Time to Reflect: March 31, 2013

We flew back to Chicago on Easter Sunday. It was also Daylight Savings Time in the U.K. I didn't realize that Daylight Savings Time was different from the U.S. in the U.K., and it was unfortunate that we had to lose an hour on the day we left. We had to get up at 4:30 AM, which felt like 3:30 AM because we had an early flight. The flight from Edinburgh to London was relatively painless. They served a traditional English breakfast on the flight, our last chance for traditional British food. We spent several hours in Heathrow waiting for our flight to Chicago. It was an extremely big airport with signs saying that certain gates were a 10 minute or even a 20 minute walk away from the main shopping and eating centers in the terminal. One thing that Stefinie and I noticed was that the cartons of cigarettes that they sold had not just a surgeon general's warning, but also SMOKING KILLS and SMOKING HARMS YOURSELF AND OTHERS. This was in big contrast to the U.S., where the risks of smoking while definitely acknowledged, are minimized, especially on the packaging.

Heading home gave me time to reflect on what I missed most and what the contrasts were between home and London and Scotland, aside from what I have mentioned before. When you are traveling such as on a train or a plane, they don't announce the platform or the gate until several minutes before boarding. We didn't find out the gate of our plane until about an hour before we took off and less than half an hour before we boarded. This is in extreme contrast to the U.S. where you may be able to know your gate at least a day in advance if not before. This suggests that although London is a fast paced city, they are possibly more relaxed than Americans. They don't need to have such rigid plans. This is just an assumption, but it is also supported by the lack of clocks in public places and homes. We didn't have a clock in the palace, and it was difficult to find one in the airport except on TV. It made me conscious of how much I keep track of time throughout the day when I had to struggle to find a clock.

I also missed home cooking, as I often do when I go on vacation. Scottish food is somewhat different from what I'm used to, although I enjoyed it for the amount of time we were there. I'm sure I would have eventually missed American food if I had been there for longer. Related to that, apparently American only serves Dr. Pepper on domestic flights, so I could not get one of my favorite drinks from home, although it really wasn't a big deal.

It was nice to be back home in a familiar place. The temperature here was definitely warmer, and the snow is gone--at least for the time being. But to be honest these environmental factors are just minor inconveniences compared to the excitement of being in Scotland. I learned a lot and had a valuable life experience. I saw truly what my capabilities are in regards to being independent. It was a true opportunity for growth for me, and I will appreciate that forever. Although we may speak the same language, there is a completely different culture in the U.K. from many aspects. There is no doubt that I am grateful for what I have at home, but I also am thankful to have been able to travel and learn about another part of the world. I hope I get to go back someday, and if I don't, at least I can say I've been there and gained a lot from it.

Note: Thank you to the Dellers for an amazing trip! Wisconsin misses you! :)

Final Days in Scotland: March 29-30, 2013

View from the bus

Rock Garden

Queen Mother's Garden

Pinecone ceiling

On our second to last day in Scotland, we took an on-off bus tour of Edinburgh. This particular bus tour was all about the contrasts of Edinburgh, which was very fitting because the contrasts are quite visible. Edinburgh is divided into Old Town and New Town, which makes sense because Edinburgh is very much about the old and new. The tour allowed us to see parts of Edinburgh which we hadn't seen before, particularly in the New Town--which isn't very new. We saw where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born--there is a pub and a Sherlock Holmes statue commemorating him. The bus stopped at the Royal Botanical Gardens, and we spent a couple of hours there. Given that it was still March and very cold, not much was growing, but there were some very pretty flowers blooming in some areas. One of the most interesting things was the Rock Garden, which was basically a big rock formation with water flowing and a few plants growing. We saw some interesting trees that we called Charlie Brown Christmas trees. The garden would have been more spectacular at a time when things were growing, but my favorite part was the Queen Mother's garden, which was a garden made as a memorial for the queen's mother when she died. You could just tell it would be beautiful when things were blooming, but I really enjoyed the little house that was built inside the garden. The inside of the house had walls covered in seashells and a ceiling covered in pine cones. It looked like very intricate and time consuming work. There were places to sit by the windows, and I could just imagine it to be the perfect place to sit and read a good book on a nice day. Although nothing much was in bloom, it was nice just to get out and walk around in the fresh air. It reminded me of one of my favorite places around home, Olbrich Gardens, although the gardens in Scotland are much, much larger. We saw some interesting plants in the greenhouse, and it made me think of my grandma. I think she would have enjoyed the gardens very much. It was nice to be somewhere that reminded me at least a little bit of home for a while, and for once I was thinking more about similarities than differences.

