Hey Oban you're so fine...

Check out that blue sky...doesn't
 happen very often here.

Two years ago when I studied abroad in Edinburgh, I was blessed with some pretty great flatmates. I've already spoken a bit about Kari, so now it's Catriona's turn. Catriona is from Oban, which is in the Western Highlands. She invited me for a small visit, so I jumped at the opportunity. On Monday morning I grabbed a train and was on my way. The train itself was gorgeous. The view out the windows were breathtaking and I kept grabbing my camera in an attempt to capture it. 

Beautiful view from the train window.

Catriona met me at the train station and we were immediately on our way. Our first stop was a little beach. Oban is right on the Atlantic, so the ocean and the surrounding Highlands were remarkable. There was a little swing set at the beach. It was quite possibly the most beautiful view I have ever had from a swing. It sure as heck beat Woodview School's playground.

Now this is the life...

I mean, the view is only OK...

From there we made out way to Castle Stalker. Now, anyone that has ever been to Scotland will recognize this from the postcards. It is completely surrounded by water on Loch Laich, so you can't go up to it. Instead, there is a little overlook cafe where you can admire the view while sipping a cup of coffee. On a fun note, it was apparently used while filming Monty Python and the Holy Grail. 

Castle Stalker, straight out of a postcard.

That night, Catriona and I made a delicious Italian feast for dinner. It was perfectly complemented with the beginning of our Grey's Anatomy fest. We rented season one of our mutually favored show, and it was beyond finished by the next night. I'm not sure if we should be proud or ashamed.

It looked kinda like a tiny Colosseum.

The next day started at Oban's finest, McCaig's Tower. A rich old man, John Stuart McCaig, designed and built the tower himself. It was meant to be a monument to his family, but it was unfinished. When he died, he stipulated in his will that his money go towards finishing the tower. Needless to say, his family was pissed. They sued for control over his estate and the money then ended up going to his sister. The best part is that when his sister died, she also left her money to the same thing. The exact same lawsuit and outcome followed. Anyways, despite the harried past, McCaig's Tower is a pretty cool and quirky place. It is set high up in Oban, so the views from the walls are beautiful.

View from McCaig's Tower. Hello Atlantic!

Enjoying the blooming spring flowers at McCaig's Tower!

Our next stop that morning was Dunstaffnage Castle. This is apparently one of the oldest standing stone castle in Scotland. It was built in the early 13th century. Dates like that always blow my mind. I mean, it's older than my entire country! Dunstaffnage has some interesting history. There is some speculation that the Stone of Scone was once there, although it is more likely that it was at Iona. Since the 15th century, the castle has been held by the Clan Campbell. To this day, there is still a post called the Hereditary Captain of Dunstaffnage. Nowadays, the only requirement of the office is that they have to spend 3 nights a year at the castle. Considering there is no roof and it is apparently haunted, I'm not sure how awesome those 3 nights would be.

Oban is, according to Catriona, the seafood capital of the world. So for lunch we had to get some. After a delicious seafood pie, we were on our way again. For the afternoon we took a drive to the Bridge Over The Atlantic. Built in 1782, you cross the bridge to get to the Isle of Seil. It was actually kinda freaky driving over it. It's only one lane, so you have to be sure that no one is coming from the other direction. Also, the arch is so high that you lose sight of the road when you're going over the top. It's a very simple bridge, but the view is, again, beautiful. Actually, I'm not sure that the views were ever once underwhelming the entire trip.

Pretty pretty pretty!

Afterwards, we had a bit of an unintentional adventure. While driving around, we hit a huge pothole and got a flat tire. We pulled the car over and grabbed our cell phones, only to discover that we didn't have a signal. Well...that's a bit of an issue. There were some houses nearby, so Catriona ran over and knocked on their doors in hopes of being able to use a phone. Unfortunately, no one answered there...and at this point we were at a bit of a loss. Neither of us had ever changed a tire, so we weren't sure how to even begin. (Note to self: LEARN!) Luckily, a car happened to pass by and Catriona flagged the driver down. As she was asking to borrow his phone, he offered to have a look at it. He ended up changing the tire for us, which was absolutely amazing. We both felt like a slob watching him do it, but I couldn't help but feel like this was a scene directly out of a movie. He was our knight in shining honor, saving two damsels in distress. On the plus side, we were at least stranded along a beautiful shoreline. 

Pretty stellar place to be stranded.

Frolicking in Glencoe.

We settled on a visit to Fort William. We drove very leisurely, stopping frequently to get out of the car and take pictures. I think I made Catriona stop like 50 times - it was that pretty. It was a fairly rainy day (shocker) but that type of weather tends to suit the landscape. With the mist and grey clouds, the Highlands look majestic and like something out of a movie. I especially enjoyed driving through Glencoe. There, we stopped and walked along the road a bit. Glencoe is known for its scenic Highlands and an infamous massacre that happened there in 1692. I have been to Glencoe before, but had always been slightly disappointed. I'd always been to the visitor center, which doesn't provide very remarkable views. Driving through the park, however, I feel like I finally got the Glencoe experience.

