Farewell Edinburgh (and Europe)

I was hoping to post this on our way home yesterday but didn't have any extra time. Our connections were just long enough to get us through security checkpoints and customs which is how it should be. Mr. Snootypurse figures we were on the road about 21 hours from rising in Edinburgh to reaching our home in Portland last night. Our checked baggage however, decided to spend some extra time in Chicago without us. Hopefully it will decide to come home today.

Overall this was an amazing trip with an array of memorable sites and people. I had thought it would feel like we were gone forever but the time went quickly. It was definitely worth the time, money, and effort and we thank those who looked out for the homefront and helped us out along the way.

The Open at St. Andrews

It seems I lied about the pictures yesterday. Photography was forbidden in the Scottish Parliament building with the exception of the Assembly Room. Mr. Snootypurse got a nice shot and it gives a good idea of the look and feel of the building.

We took the train to St. Andrews and attended the first practice day of The Open. It's not called the British Open over here, of course, because it is the original open. We were glad it wasn't raining but it was one of the windiest days we've ever experienced. The winds were clocked at up to 50 MPH! We camped out in the grandstand by the 13th to get some shelter where we met a couple of the course marshals enjoying the day on a break. They are members of Carnoustie golf club and were very nice.

We watched Tiger Woods (second picture) try to sink his putt 4 times before giving up. The ball got close to the hole but then the wind blew it back a couple of feet. It made us feel better about our putting. The wind also blew several of the portable toilets over requiring the golfers and their caddies to find alternate accomodation.

Glasgow

Unfortunately we don't have any photos from the last couple of days. This is in no way an editorial statement on the beauty of Glasgow. We didn't have as much time as planned in Glasgow due to a traffic jam but enjoyed our student-led tour of the Glasgow School of Art. This is a first-rate working art school designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Much of the design reminded us of Frank Lloyd Wright but Mackintosh preceded Wright by many years.

We then walked the streets of Glasgow which are in many ways prettier than those in Edinburgh. They are set in a grid pattern which makes it easier to get around. And the upper exteriors are beautifully designed and decorated in many cases.

We spent the following day in Edinburgh. Again our sightseeing plans were cut short, this time by spending too much time returning our rental car. We started with a tour of the Scottish parliament building. The new Scottish parliament met for the first time in 1999. The building was gorgeous with a well-coordinated use of wood, stone, concrete, and glass. It was also interesting to learn how another democracy works. We wrapped things up with a whirlwind 1-hour visit to the Scottish History Museum (Scotland's version of the Smithsonian).

Glamis Castle

We took a bit of a drive to Glamis Castle. Glamis is about 90 minutes north of Edinburgh. It was worth the trip. There are many Scottish castles open to visitors but this was an outstanding specimen. The castle has been held by the same family since the 1600's resulting in the interior and furnishings being intact. Because the castle was a private residence, it has never been under siege so the exterior is also in great shape. And the castle was the childhood residence of the Queen Mum so there photos of and references to the royals.

After touring the castle we strolled around the manicured grounds and visited the Scottish Highland cattle. We got to comb/pet some of the cows on our last trip and enjoyed the chance to see them again.

We made a quick stop in Dundee to see the RRS Discovery. This ship was built in Dundee and used by Scott and Shackleton for their successful voyage to Anarctica. We didn't actually visit the museum because it was late but snuck a peek over the back fence.