Regardless, I left off when I left King's Cross to Edinburgh. This was my first real train trip (besides the one to Windsor, which was about half an hour) and so I was quite intrigued by the idea. I love train travel now and wish we used it more in the US, but that's a whole 'nother thing (also our country is FAR bigger than Great Britain!). I made it to Edinburgh about midday and tracked down my hostel, learning quickly about how Edinburgh is built on a volcanic site and one end of the city is at the top of the hill and the rest is all downhill. AKA Edinburg Castle is at the top, Holyrood House is at the bottom and enjoy your exercise. The hostel was incredibly well placed along the Royal Mile, and I was charmed to walk past the infamous At World's End tavern while locating the hostel.
I quickly set off to the National Museum of Scotland, which I was disappointed in because it wasn't what I had thought it would be, but there were some treasures there--Dolly the sheep has been stuffed and is there, copies of Harry Potter, and a walkman from Sony is on the wall in one exhibit, which made me feel old.
Headed out of there and went to the Elephant House cafe, which is where many writers have written stories--most famously J.K. Rowling. Delicious lunch--bacon and brie baked potato (tattie).
I then headed down the Royal Mile, taking advantage of the good weather to go to Arthur's Seat and climb it. Arthur's Seat is near Holyrood House and it's 251m or 823 feet high. I am not a mountain climber. I also had my bag with all my electronics in it (the hostel can't guarantee security so I often wandered around with all kinds of expensive things in my capacious bag/purse). I also did not have tennis shoes on. I made it, however, not without much cursing and pausing to 'take photos' aka catch my breath (I was/am likely anemic from the travelling and lack of iron and B vitamins in my diet while in Jamaica and then London--there were rather annoying signs popping up as I travelled and I tried ignoring them, but I resumed my vitamins when I got home).
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| Not at the peak yet, but a nice view of the Firth of Forth beyond the city |
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| Triumphant that I made it, wind attempting to knock me over |
I also learned that the MacDougall motto is 'Conquer or die.' Rock on.
I headed to Edinburgh castle in the rainy morning, starting up the hill and planning to work my way down in the afternoon. Nice stories about the Bruce and Wallace, a very moving National Scottish Memorial there. Also, a fun little exhibit to the bagpipers attached to the armies over the years and also to some of the memorable Scottish platoons over the years. Very moving history and very current, as they've an exhibit on the Afghanistan and Iraqi conflicts.
Dried out and picked up a friend from the hostel and we headed to Holyrood House. It's the palace the Queen uses in the summer for vacation, but it's also famously where Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed during the '45 Jacobite rebellion. I loved that they had a painting of him on the wall in the dining room, like 'no hard feelings, Charlie.' The Brits can feel that way, since they defeated the rebellious Jacobite.
It's also fun because I had forgotten that the Holyrood was one of the palaces that contains one of those collections of paintings where the artist had to make up how the ancestors look and make them all look the same, so that the king had a family on the walls. That was funny to realize.
The palace was built around an abbey, and the ruins were beautiful. As were the gardens. And the forecourt was where Zara Phillips had her wedding reception! Yay for more royal weddings.
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| The abbey ruins |
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| Playing in the gardens ;) |
Headed to Stirling the next day, a light day on my schedule. Stirling Castle is famous for Mary, Queen of Scots being crowned there and it was really built up by her father. It's also very close to the site of William Wallace's stand at Bannockburn, and also Robert the Bruce had some history in the area--there's a very strategic ford there. Bonnie Prince Charlie also was there briefly. Anyway, the castle is nice. What was nicer was, it being Sunday, the bells in the Church of the Holy Rude next door were ringing all morning. After I got out of the palace, I headed there.
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| Standing in the spot where Mary, Queen of Scots was crowned |
Off to Inverness in the morning, straight to Loch Ness to go 'Nessie' spotting. Not really, actually--I'm not much of a proponent of the myths (isolated creatures don't go through evolution and may retain interesting features...that's all I'm saying), but of course you have to go out on the Loch!
Like I said, rocking the MacDougall tam. It was once again quite windy and chilly, but I manfully sat at the top of the boat and enjoyed the views of the Loch. Just like I enjoyed the views of the Loch later in the day from Urquhart Castle, some ruins on the edge of the Loch.
