for many years whereas the building of Edinburgh Castle continued off and on for several hundred years.
This castle has many exhibits that visitor can go into while they walk around the castle grounds. One of my personal favorite exhibits was the tower that housed royal family jewels. The Crown Room contained a ruby ring that was worn but Mary Queen of Scots and some of her other extravagant jewelry and also, as the name implies, a true fairytale crown and scepter and sword of state. I really wished that we were able to take pictures in this particular exhibit but security strictly prohibits any use of cameras or camcorders in this room.
My second “must-see” exhibit at Edinburgh might seem a bit morbid at first. The Pet Cemetry is housed by the Chapel and looks over Edinburgh. In all reality, it is a truly kind and sweet monument that has been devoted to the pets and mascots of the men and women who lived on the castle grounds. Being that I have a true affinity for animals, I found this to be a very compassionate gesture towards mans best friend. Since this is considered to be a Cemetery visitors may look at it but not walk through it.
This Castle has housed many mysteries over its long and eventful lifetime. One such mystery that has perplexed historians was why James’s birthing chamber had an eerie pit-prison beneath the floor. They have not figured out why or who would have been thrown down there. Another mystery that is castle hides was actually found in the walls of the Royal Palace. The bones of a small child were found buried in the walls of the old palace in 1830. It is believed that this young child could have been a stillborn child of Mary Queen of Scots but there has not been any true evidence to prove this myth.
In the past week, our class has been on what I kindly refer to as Dr. Longs “death march”,(where she marched us around Edinburgh trying to keep us awake in order to get our internal clocks acclimated) gone on a scavenger hunt, visited two castles, the birthplace of Harry Potter, two cathedrals AND had a test. I found Edinburgh Castle and Rosslyn Chapel to be truly breath taking. I already feel as if I have learned so much from my experiences here and hope I never forget them. It is amazing how much a group of young American women can learn in just a short amount of time. I am extremely proud of us for how we have taked advantage of our time in Scotland so far and wish everyone a safe and exciting weekend traveling.
If any parents/family members/friends want to get a better idea of Edinburgh Castle, please visit the website http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/index.htm and take the 3D tour. Now if you really want to experience Edinburgh but cannot find the time to do so, just hop on a StairMaster, crank the speed, and incline up as high as possible. Edinburgh is a rather hilly place and Dr. Long is a professional speed walker
The long history of this area dates back to 340 million B.C.. At this time, it was nothing more than a humungous mound of volcanic rock, which would come to be known as “the fortress on the rock” around 600 A.D.. The true building of the castle did not start until around 1130 A.D. when David I decided to build a royal castle. Along with building his royal fortress, David I also commission to have a chapel built in honor of his mother Queen Margaret. This history of this castle has been stricken with battles and enemy overtakes that date back to the late 1200’s. Until mid 1300, the castle had been caught in a treacherous game of tug-of-war between England and Scotland. Eventually in 1341, the Scots took back control of this glorious structure and began remodeling it. Since the original construction of Edinburgh Castle, it has had many “face lifts” and changes. David II decided to build a tall large tower in his own honor during his reign at Edinburgh castle. After that James IV build the Great Hall and then half-mooned and battery gates were added for defense. If you think that this is where the building stops then you are sadly mistaken. This castle has been under construction and renovation for much of its lifetime. After our tour of the castle, I could not help but think of the old Winchester Mansion in California. The building on this mansion did not stop for many years whereas the building of Edinburgh Castle continued off and on for several hundred years.
This castle has many exhibits that visitor can go into while they walk around the castle grounds. One of my personal favorite exhibits was the tower that housed royal family jewels. The Crown Room contained a ruby ring that was worn but Mary Queen of Scots and some of her other extravagant jewelry and also, as the name implies, a true fairytale crown and scepter and sword of state. I really wished that we were able to take pictures in this particular exhibit but security strictly prohibits any use of cameras or camcorders in this room.
