Day Thirty-nine from Melissa - HISTORY!!!

We boarded the coach (bus) this morning at 9:00. Since we're in Scotland, it was a different driver and a different bus. He had towels on the steps as we climbed in. "Paranoid much?" I wondered, but didn't think anything about it.  

We drove about an hour to get to Stirling castle. As the first stronghold between Scotland and England, guarding the only ford in the Stirling River for miles, it's had a tempestuous history. 

On our way, we were all minding our own business when Dr. Talbot came on the microphone. "Dr. Durham and I were talking about a battleground near here," he started. 

Miriam can attest - I began to have a major history geek-freak out moment right then - I knew what he was going to say!

"It was called the battle of Bannockburn," he continued (I knew it!!!), "and our coach driver has kindly offered to take a small detour to show it to us."

Yay!!!!!!!

Miriam was laughing at me. Bannockburn is the equivalent to the Americans beating the British at Yorktown, or the Unions beating the Confederates at Getttysburg. The only difference is that this happened in the late 1200's or early 1300's - I'm being lazy and don't want to look it up right now. But there on that ground, Robert Bruce led the Scots to victory against an English foe that majorly outnumbered them. Sort of a Captain Moroni moment. 

So we saw the memorial!  And I was so happy!  The picture isn't great - it's through the rain-speckled window, but you can vaguely see a low cement thing on the top of the hill. That's the monument. 

Then we got to Stirling. It's huge, and very old. 

This is Robert the Bruce. He's the one not holding an umbrella. It was raining. 

The key to the castle. 

Stirling also had that spiral seashell like shape, ramping upwards to a central location. Buildings inside make it feel like a little city. 

And of course, it was pouring. 

That's the view. It was stunning. 

Here is the inside of Mary Queen of Scots' mother's rooms. Mary was born at Stirling, and raised here until she was four. 

You'll see the unicorn everywhere. That's the symbol of the royal house of Scotland. 

Oh, and I found my knight in shining armor. He's the strong, silent type. 

When we left, the rain had cleared enough to see the Wallace Monument. It's one of the things I had hoped to do, but hiking to it was tragically cut from the itinerary. Still, I was very glad to see it. It's that little lighthouse-shaped thing on the hill. It commemorates where Wallace and the Scots beat the British at the battle on Stirling bridge, and won even though the British had horses and they didn't. 

Then we went to Inchmahome. Don't ask me how to say it - I've no idea.  It's a priory on an island in the middle of a lake.  We had to be boated out to it. 

   The monks living there never spoke except for church services and in one room called the parlor. No monks there now, but there are two men who come out to the island every day to man the gift shop and take people out on boats. 

Now, if you have forty five people and one boat that holds twelve, and it's a seven minute boat ride one way to the island, how long will it take for everyone to get over and back again?  

Fortunately, we didn't have to decide. There were enough of us that they broke out their second boat. 

Whe Mary Queen of Scots was four or five, King Henry VIII decided he wanted to marry her to his son Edward. Understandably concerned, Mary's mother took her from Stirling castle to hide here. 

It's all in ruins now, but you can walk around through the old church and monastery. 

The whole place was absolutely beautiful. 

This was one of the more unique knight-and-lady-on-a-tombstone pieces I've seen. They're hugging each other. 

We walked around the island. It wasn't very big. But it was very, very muddy. 

Can you see the mud puddle in the middle of the path on the left of the picture?  Yes. Those were all over. Despite my best efforts, both of my socks got soaked. 

Those are bluebells. They were everywhere. I was so happy!

Then it rained and got very cloudy down over the hills, but I was still delighted.   And I saw a nesting swan!

Anyway, very, very lovely and I was sorry to go. 

So getting back in the bus we barreled through gorgeous scenery home. And I completely understood why our driver had the forethought to put towels on the steps of the bus. It wasn't paranoia, it was protection. Our shoes were soaked with mud and water, and climbing in over the towels helped get the worst off before we got to our seats. 

Back in Edinburgh, we climbed to a high point and watched the sun get lower. That's the North Sea. To the right side of the picture, you can sail straight out to Norway. 

 This is a monument to their fallen soldiers. Sadly, it was too high to climb for me. I'm mostly off crutches now, but that doesn't mean I'm completely nimble, and I don't want to break anything else. 

This is the flower clock, more completely planted. 

This is part of the Royal Mile - the street between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. It was getting late - maybe nine forty-five - so we stuck together and walked fast and felt pretty safe. 

Well, that was pretty much it!  I really need to do laundry now though - the hem of my pants is super muddy.