Crannogs, Culross and Scone (Not necessarily in that order.)

Exterior of a Crannog

Saturday  was the bus tour to the Crannogs, then onto Scone (pronounced Skoon) and Culross.  Stirling was off the agenda for the time being. We left about 8:30 a.m. with Duncan driving.  There was also a guide on board by the name of Richard, who kept up a fairly entertaining patter for much of the trip.  He was also a fund of historical information.



Herbs and Grains Hanging to Dry





Wooden Lathes at the Crannogs



What and where are the Crannogs?  Well, they’re located on Loch Tay near Aberfeldy, Perthshire.  Crannogs were the homes of some of the earliest Scots and not built as you'd expect.  The one we saw has been reconstructed from the archeological remains discovered on the bed of the lake.  They are wooden structures built on the water with posts and a bridge linking them to the land.  Sizeable, they were meant to house an entire family, as well as their livestock.  Pens inside kept the stock where they belonged and the roofs over the pens were used for storage of goods or fodder, perhaps even for sleeping quarters.  The floors were laid with moss and wool.  The middle of the structure was the cooking and living area with fire pit and either benches or chairs covered with hide.  Herbs hung from the lower rafters, drying and used for medicines, teas or seasonings.  Outdoor kilns were made for the baking of bread.  Lathes were used to form rafters, utensils and other necessities.  Though muscle powered, they were semi-mechanized using treadles and rope type pulleys and engines.  These were an innovative and inventive people who cared for an extended family under one roof and all had their tasks and place within the family life.  No one knows exactly what happened to the people, though.  There are no remains to be found and eventually the weather and winds caused the homes to collapse into the water.  They just seem to have disappeared.





Scone Castle



As far as Scone goes, this is a castle currently owned by the Lord and Lady of Mansfield, if I am remembering correctly.  There is a small chapel on the site and a replica of the Stone of Destiny.  It is said that Scone was the place where the kings and queens of Scotland were crowned.  There is a large amount of land and the family lives on the premises.  The public is allowed to view the ground floor and to wander the grounds.  It must be very difficult to choose between having to sell the property or to allow strangers to be constantly poking around your home to help finance the upkeep.  It isn’t something I could live with well.

Culross Home



Culross is on the water and completely under the Scottish Historical Trust.  It too, is a beautiful place.  Winding cobblestone roads, just over a car’s width and with houses on both sides meander around with no seeming rhyme or reason.  At the top of the hill, there are the ruins of an Abbey.  Some of it has collapsed, but other parts are still very much intact.  The houses are extremely picturesque and romantic.  Many are identified by the former use of the place.  The shoemaker, for example, or the snuff house.  While I could easily live in one of the stone cottages we saw in our travels, I’m not sure how I would do with no bit of land to go along with it and it’s easy to forget that today’s families live there with a modern day reality.





Picture Yourself in Edinburgh!

That, meaning the title of the piece, was today’s assignment.  It was something in between a scavenger hunt and getting to know our way around the city.  Given a map with certain locations marked on it, we were to find those places, take photos of our team and answer specific questions regarding each spot.  It was a bit of fun, but a fair bit of walking.

After finishing up, we headed back to the dorm and zipped up a Power Point to show off our handiwork.  When I say “we”, I mean six of us which were officially two groups of three, but we combined efforts.  Thanks to the patience of the Edinburgh residents and many other tourists visiting the city, we were able to accomplish the goal with only being minor nuisances.  Well, for the most part anyway.   Even managed to get a hug here and there.  Check out the link for the presentation - nothing specatular - just a quick tour.

Picture Yourself in Edinburgh

In and along the Royal Mile, we were treated with any number of buskers of varying sorts; a violinist and harpist, two wonderful singers, a “Bravehart” warrior, magicians and pipers.   I couldn’t get far without running into one or another.  It was great to hear and see.  I only wish the weather had been more co-operative.  It didn’t rain much, but the wind was ripping.

Early in the morning, we’ll be hopping a bus and doing a tour of some of the outlying areas, Stirling, Scone, Culross and Loch Tay.  Duncan, the driver who picked us up at the airport, will be driving us around.  He’s a gem, he is.

Nelson, Burns and Beer



Arthur's Seat



Yesterday’s agenda included a trek to Calton Hill, then back to the Grassmarket area for a Literary Pub crawl in the evening.  My legs, not to mention the rest of me, are feeling it rather dreadfully this morning.  I joked that we’d end this trip with either great leg muscles or dead.  Nor is the cane that easy to manoeuver around with and sometimes makes it worse, so I left off with that.  Anyway, onto Calton Hill.

To get there, we walked along the base of Arthur’s Seat, which is the remains of one of the volcanos that erupted some 453 million years ago.  Calton Hill is the site of a monument to Lord Nelson of British Navy fame.  Even though there has been and still is, anger and bitterness towards Britain, their history and Scotland’s is so intertwined it’s next to impossible to separate the two.  The monument is just over a hundred feet high and has a circular staircase – all 170 steps.  One is able to climb to the top and look out over the Leith Harbour and the city of Edinburgh.  It’s truly an incredible view!