My second “must-see” exhibit at Edinburgh might seem a bit morbid at first. The Pet Cemetry is housed by the Chapel and looks over Edinburgh. In all reality, it is a truly kind and sweet monument that has been devoted to the pets and mascots of the men and women who lived on the castle grounds. Being that I have a true affinity for animals, I found this to be a very compassionate gesture towards mans best friend. Since this is considered to be a Cemetery visitors may look at it but not walk through it.
This Castle has housed many mysteries over its long and eventful lifetime. One such mystery that has perplexed historians was why James’s birthing chamber had an eerie pit-prison beneath the floor. They have not figured out why or who would have been thrown down there. Another mystery that is castle hides was actually found in the walls of the Royal Palace. The bones of a small child were found buried in the walls of the old palace in 1830. It is believed that this young child could have been a stillborn child of Mary Queen of Scots but there has not been any true evidence to prove this myth.
In the past week, our class has been on what I kindly refer to as Dr. Longs “death march”,(where she marched us around Edinburgh trying to keep us awake in order to get our internal clocks acclimated) gone on a scavenger hunt, visited two castles, the birthplace of Harry Potter, two cathedrals AND had a test. I found Edinburgh Castle and Rosslyn Chapel to be truly breath taking. I already feel as if I have learned so much from my experiences here and hope I never forget them. It is amazing how much a group of young American women can learn in just a short amount of time. I am extremely proud of us for how we have taked advantage of our time in Scotland so far and wish everyone a safe and exciting weekend traveling.
If any parents/family members/friends want to get a better idea of Edinburgh Castle, please visit the website http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/index.htm and take the 3D tour. Now if you really want to experience Edinburgh but cannot find the time to do so, just hop on a StairMaster, crank the speed, and incline up as high as possible. Edinburgh is a rather hilly place and Dr. Long is a professional speed walker
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Update
Hi Folks,
Our students are taking their first exam as I type, and gearing up for the first weekend of independent travel---two heading to Ireland, three to York, the rest t.b.d. This is a great group--we're all amazed that a week of the program is behind us.
Between the visits that you've heard about, we've made a trek to Stirling to visit Stirling castle and come in last (again) at the pub quiz on Tuesday evening. Coming in dead last is becoming a bit of a tradition for this program, as is naming ourselves "O, Canada" for a team name. Have to save face, you know.
We've also had a guest lecturer on the fallout between Jean Jacques Rousseau and David Hume following their commissioned portraits by the Scots painter Allan Ramsay. She'll also be our guide at the gallery next week.
Yesterday afternoon's blog posting on the visit to Edinburgh Castle will be up later today.
Happy Weekend!
Dr. Long
Our students are taking their first exam as I type, and gearing up for the first weekend of independent travel---two heading to Ireland, three to York, the rest t.b.d. This is a great group--we're all amazed that a week of the program is behind us.
Between the visits that you've heard about, we've made a trek to Stirling to visit Stirling castle and come in last (again) at the pub quiz on Tuesday evening. Coming in dead last is becoming a bit of a tradition for this program, as is naming ourselves "O, Canada" for a team name. Have to save face, you know.
We've also had a guest lecturer on the fallout between Jean Jacques Rousseau and David Hume following their commissioned portraits by the Scots painter Allan Ramsay. She'll also be our guide at the gallery next week.
Yesterday afternoon's blog posting on the visit to Edinburgh Castle will be up later today.
Happy Weekend!
Dr. Long
Monday, 21 June 2010
Rosslyn Chapel-Whitney Cockrell
Today we visited Rosslyn Chapel, a place that the world was made aware of with the popularity of Dan Brown’s novel, The Divinci Code. Even though the book was an inaccurate depiction of Rosslyn Chapel, it is a fascinating and beautiful place shrouded in mystery, with a rich history.
The chapel was originally built for the St. Clair family in 1446, and was dedicated to St. Matthew. It 40 years to complete the chapel, and once finished, the family staffed the chapel with priests. The priests were paid to sit in the chapel and pray for the family. Although the chapel was originally intended for private use, much of it was destroyed during the reformation in the 1500’s. It was seized in 1571, and the altars were destroyed in 1592. Restoration work began in 1736, but it wasn’t until the early 1800’s that the St. Clair’s began working in earnest to restore the interior. It became a working church in 1862.
