I never thought in a million years that Scotland would remind me of home, but within 5 short days it had me singing its praises "God Bless Scotland!" It may have been a small coincidence that I was exploring this new lovely country with one of my besties. Yes, a piece of my heart flew here from Colorado to spend 2 whole weeks with the Celaya clan.
Here is a picture-intensive travel log of our 2 week adventure to Scotland and other nearby wonders. Be sure to check out the captions if you are looking for extra information or history behind what we saw. Enjoy!
My First Tour
I still am a bit unsure of myself when I head into Oxford. I always have my trusty "Google Maps" with me and have even meandered a few blocks in the opposite direction of my true navigational tool, Aaron. He knows Oxford like the back of his hand. He even fully admits its familiarity is greater than the town we call home! Ha!
Having Kristen here gave me the perfect excuse to try out my wings flying solo. We took the bus into Oxford proper and found ourselves at the heartbeat of the city and it was BUSY! School holidays always mean the locals clear out and the tourists come flooding.
After spending a whole week basking in glorious rays with blue skies and temperatures kissing the lower to mid 60's, we were SO ready for holiday. We packed our sunglasses, t-shirts, light jackets and our tell-all guide book and headed out for sunshine and the rolling hills promised us by British countryside.
Little did we know that a slight climb to the northern land of Scotland would be accompanied by wind and humidity. It's never a good sign when you spot not one, not two, but fields and fields of wind turbines. We found after our first stop, we were drastically underdressed and under packed. 😱
First Stop
Aaron and I have a great system in place for traveling. I do the research and find all the cool stops I want to see and make accommodating arrangements. He plans the itinerary and all the traveling/parking. Great teamwork, honey!
Aaron's first leg had us stopping at a cozy little diner overlooking the Irish Sea known as Knott End Cafe. It is famous for its mile high lemon meringue pie. Would you like some pie with your meringue?
After lunch, we blasted out to the seafront to get a better glimpse of the oceanside. There was a dock that stretched out taking you to a small peninsula out into the sea. Since the tide was low, we walked out as far as we could and snapped some great pics. Brrr! We were already huddling in toward one another and we hadn't even crossed the border yet!
Next Stop, The Last Roman Outpost
You may have guessed it if you know your geography. We headed towards Hadrian's Wall. This was a special treat for my husband as this has been a bucket list item for him for over 15 years of his adult life.
Surveying the land and reading about the build, gave way to a deeper appreciation of history and military service in ancient times. There was a point during our exploration that we landed at the Northern Gate. It was here that Aaron felt impressed to share his empathy for the soldier standing guard at any given night. When enemy fighters graced the hilltops, they would be the first line of ground defense for his countrymen and their fort. That threshold was the line of demarcation between "home" and "enemy territory". As soon as you crossed it, you were no longer home.
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| Aaron overlooking the North entrance. |
AJ had other plans. He was more interested in playing "Humpty Dumpty" on each and every wall he could successfully climb, which was all of them! Ironically, he landed his final plop inside the fort's hospital. Dr. Mom was quick to prescribe lots of hugs and smooches!
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| Humpty's last drop! |
Here are some more pictures of the Roman outpost:
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| The fort's granary. Wooden beams were laid over these posts in order to keep the wheat free from water damage and vermin. Slits in the sides of the walls were put in to allow ventilation. Wait, isn't that counterproductive to pest control? |
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| See what I mean? Vermin... |
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| The Fort's Latrine. Boards with toilet-like holes cut out were laid along the two sides where there appear to be ditches. There was an aqueduct system in place to collect water after it rained to flush out the refuse. The two bowl-like stones were then used as wash basins for cleaning up. |
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| Walking back down the hill from the fort. |
Welcome to Glasgow
Glasgow is a unique town. It's full of brilliantly preserved artifacts over 500 years old while sporting new age industrial flair. It has its own look!
Our first stop was the ever well-known Glasgow Cathedral. This building is a superb illustration of Scotland's Gothic-inspired architecture. It was started in the late 1100's, before the Reformation, and was finished in the 1200's. It's immaculately kept, thanks to "Historic Scotland".
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| Front door. |
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AJ has learned to read quite fluently. He constantly stops to take in what's around him. 😀
The walls are beautifully adorned with incredibly detailed glass windows and several plaques depicting their history. It was evident to us that the people of Glasgow are ever so proud of the cathedral and its link to their town's history. Several volunteers greeted us at the door and shared their favorite facts about the church and its origins.
