Spring! Update!

Life has been a little bit crazy lately with travels to three different countries happening in the past four weeks. It all gets a little crazier on Friday when I set off for Croatia with my sister for eight days of adventuring. After that, we meet up with the parents in London for a few days before heading back to Edinburgh where we all cram into my tiny wee flat. Should be good fun.

Since the above will be immediately followed with a paper and exams, I don't know when the next blog post will go up. So I thought it would be good to share some links to photo albums from trips I've done this semester but haven't gotten around to writing about. Hopefully these will give you a good glimpse of what I've been lucky to see before I sit down and properly talk about the details.

Linlithgow (Jan 25): http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2191037&id=90402206&l=5b5c8c9854

Paris (Feb 25-Mar 1): http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2196205&id=90402206&l=0d2a5c95ef

Wales (Mar 13-15): http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2196365&id=90402206&l=3ef2449daf

Amsterdam & Utrecht (Mar 20-22): http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2197350&id=90402206&l=83ebf80a65

And hey, if you're feeling bogged down by exams or stressful work or papers or that global crisis thing (or the effects of that other global crisis thing), don't forget that it's now officially spring. Why not grab some sun and take a breather? :)

Highlands Roadtrip

Scottish Highlands (map, see the yellow placemarks)
January 6-9, 2009

Having spent a few days in Orkney, Garrett and I hired a car and set off to explore the Highlands of Scotland. We started off heading north west towards a ferry to the Isle of Skye, drove off Skye and travelled north to Inverness before coming back south to Edinburgh.

Day One - 6 Jan 2009

When undertaking any trip that involves driving long distances on unfamiliar roads, it is inevitable that there will be obstacles and at least one instance of just being plain lost. It is probably a good thing that the bulk of these nasty things happened to us on day one. Starting the trip like this meant that we had nowhere to go but up. Note to future self: maps are good to have. If driving through a city that lacks not only a major highway but, more importantly, signs telling you which road is which and where it goes, maps are really good to have. And although a map of all of Scotland is really useful, this utility drops significantly when using it to navigate Edinburgh. Future self is laughing because this allegedly obvious point was not realized by self of January 2009. So... getting out of Edinburgh took slightly longer than expected. When we finally got out, we made our way to Falkirk. This small city between Edinburgh and Stirling was our first planned stop because of the Falkirk Wheel. A marvel of modern engineering, this giant wheel is used to get boats from one canal into another by lifting them into the air and onto an aqueduct. Finding our way to this sight was not helped by the confusing signs but by the very useful tourist map posted on a placard in an ASDA parking lot. (Thank you, Wal-Mart?) Unfortunately, the wheel was closed for a month of maintenance so we didn't see it in action, but it's not difficult to imagine what it might be like.

After bagging Stirling Castle and Wallace Monument (read: driving past them on the motorway), we made a beeline for Glen Coe. I saw this beautiful glen in November but wanted to go again and spend a bit more time lingering and soaking in the stark beauty. Travelling in January in Scotland meant that the sun was not on our side. By the time we got to Rannoch Moor, just east of Glen Coe, it was clear that we wouldn't make it. On the plus side, we pulled over and got to walk around a very eerie marshland for a few minutes. The landscape was completely devoid of colour and it was hard to tell where land ended and water began.

It was so eerie that even our little Vauxhall Corsa got scared. So scared that she didn't want to start up again. Problem. The sun was completely out of sight at this point and we were at least 10 km from the nearest town. Problem. Thank God for mobile phones because it turns out the problem was a very straightforward "locked steering wheel," as the Enterprise guy told us on the phone.

Back on the road, we headed straight for the hostel in Fort William, got dinner at a nearby family restaurant/bar called The Lochy, and called it a very early night.


Day Two - 7 Jan 2009

Ready to make a fresh start on day two, we woke up at a very early 5 a.m. and set off soon after. On our way to Mallaig to catch the ferry to Skye (the reason for our brutally early wake up), we decided to stop at the Glenfinnan Monument. This structure marks the spot where Bonnie Prince Charlie first gathered the clans and raised his father's standard. Sitting at the end of Loch Shiel with mountains on either side, it paints a very impressive image that is automatically associated with the Highlands. Unfortunately, we saw none of this. Given that it was around 6 in the morning, we resorted to simply feeling the imposing presence of the monument and spotting some lights glistening across the loch. To imagine what we could have seen, I refer you to the beautiful photography of Neil Coffey, a fellow PhotoSoc member: http://www.neilcoffey.co.uk/photo_2949759.html.