The chapel is filled with intricate carvings that represent different scenes from the Bible, and different stories about the way one should lead a virtuous life. The carvings also depict what would happen to you should you choose to turn to the devil, instead of turning towards God. Among the carvings is one of a knight riding a horse, carrying a cross. It is thought to be representation of Sir William St. Clair, who was first given the land Rosslyn Chapel is built on. Legend has it that he had purchased a piece of the Holy Rood and brought it back to Scotland. Another carving of particular interest is the one of Lucifer, tied in ropes and hanging upside down. This is one of many carvings depicting angels in unusual positions, which is one of the many rites of freemasonry.
The St. Clairs’ eventually became Grand Masters of the free masons in 1630. It is said that underneath the chapel is the family crypt. In the crypt are members of the family and members of Knights of the Templar, buried in their armor. Legend has it that the Knights of Templar brought the Holy Grail from Jerusalem and buried it in the St. Clair’s crypt to keep it hidden and out of the wrong hands. Three hundred years ago the St. Clair’s had the crypt sealed and it has not been opened since. Each generation of the family is given specific instructions to leave the crypt untouched. Further adding to the mystery is the fact the crypt has been x-rayed and is filled with several metal boxes and other unknown artifacts. It is also believed that the chapel was once filled with statues. During the reformation the statues disappeared and haven’t been found since. They are believed to be buried within the chapel. The whereabouts of the statues has been lost in the mists of time.
Rossalyn Chapel is devastatingly beautiful. I understood why in 1842, Queen Victoria declared that the chapel should be preserved for the people of Scotland. There is a grave of a husband and wife on the ground, marked by intricate carvings. Above the gravestones it says, “Love conquerors death.” It brought tears to my eyes. I could understand why poets and writers were and still are inspired by it.
Our group really enjoyed our visit to Rosslyn chapel. I personally, thought it was exquisite. The setting and intricate design and carvings in the chapel were like nothing I’ve ever seen. The surrounding mysteries and legends only serve to make the place more interesting and exciting. This was the one place I was most looking forward to visiting. It did not disappoint.
The chapel was originally built for the St. Clair family in 1446, and was dedicated to St. Matthew. It 40 years to complete the chapel, and once finished, the family staffed the chapel with priests. The priests were paid to sit in the chapel and pray for the family. Although the chapel was originally intended for private use, much of it was destroyed during the reformation in the 1500’s. It was seized in 1571, and the altars were destroyed in 1592. Restoration work began in 1736, but it wasn’t until the early 1800’s that the St. Clair’s began working in earnest to restore the interior. It became a working church in 1862.
The chapel is filled with intricate carvings that represent different scenes from the Bible, and different stories about the way one should lead a virtuous life. The carvings also depict what would happen to you should you choose to turn to the devil, instead of turning towards God. Among the carvings is one of a knight riding a horse, carrying a cross. It is thought to be representation of Sir William St. Clair, who was first given the land Rosslyn Chapel is built on. Legend has it that he had purchased a piece of the Holy Rood and brought it back to Scotland. Another carving of particular interest is the one of Lucifer, tied in ropes and hanging upside down. This is one of many carvings depicting angels in unusual positions, which is one of the many rites of freemasonry.
The St. Clairs’ eventually became Grand Masters of the free masons in 1630. It is said that underneath the chapel is the family crypt. In the crypt are members of the family and members of Knights of the Templar, buried in their armor. Legend has it that the Knights of Templar brought the Holy Grail from Jerusalem and buried it in the St. Clair’s crypt to keep it hidden and out of the wrong hands. Three hundred years ago the St. Clair’s had the crypt sealed and it has not been opened since. Each generation of the family is given specific instructions to leave the crypt untouched. Further adding to the mystery is the fact the crypt has been x-rayed and is filled with several metal boxes and other unknown artifacts. It is also believed that the chapel was once filled with statues. During the reformation the statues disappeared and haven’t been found since. They are believed to be buried within the chapel. The whereabouts of the statues has been lost in the mists of time.
