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!!!
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
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!
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