The rest of the drive to Mallaig was winding and wonderful, despite the pre-dawn conditions, and even included several deer literally in our headlights on the road! I can only imagine how beautiful the journey would be to do when one can actually see further than 10 feet in front of the car! We got on the ferry sans problèmes and travelled "over the sea to Skye," arriving in Armadale.

The first big stop on Skye was an impromptu event that lasted over an hour! Driving past the Eas a' Bhradain Waterfall (Waterfall of the Salmon), we had to pull over and jump out for some photos. Having borrowed a tripod from PhotoSoc, we had some fun experimenting with long exposure to get some soft effects on the water. Garrett also shot this panorama which we later stitched together. Too bad my big hat is in the way!

Starving at this point, we rushed to Portree and enjoyed the aforementioned fish and chips after some beach scavenging at the Harbour. One of my favourite souvenirs was picked up from the scavenging: a chunk broken off a glass bottle. We deduced from the "BARR" inscription on the bottom and the piece of "GLASGOW" on the side that, at some point in the past, it must have contained the bright orange Irn-Bru ("Scotland's other National Drink").

After lunch, we made our way north to Lealt Falls, which we found upon hearing the sound of water plummeting. Here are the waterfalls with the hills of the Trotternish ridge in the distance.

Travelling further north, we reached Mealt Falls and Kilt Rock - 200 feet high cliffs that truly do plunge straight down. This is where we met The Rodney. Don't ask why he is called such a foolish thing, but just take a look at the photo and try to spot him. (Hint: he's that teeny white blob above the waterfalls that looks like a lunatic sheep standing on the edge of a cliff. That is, in fact, exactly what he is.)

After witnessing such madness, we hopped back in the Corsa and turned south. One of the things we were hoping to see was the Old Man of Storr. After a 30-minute hike that brought us up into the clouds, we were rewarded with... clouds. There was so much mist that even while standing at the base of the 50 metre high rock, we could barely make out the shape. Perhaps another trip on sunnier days is in order.

Dinner was had at a pub in Broadford (with an excellent background sountrack of Most Extreme Challenge) before driving back to southern tip of Skye for our hostel.

Day Three - 8 Jan 2009

Thursday was a total lie-in compared to Wednesday's early morning. It started well with the ponies owned by the hostel owners who were decently friendly and smelled like pony.

We set off for the Skye Bridge and drove over the Kyle of Lochalsh off the lovely Isle of Skye. After some breakfast, we made a stop at the Eileen Donan Castle. Unfortunately closed for renovations, we were still able to have a walk around one of Scotland's most famous castles.

The next stretch of driving took us past beautiful landscapes of mountains and lochs...

...and beautiful cloud formations with the sun breaking through to light up Loch Ness.

This scene kept us company the entire drive along the very long Loch Ness up to Urquhart Castle. It was nice to casually wander around the castle after the rushed visit I had last November and we enjoyed watching the clouds to see if the rays would ever catch up to the castle. They didn't.

Finishing up at Urquhart, we set off for our final destination of the day. Once again, the city roads were determined to get in our way. This time, it wasn't for lack of maps but the sheer ridiculousness of the roads in Inverness - one way this way that leads to only a one way this other way which leads to a closed road that forces you to break the law just to get out of an impossible cycle! Luckily, we found overnight parking in a city lot not far from the hostel. And this hostel, Eastgate Backpackers, was like a trip in itself. Complete with a crazy-eyed German manager who must have been a rock star in his younger days, the hostel had these wicked paintings on the doors and in the rooms representing different countries and depicting stereotypical images from those countries. After wandering around Inverness for a while, we called it a night in the China room under the watchful eye of a Bob Marley in Jamaica painting telling us not to worry.