Rossalyn Chapel is devastatingly beautiful. I understood why in 1842, Queen Victoria declared that the chapel should be preserved for the people of Scotland. There is a grave of a husband and wife on the ground, marked by intricate carvings. Above the gravestones it says, “Love conquerors death.” It brought tears to my eyes. I could understand why poets and writers were and still are inspired by it.
Our group really enjoyed our visit to Rosslyn chapel. I personally, thought it was exquisite. The setting and intricate design and carvings in the chapel were like nothing I’ve ever seen. The surrounding mysteries and legends only serve to make the place more interesting and exciting. This was the one place I was most looking forward to visiting. It did not disappoint.
Saturday, 19 June 2010
St. Giles-Katie Zogelman
On today’s excursion in Edinburgh, our group visited St. Giles Cathedral located along the Royal Mile. The church is named in honor of St. Giles. Saint Giles was a hermit from France who, according to legend, was pierced with an arrow while protecting an animal from a hunter. I personally am very interested in the topic of religion and the history that surrounds it. Being able to have a guided tour proved to be a very good learning experience, which I enjoyed very much. The architecture was beautiful and honestly quite breathtaking. Having being built so many years ago just added to the awe and reverence of the experience. However, St. Giles has gone through restorations and has changed throughout the years, which was explained and outlined by our tour guide.
The history behind St. Giles holds many key factors that have helped influence what it has become today. Just a few of the key figures that were introduced were Thomas Aikenhead, John Knox, Saint Giles, and Jenny Geddes. Each of these people played an important role throughout the journey of the transformation of St. Giles Cathedral. Along with the roles of these individuals, we also studied some of the legendary stories that accompanied them. Many of the events surrounding the development of St. Giles Cathedral also play a key role in Scotland’s history as well.
From our reading the night prior to touring St. Giles, we had learned some information regarding Thomas Aikenhead. For me, the story of this young man’s journey was an eye opening and surprising moment in history. After making a joke, “I wish I were in the place Ezra called hell, to warm myself there,” while passing by St. Giles Cathedral in 1696, the 19-year old Aikenhead soon regretted it. At this time, church and state were not separate so what he said regarding religion was handled very seriously. Aikenhead was taken away and had to await his punishment. There were several people who felt Thomas Aikenhead should not be punished too severely. However, the conclusion of Thomas Aikenhead’s punishment resulted in death. I found this story saddening but realize that it is an example of why now church and state are separate.
John Knox was a very important influence on the St. Giles Cathedral and its followers. Many factors changed dramatically when the reformation and leading by John Knox occurred. During this reformation, John Knox and his followers stripped the church of its Catholic trappings, painted the walls white, and made the interior much plainer. Our tour guide added a little story about this when she was explaining this concept. She said that not long ago a woman had told her that John Knox would turn over in his grave if he saw that candles were being lit in the Cathedral. This helped me to grasp the extremeness of this reformation led by John Knox. This was a major turning point in Scotland regarding its religion.
In addition, Jenny Geddes also seems to be legendary within St. Giles Cathedral. In 1637, there was a rebellion in St. Giles opposing the imposition by the King in London of a new prayer book. Jenny Geddes threw her stool at the minister in objection to using this prayer book. Today, in the Cathedral there is a stool on display shown for remembrance of this occasion. It is interesting to see and learn about who will stand up for their beliefs and to what extent they will fight for them.
A few of the landmarks in St. Giles Cathedral were specifically intriguing. The stained glass windows were very beautiful and I found it amazing that each and every one, some newer than others, were all hand painted, original, and depicted a special meaning. The Thistle Chapel, also located within St. Giles, was unique and interesting. I loved seeing the hand crafted walls and ceilings and also the angel playing the bag pipe. So much of St. Giles’ architecture holds a special meaning, and if able to spend more time there, I am sure I would learn many more interesting historical facts.