I will also say that I was really proud of myself this day--I have never had to catch the bus in America, yet I managed it in Scotland! I looked up the schedule, found the different departure and return spots and times and bought my ticket and everything.
The next morning, I headed out to Culloden. Anyone familiar with the Jacobites (or even just Dragonfly in Amber, the second Outlander book) will know about Culloden. It's the last battle fought on the British isles, and it was a civil war. Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Duke of Cumberland, the leaders on either side, were cousins. 1500 died, and all but 50 of them were Jacobites--and they're buried on the battlefield. As such, they treat the battlefield like the graveyard it is and it was a nice change from how we do things in America. Also, the tour guide dresses like the Government forces in the morning and a Jacobite in the afternoon.
I started working my way south after Culloden, stopping overnight in York. At this point, I gave up the ghost on one of my pairs of shoes--I tossed them. I'd ended up walking my way through them and with one real day left in my trip, I got rid of them. There were puncture holes from Arthur's Seat in them too!
So York...went into their Minster. It's nice, beautiful and stunning stained glass. It's amazing to consider their wall of kings ends with Henry VI. As in, mid-1500s. And there were a good 10-12 of them up there. I also climbed their tower, 275 steps. Not the view of London and I was rather hampered by having an asthma attack from the cold air, but it was still a beautiful church.
Ran to catch my train to Chesterfield (which will always make me laugh--I live in Chesterfield in the US!) and to Chatsworth House, aka Pemberley! I had really wanted to go to Highclere Castle, aka Downton Abbey, but they were totally sold out, being fairly new to the tourism game and the massive popularity of Downton. However, the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire have been at it for awhile. Their house is massively impressive--400 years of collecting and it's all over the walls. Artwork, sculpture, books, furniture...your jaw is dropped throughout the duration of the tour.
It is also where the new (2005) version of Pride and Prejudice was filmed.
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| Anyone recognize the tiles, from when Lizzie enters the house? |
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| The Matthew MacFayden/Darcy bust Lizzie contemplates...they left it as a souvenir at the house |
I actually had to catch the bus in Chesterfield to a little town in Derbyshire, then walk 2km to the house through the gardens/parkland attached to the house--the estate was originally 1000 acres. It's phenomenal. It was also my Lizzie Bennett moment, strolling the grounds in a ramble.
Can you imagine living there?!
Anyway, I reversed my trip via walk, bus, to the train station, but continued to King's Cross in London. I met my cousin there for dinner and drinks and spent the last of my pounds (I literally came home with 22 pence). We also went specifically to a pub for Apple Toffee Cider that was delicious and made in Somerset--not that I haven't tried to track it down in the US!
He walked me to my hostel near the train station and we said our goodbyes. I finally had a top bunk in this hostel and that was rather not fun, but it was only for one night, since I headed out in the morning. Couldn't buy an whiskey in the duty free that I couldn't get in the US or could afford, so I bought some Pimm's and embarked on a lovely 8 hour plane flight home with screaming children. But mommy was waiting and we GPSed our way out of DC traffic.
And that was that. I came home, headed down to VA beach to clean up Mom's condo for the summer season, then went and graduated med school (no big deal, y'all *wink wink*), packed up my moving truck and unpacked it in a new apartment. Went back and got my cat. Spent this week transferring my permanent residence to the new state and unpacking. I finally have finished hanging most of the pictures on the wall, and am waiting on the first paycheck to buy some real furniture.
But I have lots of recipes to share, once I get back to a calmer life here. No more international travel, the passport is safely stowed. I promise.
These were the trips of a lifetime. I will forever be changed by my experiences in Jamaica, both as a physician and a person. It's eye opening to consider the developing world...it will color how I act forever. And then there's the UK...my trip of a lifetime. It was the South Africa trip airline tickets switched over to London, and all the money I've socked away from various grandparents--to see everything. Absolutely everything. I spent over $300 on admission tickets alone, but I have absolutely no regrets and a heart full of memories. And 1600 pictures to remind of all the good times and steps climbed.
Now on to the new adventure of being a doctor.
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