Day Four - 9 Jan 2009

Waking up to find our tasty treat of orange popsicles had melted in the hostel's faulty freezer :( we set off for the final day of our wee trip. Things picked up immediately with the next few hours spent in Leakey's Second Hand Bookshop. Located in an old church, it looked as though the bookshelves were climbing on top of each other, scrambling to reach up to the heavens. Not only were there books for sale but original prints and maps, many over 100 years old. Needless to say, we certainly lost track of time - but it was amazing wandering around and flipping through dusty pages just to see what we might stumble upon.

Tearing ourselves away from Leakey's with a 19th century Logic textbook and a few gifts in hand, we hopped in the Corsa and took off for the last stop of the trip: Culloden Moor. When I went in November, we didn't go into the exhibition centre at all... and for good reason! There is so much information in there, one could easily spend a day perusing the artefacts and playing with the interactive maps. After 90 minutes and realizing we were only a 1/4 finished, we made way for a tour of the battlefield with an enthusiastic historian and enjoyed the sunset from atop the roof of the centre.

Then, for the last time, we started up the Corsa and began the three hour drive back to Edinburgh (during which I ensured that all conversation was in song form for more than an hour, much to Garrett's dismay).

Overall, the trip was great fun and very memorable - even the little bumps along the way. Hiring a car was the best decision we made as it provided unmeasurable freedom and opened the doors to some of the funnest moments of the trip.

Many more photos (as if that were possible!) at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2188236&id=90402206&l=bfb04.

Orkney

Before starting, I thought I would mention the very Halifax-y February I had - seeing both Share and Jenn Grant live and getting Rose Cousins' latest album in the mail. (Furiously looking forward to Rose's upcoming album, which Garrett's sister pre-ordered for me for Christmas - thanks Liv!) Share put on a really good show at The Bowery, just a block from my flat. Jenn, who played after Kevin Hearn of BNL fame, was fantastic. They played at a little pub in Leith and it felt like we were all sitting around in a living room; there was even some audience sing along action on Jenn's Sailing by Silver Ships. Quite the opposite end of the spectrum from the show (audio) she had played just two weeks before. Who knew I'd have to come to Edinburgh to get so much East Coast goodness! (Quelques photos from Jenn's show at http://flickr.com/photos/44821698@N00/sets/72157614719600627)


Orkney (map)
January 2-5, 2009

After a few days hanging out in Edinburgh, Garrett and I hopped a tiny plane and flew up to the Orkney Islands, an archipelago just north of mainland UK. There are some things that can be said about travelling to a relatively remote region the day after New Year's.

It's an awful idea. The 1/3 full plane complete with depressed stewardess start the journey with this feeling. And apparently people need two days to recover from the new year celebrations. As a result, things are closed on January 2. Things that are kind of important like car rental companies and bus companies and restaurants. Brutal.

BUT... it's also a fantastic idea. No cars to hire or buses to transport means that you turn to a tour company to get you around. You meet a friendly tour guide (whose wife is Canadian!) and get to see things you may not have seen otherwise. No restaurants means you get to go to a full-sized grocery store (unlike our tiny Tesco in Edinburgh) and cook a delicious dinner of Orkney beef... mmm!

We arrived in Kirkwall and received the most beautiful welcome ever:

Walking about the 7000-person town that day felt more like being in a ghost town with nary a soul around and all the stores literally barricaded shut.

The next day, Saturday, was a bit livelier with Kirkwallians emerging out of their homes for a chilly weekend. Picked up (slightly late) by Michael and his van, we made our way south across the Churchill Barriers off of Mainland Orkney. The Churchill Barriers were built in WWII to protect Royal Navy ships anchored in Scapa Flow after a battleship was sunken by a German U-boat. This is the beautiful view from one of the barriers. Visible is one of Orkney's several wind turbines behind the mast of a blockship used to keep protect the harbour before the barriers were built.

Crossing over four barriers and three islands, we arrived at the Tomb of the Eagles. Discovered by a farmer in 1958 looking for stones to build a fence, this neolithic chambered tomb sits at the top of a cliff. We had to crawl on hands and knees into the tomb that was lit by sunlight - and how cool to stand in a room built thousands of years ago and used for many years after! Not far from the tomb, there is also a Bronze Age Site on the family's land. People are still trying to figure out what exactly this site was - a house? a place of worship? - and it was neat to visit and make our own hypotheses.