Although I know that I found this excursion very interesting, I do think the majority of the others did as well. I don’t think it really made a difference if we were a religious individual or not; a place this exquisite is impressive. I am hoping to make it to a service there tomorrow morning which I am sure will be super interesting. So far, although only being here in Edinburgh for a few days, I feel as though I already know much more than I had previously about Scotland. I am anxiously awaiting the rest of our trip and learning more about the Scottish Culture.
The history behind St. Giles holds many key factors that have helped influence what it has become today. Just a few of the key figures that were introduced were Thomas Aikenhead, John Knox, Saint Giles, and Jenny Geddes. Each of these people played an important role throughout the journey of the transformation of St. Giles Cathedral. Along with the roles of these individuals, we also studied some of the legendary stories that accompanied them. Many of the events surrounding the development of St. Giles Cathedral also play a key role in Scotland’s history as well.
From our reading the night prior to touring St. Giles, we had learned some information regarding Thomas Aikenhead. For me, the story of this young man’s journey was an eye opening and surprising moment in history. After making a joke, “I wish I were in the place Ezra called hell, to warm myself there,” while passing by St. Giles Cathedral in 1696, the 19-year old Aikenhead soon regretted it. At this time, church and state were not separate so what he said regarding religion was handled very seriously. Aikenhead was taken away and had to await his punishment. There were several people who felt Thomas Aikenhead should not be punished too severely. However, the conclusion of Thomas Aikenhead’s punishment resulted in death. I found this story saddening but realize that it is an example of why now church and state are separate.
John Knox was a very important influence on the St. Giles Cathedral and its followers. Many factors changed dramatically when the reformation and leading by John Knox occurred. During this reformation, John Knox and his followers stripped the church of its Catholic trappings, painted the walls white, and made the interior much plainer. Our tour guide added a little story about this when she was explaining this concept. She said that not long ago a woman had told her that John Knox would turn over in his grave if he saw that candles were being lit in the Cathedral. This helped me to grasp the extremeness of this reformation led by John Knox. This was a major turning point in Scotland regarding its religion.
In addition, Jenny Geddes also seems to be legendary within St. Giles Cathedral. In 1637, there was a rebellion in St. Giles opposing the imposition by the King in London of a new prayer book. Jenny Geddes threw her stool at the minister in objection to using this prayer book. Today, in the Cathedral there is a stool on display shown for remembrance of this occasion. It is interesting to see and learn about who will stand up for their beliefs and to what extent they will fight for them.
A few of the landmarks in St. Giles Cathedral were specifically intriguing. The stained glass windows were very beautiful and I found it amazing that each and every one, some newer than others, were all hand painted, original, and depicted a special meaning. The Thistle Chapel, also located within St. Giles, was unique and interesting. I loved seeing the hand crafted walls and ceilings and also the angel playing the bag pipe. So much of St. Giles’ architecture holds a special meaning, and if able to spend more time there, I am sure I would learn many more interesting historical facts.
Although I know that I found this excursion very interesting, I do think the majority of the others did as well. I don’t think it really made a difference if we were a religious individual or not; a place this exquisite is impressive. I am hoping to make it to a service there tomorrow morning which I am sure will be super interesting. So far, although only being here in Edinburgh for a few days, I feel as though I already know much more than I had previously about Scotland. I am anxiously awaiting the rest of our trip and learning more about the Scottish Culture.
Scotland Version 2.0
Hello Parents, Friends and Loved Ones of our ESU Scotland Students,
We've arrived safely and as the students depart for a night on the town, I think we're successfully managing our jet lag.
We've visited The Elephant House, (where J.K. Rowling outlined much of Harry Potter), managed a scavenger hunt on our first full day in Edinburgh, and visited St. Giles Cathedral this morning for our second class day.
As we did last year, each student is responsible for blogging about one day of their adventures on this program for our class.
Enjoy!
We've arrived safely and as the students depart for a night on the town, I think we're successfully managing our jet lag.
We've visited The Elephant House, (where J.K. Rowling outlined much of Harry Potter), managed a scavenger hunt on our first full day in Edinburgh, and visited St. Giles Cathedral this morning for our second class day.
As we did last year, each student is responsible for blogging about one day of their adventures on this program for our class.
Enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)