Just one of the many beautiful views during our drive.

Check out the perfect reflection in the loch!

Catriona and me. Holy skinny arm Batman!

After a lunch stop in town, Catriona and I headed the Fort William gondola. This gondola brings you up the Nevis Mountain Range. Ben Nevis the highest mountain in the United Kingdom and all of the British Isles. At 4,409 feet, it's a pretty impressive sight. I really enjoyed this part, since it was a cool experience and it provided me with gorgeous views -- which is my favorite part of any trip. It's apparently Britain's only mountain gondola, so it's a fairly unique experience over here. Luckily it wasn't that far off the ground, because then I would have really been freaking out.

Pretty sweet views during our gondola ride.

As you can tell, I really enjoyed this little trip. Oban was gorgeous and I couldn't believe that this was where Catriona grew up. I felt like this was more of a genuine Scottish experience -- goodbye coach trips! I hardly knew ye.

View of Kilchurn Castle from the train - another one of Scotland's standard postcards.

I woke up one morning and this was outside my window. Catriona was not as impressed and excited as I was.

Daffodils are everywhere! Makes me feel like spring is officially here.

Skinny arming it with Castle Stalker. I sense a new picture category...

Mom Picture, or Sororitastic Picture?

I could not get over the combination of the Atlantic and the Highlands.

One of the 50 times I made Catriona stop so I could take a picture.

Dipping my toes in the Atlantic!

Hair, billowing in the wind. Majestic Mom Picture.

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh castle is at the very center of the city. Allow a good few hours to see the castle - it's that big. It is built on top of a long dormant volcano, so it gives an even more imposing presence. The buildings now standing were largely erected in the 13th century, but there are references to the occupation of Castle Rock from the mid-2nd century by Ptolemy, no less. Now, the oldest standing building is St. Margaret's Chapel, which was built in the early 12th century. In the 16th century, the castle was largely destroyed during the Lang Siege. To this day, there is still a military presence at the castle.


There is a longheld superstition at the University of Edinburgh that it's bad luck to visit the castle before you graduate. I'm really hoping that's not true. I've been at least 8 times.

St. Margaret's Chapel

This is the oldest standing building in Edinburgh. Built by David I during the beginning of the 12th century, it was erected in memory of his mother, Margaret. Margaret died in 1093 at Edinburgh Castle, just days after learning of her husband's death in battle. Cause of death went down as a broken heart. She was known throughout the country for her strict religious devotion and daily charitable work. Queen Margaret was canonized a saint by the Catholic Church in 1250. Additionally, she was mother to three future kings of Scotland - Edgar, Alexander I, and David I. St. Margaret's Chapel is still an operating chapel today. It is tiny - just 10' by 16'. You can still get married there or have your child baptized. Just make sure you only invite about 20 guests.

1 O'Clock Gun
After visiting St. Margaret's Chapel, stick around that area to grab a spot along the castle walls. From here are the best views to watch the 1 O'Clock Gun. The gun goes off without fail, except for on Sundays, Christmas day, and Easter.

Mons Meg
Mons Meg is one of Scotland's more hilarious investments. A gift to King James II of Scotland in 1457, it weighs over 6 tons. Each cannonball weighs 330 pounds and can be shot almost 2 miles. In battle, it would take like a day to drag Mons Meg just a mile. Because it's so heavy it can never be used in battle, so it's basically just ceremonial. It was even fired to celebrate the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Mons Meg provides wonderful opportunities for some great tourist pictures.

Great Hall
Every castle needs a great hall. It is always the center of state, where important political functions are held and company is entertained. The Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle is particularly interesting, because it was converted by Oliver Cromwell into living quarters for his troops. It remained that way until the 18th century, when it was then converted into a military hospital. It then underwent massive restorations to become the again-impressive hall. Today, make sure you stop in to catch a historical reinactor. You might be lucky and catch a presentation on torture.


Royal Palace
The Royal Palace holds the royal apartments, and it was primarily used by the Stewart monarchs. In fact, James VI of Scotland, later to become James I of England, was born here. The most interesting part of the Royal Palace, however, are the Honours of Scotland andStone of Scone (Stone of Destiny).  The Honours of Scotland consist of the crown, the sceptre, and sword of state. The Honours actually have a great story - During Oliver Cromwell's reign, he ordered that all of the crown jewels were destroyed. Legend has it that as a castle holding the crown jewels of Scotland was surrounded by Cromwell's soldiers, two women snuck out the Honours in their skirts and a bundle of kindling. They were then buried to ensure their safety. At some point after Cromwell's reign ended, they were dug up and locked away in Edinburgh Castle. They lay there forgotten until they were rediscovered by Sir Walter Scott on February 4, 1818. From then on, the have been on display in Edinburgh Castle - except for during WWII. They were hidden again amidst fears that they would be lost during a German invasion.