For instance, in the basement lies the tomb of St. Mungo, a beloved Scottish patron. It is believed the cathedral was the original building place of his church. However, I was just happy to hear the cathedral hosts a living congregation; the Church of Scotland gathers here. What a place to worship!
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| The Millennium Window. It stands apart from the rest because of its vivid blue hues. It was installed recently, too. I believe 2005? |
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| Paisley, always good for a pose. |
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| The chapel as seen from the alter. |
You can't let these little gems pass without recognition. Refinement in the littlest of details.
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| Backside of the chapel in the foyer. |
Entering the crypt where St. Mungo's tomb lies below.
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| We found St. Mungo; AJ found Aladdin's lamp. |
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| Some of the original stonework used in the cathedral's build. |
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| Glasgow Cathedral as seen from the Bridge of Sighs. |
Glasgow Necropolis
You can't go to the Glasgow Cathedral and not stroll across the Bridge of Sighs to the spectacular Necropolis, a.k.a ancient graveyard, a.k.a. City of the Dead.
As you walk up to it, you notice right away several tombs worked into the hillside. Not ideal. Hmm... As you walk up weaving throughout the footpaths though, you notice the graveyard design evolves into a more traditional burial site. We learned later this was a direct result of the shift in profitability of grave robbery. The original tomb design was set up to ward off intrusion and theft. After the Anatomy Act of 1832, corpse robbing was guaranteed to be a less than profitable industry, therefore deeming the original design unnecessary and was abandoned for more practical methods.
Believe it or not, over 50,000 people are buried within this 37 acre plot. If you do the math, that's about a square quarter of a mile. Only 5,000, give or take, have tombstones or grave markers though. Tombstones seems an inappropriate description, however. These "headstones" are massive and impressive to say the least. Some of Scotland's most cherished contributors to society and their heritage are found here. We tried to get a few pictures to give my audience an idea of the magnitude of this cemetery.
As promised...
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| Bridge of Sighs, named after the people traveling across toward the cemetery with their dead and sighing from grief. |
Glasgow Science Centre
After spending half the day doing touristy stuff, the kids were begging for something they could TOUCH! We made our way to the science centre for a few more hours of fun. We had no idea what to expect at the centre, but we were more than happy with our limited exposure. We could have easily spent all day here, but tried to experience as much as possible in the few hours we had. I even tried some traditional Scottish cuisine!
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| Now I can definitively say, "YUCK!" |
AJ enjoyed putting his insides back together while Paisley loved the cosmic roller coaster ride. Aaron and I got to try our hand at a few mind tricks and no surprise, Aaron smoked me every time.
Interestingly enough, I learned I am surprisingly good at facial recognition. I was prompted briefly with a quick video of a suspect committing a crime. I then had to describe the assailant to a computerized sketch artist. Knowing how notoriously inaccurate eye-witnesses can be, I was sure my sketch would be atrocious. However, I couldn't help but think the perp looked remarkably like Sean Penn, the actor! I just described him! My drawing was dead ringer. HA! 👮 Don't ever try to commit a crime in front of me; I'll get ya. Well, at least if you're Sean Penn!😉
We finished off our visit with a nice relaxing trip to the planetarium and traveled the galaxy spotting constellations, planets, and moons. I think Aaron spotted the backs of his eyelids though.😂😴
Afterwards, the kids and I headed down to the River Clyde to catch a better glimpse of the Clyde Arc Bride. See what I mean, Glasgow has some cool, progressive and modern landscapes!
We headed across the Arc bridge, all in tow, and escaped to the other side of the river to catch a glimpse of the three masted ship known as the Glenlee. I had never seen a real-life ship before, apart form the American Naval vessels. This was just sweet!
This ship has quite the backstory. Built before 1896, it has circumnavigated the world four times and without a hitch. It was built in the waters it currently resides, but not without a little cosmetic work done first. It had been sold and modified many times before returning home. It's restoration took over six years, but boy is she glamorous now! AJ particularly liked the lady out front. He gave us a fine display of her in a reenactment.
On our return to the van, we spotted a massive couch and chair made of astroturf. Impromptu family photo? I think yes!
