“Dum Spiro Spero” – “While I breathe, I hope”. ~ St. Andrews motto

In honor of Scotland's official National Day…
St. Andrew's Day, celebrated on November 30th…
we shall ponder…
my Top Five Reasons to Visit St. Andrews, Scotland.

1) Our visit in June with a special teen-age visitor in tow justified a tour 
of the oldest university in Scotland
founded in 1413.
 Graduation was looming the day we were there,
as were dark clouds,
so campus was quiet.

2)  There's the whole birthplace of golf thing 
and St. Andrew's importance to the game.
It's pretty important.

3) St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland 
and the town itself was strongly influenced by religion.  
The St. Andrews Cathedral…
built in 1158, is today beautiful ruins left behind 
after Catholic mass was outlawed during the Scottish Reformation.
St. Rules Tower actually predates the cathedral 
and lucky for visitors had a stone spiral staircase inserted in the 18th century. 
I stopped counting at 50 something 
because I was too concerned with what would happen if someone was on their way down.
There would be negotiations involved.
 Research has divulged 156 steps up
and 156 steps down.

4)  St. Andrews Castle is a beautiful spot for a stroll...
or a rest...
amidst the grounds of a focal part of the Church of Medieval Scotland...
 and home to the bishops and archbishops of St. Andrews.

5)  St. Andrews, the town itself, is quaint and easy to meander about.
Ren Man and I are partial to seaside havens 
and the West Sands Beach in St. Andrews 
was the opening scene of the movie, Chariots of Fire.
More recently known as the place where Kate and Will met,
you find tourist wandering around town snapping photos of where they had coffee, 
or lunch,
etc., etc., etc.
Our favorite spot for a lovely view of the sea while dining on fresh seafood,
is the aptly named…

Happy St. Andrews Day!

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