St. Giles Cathedral

Inside of the cathedral

Heart of Midlothian

After the gardens we took the bus tour back to the Old Town and went to St. Giles Cathedral. It is a very famous cathedral in Edinburgh, and it is an extremely beautiful building, like so many of the cathedrals we've seen. My experience is that there are many grand cathedrals in Europe, and even the prettiest churches at home can come nowhere close. The inside of the cathedral was just as beautiful as the outside, with a lot of detail in the architecture. One of the most notable aspects was the gigantic organ. It was a gorgeous building, but what struck me the most was how much they have embraced the fact that the cathedral is a tourist attraction. To walk around the cathedral is free, but you have to pay two pounds for a photography permit to take pictures and another extra fee if you want an audio guide. They also have a gift shop and a restaurant inside the cathedral. While this is much cheaper than admission into Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's Cathedral in London, it still struck me as odd that a cathedral which still held services would turn so literally into a tourist attraction, complete with gift shop and restaurant. Next to the cathedral, on the ground, is the Heart of Midlothian, which commemorates the site of a prison. Locals walk by and spit on the heart. After St. Giles we made another round on the bus tour and saw the sights of Edinburgh for one last time before heading back to the palace.

By the water

Gorgeous view

On our last day in Scotland, we went down to the water in Edinburgh. One of the amazing things about the city is that it has just about everything--old buildings, modern architecture, city streets, residential areas, hills, and ocean. We took the bus to the ocean terminal stop and got out and walked around next to the water. We made a circuit around a walking path near to the shore, and it was nice just to be out in the fresh air with a little change of scenery. Coming from Wisconsin I don't get to see the ocean, so it was nice just to be able to walk down by the water and take pictures. From the shore we could see one of the islands, and we could also see the Highlands and just horizon. On the ocean was a shopping center and a carnival, very similar to what you might see in a city on the ocean in the U.S. But we also saw the Royal Yacht Britannica, which is the queen's yacht. We didn't tour it, but there are many things related to the royals pretty much anywhere you go in Scotland. It's a big part of the culture in the U.K. that is quite different from home.

The Orangerie

Bridge on Dalkeith Estate

After spending some time at the water, we headed back to Dalkeith and explored the grounds of the estate. It is basically a large park that many people come to walk their dogs or exercise in. There used to be a playground as well, but they tore it down. On the grounds is an amphitheater, stables, a bridge that was apparently a wedding gift, and most importantly, the Orangerie. The Orangerie is an architectural structure that is very detailed and beautiful, just like much of the architecture we saw, but it has been allowed to fall into disrepair because its upkeep is far too expensive apparently. It's a shame that an amazing structure such as this is being allowed to fall apart. Hopefully one day they will be able to find the resources to fix it up. Seeing the grounds of the Dalkeith Estate was a great way to end our last day in Scotland. I was extremely fortunate to be able to stay in such a great place. I enjoyed the entire trip. I didn't want to leave, and I would definitely go back if I had the chance. That doesn't mean that I didn't miss some things from home though.