Nelson's Monument

In 1852, a time ball was installed at the top of the tower and drops each day at 1:00 p.m..  At the same time, a cannon fires, giving a visual and audible signal.  This allowed the ships out in the harbour to synchronize their shipboard clocks, which were used in conjunction with the seafaring chronometers to find longitude and be able to navigate safely.  Latitude was found through the stars and had been in use for eons, but longitude was a problem until John Harrison figured out that one could measure the arc of the earth and, when compared to any equivalent of noon (for Scotland, it’s 1:00 p.m.), could mathematically calculate longitude.   Innovative and a great mind behind that one.  I’d still be lost.





Claret





The pub crawl was enjoyable.  A mix of education, humour and beer.  Two actors, well, one actor, Clart and one actress, McBrain read poetry and gave a history of a number of poets.  That isn’t nearly as dry as it might sound, given the personal habits of some of them –  Robbie Burns womanizing and drinking  and, in the case of Robert Louis Stevenson, drug use.  Due to an illness, he spent a period of time under the influence of opium.  Rumour has it that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was inspired by a drug induced nightmare, delusion, psychosis – whichever name you would like to call it by.



Photo of Burns' Statue Inside
the Burns Monument 



Just as a by-the by, I learned that Jekyll is actually pronounced Jee-kyll.  In North America, no one would know who you were talking about.















The Gang's All Here

It’s yesterday today.  The flight was long, but uneventful and we departed and landed on time.  After arriving at Pollock Hall in Edinburgh, we had a brief period to get settled, then it was off and running again.  The trick was going to be to last through the day and try to hold off sleeping until Edinburgh bedtime.  Scotland time is eight hours ahead of B.C.

City Skyline From National Museum Site

We had to go and pick up our phones at a place called Phones For U.  It was quite a walk to get there.  Afterwards, we meandered off again to the Grassmarket area near the Royal Mile and had dinner at the Beehive Pub.  The food was good and I had to try out a Guiness.  The foam on the top of it was so thick you could have used it for face cream.  Rather than the white foam of the beer in Canada, this was a tan/beige colour, so solid you couldn’t see any individual bubble.

Four of my other classmates and I then wandered around the Grassmarket area, found a bookstore to check out and then eventually made our way back to the residence.  By the time we got back, it was after nine and I was completely ready for my bed. 

Grassmarket

This morning I woke at 4:45 a.m. as usual, fixed a coffee and went outside to check out the weather and promptly got locked out.  Unsure as to whether the fob wasn’t working or we were on lockdown until a specific time, I ended up waiting outside for quite a while until I could get back into the lobby.  Still couldn’t get upstairs, though and ended up wandering back to the Reception Office to have the thing re-programmed.  Not the most auspicious start, but the sun is shining.

Flunkin' Spelunkin'

Spiced rum or no, I still managed to see the sun rise Sunday morning.  Not enthusiastically, but resigned.  It’s certainly better than the two or three in the morning which has been my wake-up call lately.  Our agenda for the day was to go visit the Crystal Caves near Qualicum, then hit the ferry for home.

Getting ten people on the road is not an easy thing to do.  Steve’s driveway is extremely steep and not being able to get any momentum up, we got stuck partway.  Unload bodies, unload dogs.  Again, not an easy task.  My poor old boy, Jiggs, doesn’t get up or down stairs well, or in and out of vehicles.  He can usually manage to get his front paws up, but then we have to get around to the business end, grab his back legs before they give out on him and lift.  He’ll then walk his front feet forward while we hold up the rear end.  I tend to hold my breath at this part of the operation.  He’s an old boy and all that extra stretching and maneouvering can have its consequences.  Like the volcano types we studied in Geography, an exhalative gas eruption is possible.  It’s not pretty.  And, just like kids, what you do for one, you have to do for the other, even though Riley (Kev’s dog) is perfectly capable of managing on his own.

Anyway, gong show done for the moment, we get to the park and start across the suspension bridge.  Kev is not good on heights and the middle grandson, Taylor wasn’t thrilled either, particularly after Jiggs starting doing his thing.  He loves to run across bridges – the louder the noise the happier he is.  These days he can’t really run;  it’s more of a rocking horse motion, but he’s no lightweight, so that makes up for the slo-mo.  Of course, it’s a suspension bridge and as he’s a’rockin’, so is the bridge.  Chaos reigns supreme until everyone gets across.

This first cave is a tight squeeze to get into and proves to be a bit of a challenge.  Not that any of us are in any way close to being on the heavy side.  It’s more of a case of rock placement coinciding with specific body parts and sucking in one part only to have the other poke out further, if you get my drift.  Once inside, it’s beyond totally cool.  Maybe not for anybody who’s done any caving, but for us amateurs, it was amazing.  The kids were less than thrilled after they’d smoked their heads a couple times, but the rest of us were completely enthused.