Day 2, Drive to Edinburgh
Before heading straight to Edinburgh, we had to stop by the quaint little town of Roslin. If you're a fan of Dan Brown's "DaVinci Code", you will know this is the town where the infamous Rosslyn Chapel resides.
Rosslyn was truly a delight to see. It has been in the ownership of the St. Clair family since its foundation was laid. The original St. Clair, however, was also a Freemason. When designing and constructing the chapel, his Masonic influence was woven into his craftsmanship along with his beliefs. The church didn't care for the additional symbolism and felt it skirted the line of idolatrous worship and ordered the building be used no further for religious purposes or he would be excommunicated. The chapel construction was halted and abandoned unfinished. Several empty statue holders still remain today.
The building was overtaken and nearly destroyed by the elements. Thankfully, more restoration charities took it under their wings and decided to refurbish and preserve it, just in time for the DaVinci Code to incorporate it into its storyline, putting it back on the map!
Rosslyn isn't without its own story though. That is, you get to pick which tale you choose to believe. A fire broke out long ago, destroying all remnants of the familial history and happenings during their time. As a result, several myths and tales have been passed down from generation to generation and make for fun storytelling.
My favorite fable was perhaps the story of the "apprentice pillar". It was said that while the Master Mason was working on the chapel, he was given the job to reconstruct a replica of the columns found in Rome. He felt impressed he needed to visit Rome first hand to see the pillar in person before being able to furbish it himself.
Upon his return, he saw the pillar had been completed and in such flawless condition. When he discovered it was in fact his own apprentice who had dared to complete the project without him, he flew into an envious and jealous rage. He struck a blow to his apprentice's head with his mallet and killed him instantly. He was made to pay for his crime, but the true punishment lies in Rosslyn. His sculpture can be found diagonally across from the pillar, thought to leave the Master Mason forever gazing upon his apprentice's work for eternity. A fitting punishment if you ask me!
Revel in these undercover shots of Rosslyn as photography is prohibited inside. Sorry, not sorry!😁
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| The "Apprentice Pillar". |
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| Original stones removed and preserved down in the basement. Such mythical markings. |
L: St. Clair Memorial. Family members of the original St. Clair family are actually buried here.
R: Back view of Rosslyn Chapel.
Edinburgh Proper
Edinburgh is one of the neatest cities with so many treasures just waiting for your discovery. It ignites with the walk of the Royal Mile starting with the colossal Edinburgh Castle. Merely parking beneath this majestic royal fortress had us pumped for the hours ahead. We took a few shots from the base just to capture the sheer height and magnitude of this beast. It is massive and the steep incline from the immediate ground level is something to behold!
We naturally chose the cushier route up and around the banks. I'm glad we did because we got to see some other great sites. The amazing "Hub" or Victorian hall was one in particular. It is the tallest spire in central Edinburgh and it is enormous. It once served as the general meetinghouse for the Church of Scotland. We also got to see a lovely little Scotsman playing his bagpipes in full regalia, a well-known beloved pastime and tradition.
We grabbed a quick bite to eat before storming the castle. This is where Scotland sealed the deal for me. They brought me a fat burger including "streaky bacon" (regular American bacon) and skinny french fries! You crushed it, guys!
Following are loads of pictures we snapped while taking it all in. (Unfortunately, the royal jewels were not allowed to be photographed, but needless to say, they were most impressive. Their history is fairly comical though. The crown jewels were packed away in a chest and discovered after much time had passed. Who lost track of those babies?!?!?!?)
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| Walking up to the front entrance. |
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| King Arthur's Seat, a popular hike for tourists. |
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| A pano of the views. Enchanting! |
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| AJ has his War Face on! 😛 |
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| Staring down the barrel of this bad boy. Yikes! |
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| Mon's Meg, the biggest and most destructive cannon of the day! The name seems a bit anti-climatic. How about "Destroyer" or "Widow Maker"? Meh... |
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| Paisley standing on Mon Meg's cannons. Whoa! |
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Laich Hall
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| Great hall. Every castle has one! |
The Royal Mile
Day 3, Loch Lomond
Scotland's not short on stunning skylines and ancient construction, but when it comes to greatness, nothing surpasses the Supreme Creator. Scotland boasts having some of the most beautiful landscapes around and rightfully so.