Heading back to the mainland, we stopped at the Italian Chapel on the island of Lamb Holm. This structure was amazing put together by Italian prisoners of war (in Orkney to build the Churchill Barriers) using what little material they had: a Nissen hut, plaster board, paint, concrete, and leftover iron. Even the holy water font is made of a giant spring and the lamps are made from old tin cans!

Come late afternoon, our first day with Michael came to an end when he dropped us off in Stromness. Stromness is the second largest town in Orkney and is centred around one main narrow street winding its way past old stone houses and storefronts. Interestingly, this road is only cobblestoned on a strip down the middle - much easier for the horses while the carts cruised along the paved sides.


Sunday saw our second day with Michael and we hit all the highlights of the Neolithic Orkney proclaimed in the tourist brochures.

The first sight was Maeshowe, a chambered cairn and one of the four stops we would make within the "Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site". This incredible tomb is seeped in mystery, made only more interesting with features like the alignment of the tomb entrance with the setting winter solstice sun. You can read all about it on the previous link so I won't bore you with the details. I will mention two neat things we learnt on that visit: 1) Maeshowe has one of Europe's best collections of runic inscriptions. Carved by Vikings who had raided the cairn, many of these inscriptions read as simple as "Ottarfila carved these runes" - not so different from a modern-day "Sven was here" in the public toilets. 2) On a recent dig to reroute water seeping through the walls, the archaeologist found a buried coin from 1954. Apparently it's not uncommon for archaeologists to drop recently minted coins in their digs as a calling card of sorts to let future discoverers know when the area was last unearthed. We weren't allowed to take photos inside but there are some nice ones at http://www.maeshowe.co.uk/, along with a live video feed of the Winter Solstice sunset.

Our next two stops were at the nearby stone circles: the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar. Once again, I will leave you to explore those two links for details about the history of these ceremonial stone circles. Some neat tidbits:

• Michael mentioned that these two sets of stones may form a Pythagorean triangle with Maeshowe - yay math! - that might be significant for the ceremonies performed involving the sites.
  
• Speaking from the centre of the Stones of Stenness, one's voice will echo and bounce around in the circle. The same might be true for Brodgar but the centre of the circle is filled with heather to stop people from trampling the grass so we couldn't try it.
  
• One of the stones in the Ring of Brodgar was hit with lightening (7 years to the day before I was born!), causing it to crack into two big slabs.
  

The photo to the left is one of the Standing Stones of Stenness and, on the right, Garrett and Michael discuss the Ring of Brodgar.

Finally, we made our way to the first thing that drew us to Orkney: Skara Brae. Walking to the site, one begins a journey back in time, passing marks commemorating major events from the last several thousand years. 5000 years later, we arrive at Skara Brae. This unbelievably well-preserved Neolithic village was uncovered in 1850 when a severe storm ripped through the earth to reveal the stone buildings. It had been protected by the sand covering and, as a result, the village probably isn't so different than it would have been in 3000 BC. The buildings are evidently houses, complete with beds, fireplaces, storage areas, and toilets. To show that humans haven't really come that far in 5000 years, even a sewer system is found weaving under the buildings! And yes it is a real sewer system. There are tunnels connecting all the toilets in the village and twice a year a dam up in the hills is released to thoroughly flush the system out into the North Atlantic.

The last stop before we returned to Kirkwall for the night was the Broch of Gurness. At this site stands an Iron Age broch (or fort) and a pictish farmhouse which overlook Eynhallow Sound, the point above Mainland Orkney where the North Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. Here's a photo of the shamrock-shaped farmhouse in the foreground and the Broch in the background. Apparently the farmhouse was moved, stone by stone, to its current location from where it was found, buried under rubble.

With our flight departing Kirkwall on Monday afternoon, we spent the morning exploring St Magnus Cathedral, the most northerly cathedral in the British Isles. Built by Norse residents of Orkney in 1137, there's a definite Viking feel in the massive sandstone building (including parts of the roof I am convinved were designed to look like the inside of a boat).

To end off this massive post, here is a photo from the Kirkwall Airport gift shop. Looking forward to the day when Honesty Baskets are commonplace :)

Many more photos at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2188234&id=90402206&l=f1d03