Water Pooled Under Ledge



Once we’d explored as much as we could there, we moved on to the second one.  It was a vertical climb and of course, Kev and Steve had to push the envelope.   Bri was a little more cautious after having gotten stuck in a vent in the side of the house not long ago and finding that tight spaces don’t do much for her.  She does wear the scar from the chainsaw used to cut her out as a Badge of Honour.  Long story.  Suffice it to say that I learned a long time ago that it’s far easier on the nervous system to just take these things in stride.  Though I have to admit, I couldn’t decide whether to laugh or have a fit about the chainsaw incident.  Ended up doing both.  Lord love a duck!  Once again, I digress.

This second cave was more incredible than the first.  I must admit that I was able to do well by my geography instructor, Susan, telling the kids what kind of rock it was, where it came from and how it was formed.  Way to go, Susan!  I wasn’t able to get up too high, though, much as I wanted to.  Caving with a cane and hand held flashlight does pose an issue or two.  C’est la vie.  Got some great shots, though and I was sorry we couldn’t stay longer.

Rock Formations at the Crystal Caves

Sunset From the Ferry

Wagon Train

With four adults, three kids and two big dogs crammed into a Mommy Wagon (mini-van), pulling a tent trailer and  carrying enough luggage to clothe the Canadian Army, we were on the road at 4:30 a.m. to try to catch the 5:20 ferry to Nanaimo.  “Try” was the operative word, as neither Aimee, who is one of my daughters, or I were any too sure we were going to make it.  The son and the husband in fine “man” style, assured us that we had “lots of time”. 

There was a time when that boy knew how to cook, sew and do laundry, even clean a toilet, but when he turned eleven, the testosterone kicked in.  The older Kevin gets, the more like his father he gets and there are times when I have to take a double look to see which one of them I need to smack.  Before he and my daughter were married, I told her to keep a close eye on her father-in-law to be if she wanted to see what her husband was going to be like in twenty years.  “Run” I told her, “Run while you can.”  Anyway, I digress.  As it turned out, we did make the ferry, pulling into the terminal with one minute to spare.

The purpose of this lunacy was to visit my other daughter, Bri and grandson Bailey in Port Alberni before I take off for Scotland tomorrow.  Thankfully, all I’ll have to do tomorrow is down a few on the flight, then keel over and sleep until we land.  Sleeping would be nice.

Sawmill gear at the McLean Mill

Anyway, we managed to make it to Port Alberni, then out to China Creek to set up and feed the zoo.  Afterwards, we headed back into town, picked up my daughter and headed out to the McLean Mill.  This is an old sawmill, steam run and still in action.  Once having had our fill of meandering around there, it was once again back to town and down to the quay to scout out the shops.  Somehow or another, the town fathers managed to convince a couple of the cruise lines to make a pit stop at Port Alberni, so they’ve got a nice sampling of this and that. 

From there, it was a stop at the grocery store for dinner materials and back to the campsite.  Bri brought the 92 proof spiced rum she keeps in her medicine cabinet with the sole intent of getting me well lubed.  The best laid plans of men and mice…. Once her fiancé Steve joined us, the party started in earnest.  I am very fortunate in having a family who is absolutely hilarious and we had a great time.  It was well after eleven before we wrapped it up.  I can tell you, our fellow campers have no idea how to party.  The rum went down quite well, in case you're curious.

Sunset at China Beach

My Stone Of Destiny

Last day of regular classes yesterday and the next I'll be seeing anyone is on Tuesday, when we meet at the airport.  I also managed to get my last essay in this morning, so all of my schoolwork is over and done with until we hit Scotland.  The next few days will be taken up with work, going to the Island to see my daughter and grandson, then trying to get packed.

The Island trip is more a gathering of the clan.  My son, daughter and their three are coming along with us, so the whole immediate family will be there.  It’s been awhile since we were all able to get together at the same time, so I’m looking forward to it.

We had another guest speaker yesterday and one who was able to provide a lot of information on the arts scene in Glascow and Edinburgh.  That was of particular interest to me because of my photography addiction.  I realize it’s not music or drama, but where there is interest in one form of the arts, it usually extends to the others.  It certainly sounds like Scotland is the place to be if you’re passionate about art in any of its forms.

The mysterious Capstone Project was also revealed and while parts of it sound very interesting, others seem downright intimidating.  Once again, for me, it sounds like it’s particularly applicable.  We are to find our own “Stone of Destiny”.  In my case, that’s exactly what I am doing, both in returning to school to pursue an old goal and in visiting Scotland and Ireland which has always been a dream.  Part of my personal agenda in visiting is to learn about all the legends, myths and history of both countries; a gathering of information to form into a children’s book.  Whether I am even successful at publishing it doesn’t matter; it’s the doing that counts.