It was refreshing to get away from the hustle and bustle of the fast-paced city scene and take a day strolling about God's country at Loch Lomond. We began our day finding Baloch Castle near the shores of the lake. After seeing Edinburgh, you might think it was petite and not at all impressive, but its location drew you in despite its simple appearance.
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| Throughout the park, someone has taken the liberty of using their fine carving skills and dazzled us with some neat figures. |
Eventually, we made our way to the base of the hill and found ourselves a few feet from the water. The overcast and excessive moisture in the air had me wishing for a hot cocoa to warm me up.
To my delight, a family-owned little cocoa shack showed up on the shores begging us for a pit stop. Not only was it the best hot chocolate I have tasted since coming to the U.K., but the folks were super friendly and chipper. I'm often told I'm overly chummy and much too loud, well...American in other words. What can I say, I'm authentic! These cocoa pushers, however, had me feeling like I was among friends. More than the hot drink warmed me up that day; the Scots did, too.
After exploring more of the banks of Loch Lomond with Paisley as our guide along with her trusty "nap" (map), we headed back to our ride. Nearby us was the local "Sea Life" aquarium, and you can't go anywhere without AJ asking when we would see some animals? So we satisfied his nature craving.
The excitement on our kids' faces could not be contained, and the humble aquarium did a spectacular job bringing sea adventure to life.
Those are some seriously pregnant seahorses. Sorry buddies, I feel ya!
We managed a quick walk over to the close-by paddle steamer boat known as the Maid of the Loch. She is a two decker paddle boat that is nearly sea worthy. That is, she was supposed to set sail the following day after many years docked. Too bad for us! She looked to have been an impressive boat in her day.
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| One for the frame!😂 Oh Channing! |
University of Glasgow
We returned back to our hotel with plenty of sunshine still left in the day, but the kids were toast. Kristen and I walked the short mile to the University of Glasgow. Thinking our perimeter view would have to suffice, we stumbled upon a gate with no keeper. We walked in and figured someone would escort us out if we were trespassing.
Boy what a find! The cloisters alone were worth the tip-toe past security. This grand establishment is most impressive.
See for yourselves:
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| Courtyard pic! |
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| View from the top of the hill the University sits upon. |
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| I love cloister shots! |
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| Gorgeous University! |
Home Away from Home
I think a small piece of my soul can be found in Scotland. It will forever hold a special place in my heart. I wouldn't consider myself a world traveler by any means, but I rank Scotland right up there with my favorite countries. I hope I get to return to her shores again someday.
On our drive home, we decided to maximize our time and give ourselves a bit of a seat break by stopping in Carlisle to see its castle and cathedral. I know, they're everywhere!
The castle was modest at best. Though it covered vast amount of ground, its means were much more authentic looking for the times. It didn't display itself in nearly the exquisite manor that Edinburgh did, nor did it have near the attention and love that Rosslyn Chapel acquired, but there was something special about it. It, too, was a wonder of sorts. And hey, Paisley, got to meet the KING! I believe her first words were, "Where's the queen? I've always wanted to meet her." (She thinks it's the King of England!😂) He explained to her, "I used to have a queen, but then I had to dump her due to budget cuts." We all had a good laugh, that is, except for Paisley.
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| Aaron down below with Channing. |
Tired and ready for home, we headed for our last stop at Carlisle Cathedral. To think we almost didn't stop due to time, but decided we had come so far not to see it. Gosh I'm so glad lethargy didn't win out. This cathedral was a brilliant surprise. The exterior doesn't near compete with the allure of the interior. My favorite artistry would have to be the ceiling once again, although the front and center stained glass window wasn't too shabby! It was, in my opinion, the most unique of them all. Unfortunately, my phone died just as we pulled up to the church. Boo!
Take a gander:
Staying Local
Our second week we blasted through as many English Heritage stops as we could find and enjoyed what England is all about. We didn't even scratch the surface. SO COME SEE US!
London, Baby!
London has so much to offer. We started our tour atop the open roofed Big Bus Tour (bucket list item) and listened to the history of London come alive. There are lots of neat and freaky facts about London and its predecessors.
We then walked a ways through Hyde Park. It sounds a little cliché, but I assure you, every time I go through it, I am re-energized. Springtime comes with different colors and new sounds that make it an extra enjoyable place for a stroll.
We rounded our walk and cut through to the monumental Buckingham Palace or Buck House as the locals refer to it. This place is always teaming with people, but for some reason, it seemed a bit slow today. Great for us! We got lots of pictures.