Chapels, Castles, and Palaces, Oh My: March 28, 2013

Rosslyn Chapel under construction

Thursday was our second full day in Scotland. We got out and explored the Royal Mile a bit more. But first we went to see Rosslyn Chapel. It's a beautiful little chapel outside of Edinburgh with a lot of history behind it. I've posted a link to the website because we weren't allowed to take pictures on the inside. The most interesting story about the chapel had to do with two columns inside the chapel. You can see pictures of these on the website. One column was designed and carved by a master carver. To carve the second column, he decided to travel to get inspiration. While he was gone, his apprentice had a vision in a dream of a carved column, and he carved the second column in this way. The apprentice's column was so much more intricate and beautiful, that although the master carver's column was beautiful, when he saw his apprentice's column, he went into a jealous rage and killed him on the spot. The master carver was then sentenced to death, and they carved a sculpture of his face into the chapel; it is positioned so he must look at his apprentice's work for all eternity. The chapel is made of sandstone, and many of the carvings have worn away with time, such that there is much speculation on what some of the carvings are. Virtually every surface in the chapel is carved, so although it is small, it is amazing to see all the detail. The chapel was featured in the book and movie The DaVinci Code. There are also rumors that The Holy Grail is located somewhere in the chapel. There is a lot of upkeep involved with the chapel because it is made of sandstone, and, as we all know, it rains a lot in Scotland. Hopefully they can continue to maintain it. It was one of my favorite sights in Scotland. There was so much history in that one little chapel, and the story of the carver and his apprentice has such a classic theme. The tourism of the chapel grew immensely after the book The DaVinci Code was published, which is when they created the museum aspect of it so it just goes to show how globalized anything can become, even tiny chapels.

Inside the chapel

The Castle

In the afternoon we went to Edinburgh Castle. The castle is at the top of the large hill that Edinburgh is built into. There are a few different exhibits to see inside the castle. We saw the Scottish crown jewels, which were very few compared to England. It was funny that after seeing the crown jewels in London, the Scottish crown jewels really did not seem like a big deal, even though they were extravagant in themselves. We also saw the Great Hall, which was basically a big room with tapestries and armor on the walls. We saw a chapel that the king had built for his mother. There was also a cave of sorts in which one of the oldest kings had lived. In addition we  saw where prisoners were kept. On a side note, there was also a cemetery where soldiers' dogs were buried. They really loved their dogs in Scotland. Grey Friar's Bobby is a legendary dog who supposedly laid on his master's grave for 12 years until he died. There is now a restaurant dedicated to him as well as a statue. The castle was yet another example of history in the midst of modernity. That even showed within the castle itself. The rooms had been renovated to at least some extent to make them more accessible to tourists. We were able to take a car--literally--closer to some of the exhibits and up to the very top. It was kind of strange to see an actual car driving on the castle grounds when it is so ancient. We


Edinburgh Castle

noticed that there were people living right next to the castle. That in itself seemed strange to me. It would be very surreal to be able to say that my apartment is right next to a castle. That's not something you see at home. Castles are these grand, ancient structures that I imagine to be far from any sort of living space or even city. But in Scotland, and much of Europe I suppose, the cities are built around them, and they become a mundane part of the scenery. You can see the castle from all over the city of Edinburgh; it usually can at least be seen in the distance. I don't think I would ever get used to or get tired of seeing something like that every day.

We ended the day with a tour of Dalkeith Palace led by the Dellers. We saw most of the palace, including student living spaces, the supposedly haunted laundry room and weight room, and the library and classrooms. As one may expect of any old house, there are a lot of ghost stories surrounding the palace, and certainly some of the rooms were a bit creepy. It's basically a big, creaky, old house. It was interesting and fun to hear all the stories. The palace is owned by the Duke of Buccleuch, who is the largest landowner in Scotland and second largest in the United Kingdom, next to the queen. Apparently when he moved to his house in London, he took all of the best furnishings out of Dalkeith Palace. It's still quite a grand place--who would have expected to live in a palace when traveling in Scotland? As is much of Scotland, it very much represented the mix of old and new, being a very old house (or used-to-be castle) outfitted with modern conveniences including Wi-Fi. It may be pretty much a dorm, but it looks a whole lot nicer than my dorm building. However, it was extremely cold inside. I wore a lot of layers while in the palace. But overall I wouldn't mind staying there again. I found the grounds of the Dalkeith Estate to be even more interesting than the actual house though. More on that in the next post.