This now brings me to The Stone of Scone. This large slab of stone is where for centuries Scottish kings sat for their coronation. In 1293 the Stone of Scone was taken from Scotland by  Edward I of England. During the Scottish Wars of Independence, Edward seized the stone as a mark of his victory. He then took the stone to Westminster, where it remained until it was returned to Scotland in 1996. Today it is known as the Coronation Stone, and it is embedded in the coronation chair at Westminster. When Elizabeth II was crowned, she indeed sat upon the Stone of Scone. When the next king or queen of England is crowned, the Stone will be returned temporarily to Westminster for the coronation. There are a lot of stories surrounding the Stone of Scone, the most infamous of which is when a group of students stole the Stone. On Christmas day in 1950, four Scottish students stole the Stone of Scone from Westminster. When the students were removing the Stone, they discovered that it was broken in two. Thus, two separate caravans were made back to Scotland, each responsible for one half of the stone. They ultimately left the Stone on the alter of Arbroath Abbey on April 11, 1951. Apparently the students assumed that the Stone would remain with the Church of Scotland, but it was ultimately returned again to Westminster by authorities. There are Scottish conspiracy theorists that maintain that the Stone returned to Westminster is not the real Stone, but a replica. Who knows -- the real Stone of Scone could be buried somewhere deep in the Highlands.

Can be roughly translated to "Don't mess with Scotland."

View from the castle's wall.

Obligatory picture down the barrel of a cannon. Absolute must.

The castle from within its grounds.

Mom, this one's for you.

Stirling

For anyone that finds themselves with an extra day in Scotland, try to make the trip to Stirling. From the vista of the castle walls, there is an amazing view of the Highlands. The town itself is cute, and you can certainly find a nice little pub for a good Scottish lunch. There are two main attractions in Stirling: the William Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle. The history of Stirling is rich and captivating, and I promise it won't disappoint.

William Wallace Monument

This is not exactly in the heart of Stirling - you have to grab a bus to get there. Built into the side of Abbey Craig, it's quite a hike to the top. The monument was completed in 1869. In the 1800s there was apparently a major surge of Scottish national pride, and it was decided that a monument should be built to its greatest hero.

For those of you who have seen Braveheart, it's not exactly how it went down. Although Scotland fully appreciates having a major motion picture made about its greatest hero, many find the casting ludicrous. Standing at only 5'9", many feel he is illequipped to play William Wallace, who was believed to be at least 6'6". Either way, I find the prevelance of Mel's face in gift shops hilarious. But I digress.

There are 246 steps to the top, so it is quite the dizzying climb. Every 75 steps or so there is a level that you can stop. Here, you can learn a bit more about Scotland's history. The wind is wicked at the top, so you're going to leave with a massive knot on the top of your head.

 

View from the top of the William Wallace Monument

Another view from the top of the monument. Hello, Highlands!

Our windy trio on the top.

Stirling Castle

This is perhaps the most historically important castle in Scotland. It was built up during the reign of the Stuart line. Several kings and queens of Scotland were crowned there, including Mary Queen of Scots. It was believed that whoever controlled Stirling Castle had control of Scotland. It is considered the gateway to the Highlands since it is situated along the River Forth. As a result, it has been attacked many different times, most recently by Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746. 


Like the William Wallace Monument, Stirling Castle is built atop a craig. The climb to castlehill is a steep one, and I will admit that my legs were sore by the time we got there. The first record of the castle is from 1110, but the structure now standing largely dates from the 15th and 16th centuries. It is also the site where the famous William Wallace trounced the British and regained control of Scotland's most strategic fortress.

View of Stirling Castle from its base 

The front entrance of the castle, complete with a statue of Robert the Bruce.

Looking upon the  royal residence - check out the palm tree!

Watch out, William Wallace Monument...

View from the castle walls.

Mom picture from the castle's wall.

The Big Cheese

The Big Cheese is a big experience. It is the club on campus. Yes, you read that right. My school has its own club, right in the student union. Right next to the coffee cart and across from the health center is our very own club. Just think, you can go right from class to da club. How convenient!

Rule number one of The Big Cheese is that you should not wear anything that is dry clean only. You will get spilled on, so be prepared to leave smelling like beer. It's all part of the charm. (Is that the right word?)

Rule number two is wear comfortable shoes. There is a lot of dancing, and cheesy dancing at that. The music played is pretty nostalgic and it is guaranteed to bring back flashes of your childhood. Think Reach for the Stars, C'est la vie, Slam Dunk da Funk, Hey Mickey, ....Add to that the 80's favorites like Livin' on a Prayer and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and you're getting there. The last musical ingredient is the current cheese, like Bieber and Friday by the now infamous Rebecca Black, and you've got The Right Stuff - just like my homies from the block. And I'm not talking about Jenny. Although she also is probably gonna play.

I know what you're going to ask, and yes, there are laser lights. Don't worry -- they also have a smoke machine.

Oh, I should have mentioned this earlier. If you're female, you're going to get groped. Prepare to have your ass smacked no less than 6 times by the night's end. And please do not be shocked by the couples mackin' nearby. Hormones run high at The Big Cheese.