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| Buck House. |
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| Glancing down the Mall Strip |
After seeing the palace, we meandered down the Mall Strip and caught a perfect picturesque glance at Big Ben atop the freshly blooming trees. I'm a sucker for a good Big Ben shot!
We continued on through the Household Calvary Museum and got to see the change of the horse guard. It was quite an ordeal of precision and detail. Very cool!
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| Household Calvary Museum |
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| After the change of the horse guard. |
After that, we did what tourist do best, "oohed" and "awed" at everything else from Westminster Abbey and Big Ben to Parliament and the London Eye. The best part about our Big Bus Tour package was the sweet ferry ride along the Thames down to see London Tower and the famous London and Tower Bridges! There is no better way to see London than via the Thames!
Blenheim Palace
I have blogged about Blenheim before so I won't bore you with the details. Suffice it to say a second tour kidless was a whole new experience. This time Kristen and I were able to do the upstairs tour which was epic. They use holograms and other types of technology to graphically display Blenheim at it's height from the build to the tenants that occupied it throughout the years. Interesting secrets were hidden in these walls.
We also got to see more areas of the gardens outside. The children and I went here during Christmas, but it was dark and cold, so the grounds definitely weren't appreciated to their fullest until today!
See if you agree:
Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle is one of my favorite castles we've ever been to during our time here. I came here briefly with AJ on one of his class trips and was so impressed, I knew I had to bring my buddy here. She was sincerely impressed.
Has anyone seen the new trailer for "Transformers 5"; totally filmed at Warwick!
Warwick has many impressive show rooms and sheds light on the disgraceful King Henry VIII. Hey, not all history is pretty, and this bloke's past was definitely NOT.
The kids got to try their hands at archery and watched a vivid display showcasing the "Birds of Prey". We climbed the mound and looked over the widespread lands of Warwick. Great view!
Check out a few more pics of Warwick (some of from AJ's field trip, but they were too good not to include.):
Stonehenge & Salisbury
You can't come all the way to the United Kingdom and not see what Stonehenge is all about! Every time I catch myself reflecting on my time spent in Europe, I am extremely appreciative of all the World Wonders that I am privileged to have witnessed. Never in a million years did I dream as a child that I would live to see Stonehenge. Until you take the audio tour and experience Stonehenge for yourself, I am afraid you won't appreciate its existence to the full extent.
However, you can appreciate these great photos:
We had heard the nearby town of Salisbury sported an incredible cathedral. We considered ourselves "experts" in this field after our little jaunt up to Scotland and decided to check it out.
Salisbury Cathedral in a word: WHOA!
It is ginormous! It's spire is 404 ft making it the tallest spire in the United Kingdom. It was constructed in 1220 and only took 38 years to complete. You just don't see craftsmanship like this anymore. It's a real shame. This place is heart-stopping.
This stop was a real prize on many levels though. As beautiful and ornate as the outside was, the contents inside were the real find. It houses one of the remaining 4 original copies of the Magna Carta.
Again, imagine me, a kid sitting at my desk in history class learning and memorizing facts about this kind of stuff. To see it come to life; a whole other meaning! Thanks, Mr. J, for keeping history real and important in my young life.
When we managed to enter the actual cathedral, we were in for a surprise. This Anglican original had a different way of displaying its church. The pews and place of worship are lined with caskets and stone coffins. They definitely feel impressed to lay rest their most prized members as contents of their church. Grave after grave filled the house up and certainly set this cathedral apart from the rest we had seen that week. Some of the plots were even as recent as the last 10 years. It was unique.
See for yourselves:
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| Baptismal Font |
All Good Things Must Come to an End
Our two weeks together flew by and before I knew it, it was time to put Kristen back on a plane for America. I may have checked to see if I would fit in her luggage. Dang it, too many souvenirs!
This was not an easy goodbye for any of us. I like to call this moment "ugly cry". I think every person dreams of having the type of friendship where two kindred spirits meet-up and their hearts beat as one. That's me and Kristen, friends for life, near or apart!
Next?
Good question! The kids are in their final six weeks of summer term and then SUMMER awaits us. British summer that is. We get six weeks off before starting another long haul of school. Lots to do and lots to see on the docket. I will be sure to keep you up to speed with our travels.
Thanks for reading,
~K
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