“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…

University of St. Andrews…

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…

The Seafood Restaurant.

Happy St. Andrews Day!

"till Morn, Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand Unbarred the gates of Light...Heaven open'd wide Her ever during gates, harmonious sound, On golden hinges moving." -- John Milton (1608-1674) Paradise Lost

There is nothing quite like a drive through the countryside...

and pulling into a long tree-lined drive...

to remind me of our home in Texas.

Minus that huge gate of course.

Actually, that is where the similarity ends...

because in Scotland...

tree-lined driveways like this one...

as long as John Milton's Paradise Lost...

often lead to a castle...

and manicured grounds made for wandering... 

and contemplating...

and sometimes...

even provide the perfect photo for my rendition of 

this weeks photo challenge...

focus.

The unmistakable sounds of a piper outside the castle

 intensified the ambiance of this ancient home 

of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl.

Blair Castle has the added bonus of a nine acre walled garden...

filled with one hundred fruit trees, 

friendly ducks...

 and the perfect spot for...

with views of the castle in the distance.

 Unfortunately,

time was limited and we were unable to catch a tour with this driver 

who seems to know his way around this vintage John Deere.

 Decked out in his finest tweed...

he drives guests around for a ninety minute discovery of the estate.

Something to warrant a return visit, I do believe.

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

My Aberdeen Monday...

Meanwhile...

back in Scotland, 

there are castles...

all around.

Unfortunately,

I have managed to view them only from afar until a few weeks ago...

when we attended a birthday celebration for the company who brought us here.

This castle is privately owned and actually occupied by its owner...

 but is available for limited bookings.

With impressive grounds, complete with a pool house and wine cellar, somehow its unique personal touches make visitors feel as if they are dining and dancing on the lawn of friends. 

Of course, all in the shadow of a fortified castle.

The entire evening was magical.

Rain had been predicted all week, so when the guests began to arrive under rays of evening sunshine, only the sounds of the bagpipes piercing the air...

 from a balcony above...

 with the company's flag flying proudly in the clouds...

could trump the festive atmosphere already in place.

The color-coordinated signature drink was a huge hit...

as everyone sipped amongst remnants from the past.

Being the longest day of the year made for some impressive views at midnight...

as the sun dipped beyond the horizon.

Yes, here in Scotland I experienced my first midnight sunset.

Touring a castle is one way to encounter its history ...

and I hope to visit more...

however, I wholeheartedly favor spending an evening on the lawn...

beneath its shadows...

 pretending.

Happy Monday.

"Drink wine, and you will sleep well. Sleep, and you will not sin. Avoid sin, and you will be saved. Ergo, drink wine and be saved." - Medieval German Saying

Speaking of Christmas Markets...

our visit to Heidelberg was a splendid way to begin the Christmas season...

like a B12 boost of Cheer in the arm.

One benefit of the shorter days is the longer nights...

duh!

Especially when the darkness is sprinkled with thousands of twinkling lights...

and you are serenaded by street performers...

as smells of chestnuts roasting on an open fire are wafting through the brisk air.

Ren Man and I agree...

 they look quite fancy in their fur coat and smell much better than they taste.

Festive hearts in the crowds became even more so with every glass of...

the famous gluhwien.

You pay a deposit for the mug with your first mulled wine and then when you need a refill you just stop by the nearest stall, hand over your mug and pay the cost for a re-fill.

At the end of the night you can return your mug and receive your deposit back or take it home as a souvenir.

Brilliant...

and environmentally friendly.

This being the first weekend of the market...

the crowds were filled with locals bringing their children out for a perfect night.

The first two families we spoke with are stationed at Ramstein Air Base which is the largest base outside the U.S. and has been in the area for sixty years.

Needless to say,

English was heard in the crowd almost as often as German, but regardless of language, the enraptured faces of the children was an added boost of cheer.

The carousel was tempting and Ren Man hovered near the...

but had some excuse about the rink being too short for any real skating.

Hmmmmm.....

I would have needed one of the penguins on skis to make it around the continuous curves.

There did not appear to be any beginners out on the ice as deduced by the line of sad penguins just waiting to be helpful.

Oh well, I was much too preoccupied with my food choices;

thinly sliced apple crisps,

the German version of donuts,

and the many varieties of meat all being prepared by serious looking grill masters.

And, then there's the gingerbread, chocolate covered fruit and marshmallows, and crepes not photographed.

The chocolate tools were too creative to pass up and Ren Man left with a wrench in hand.

Heidelberg is indeed picturesque. 

Well-known for the oldest University in Germany, which keeps the city filled with youthful energy, 

and the grand castle sitting 260 feet above... 

 guarding the city below. 

Stop by tomorrow to see Heidelberg by day.

Happy Tuesday.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Close

Castles are large.

Walking through the passageways...

into the dark, damp, rooms it boggles my mind to try and imagine what daily life would have been like back in the day.

Just how many staff would be necessary to keep the King and Queen happy?

Well, apparently...

to provide the allure of comfort.

Part of that comfort...

is the castle chapel.

Although, the Chapel Royal is unique to the time of 1560 when Scotland had become a Protestant country. The chapel was one of the first newly built for Protestant worship.

The Stirling tapestries captured my interest...

 and provided the perfect photo for the Weekly Photo Challenge theme...

'close'.

The technique used to weave these tapestry's dates back to the 1400's and can take one hour to complete a one inch square.

Many finished products can be seen hanging...

as you stroll through the palace.

The views from inside the castle overlook the National Wallace Monument, constructed in the 1860's, where it is all about Sir William Wallace, Guardian of Scotland.

But, that's another story.

Meanwhile, at...

Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland welcomes you inside.

Happy Thursday!

"It was the favourite residence of Scottish Monarchs..."

Too busy on our way to other places...
many times we passed this amazing castle seen from afar.
It would be hard to miss the dramatic fortress overlooking the city of Stirling below.

Photo by Undiscovered Scotland

So...

it was a treat to explore the area with our visitors.

This castle was built for entertaining...

so it was quite easy to get caught up in life as king and queen

entertaining in The Great Hall...

where Mary Queen of Scots held a three day party in honor of the baptism of her son, James VI.

It seems...

way back in 1566 she was way ahead of her time when she orchestrated a huge globe holding a child dressed as an angel...

 to be lowered from the ceiling to give a recitation to the crowd.  

Just a quick post today...

off to the coast to enjoy the sunshine with friends!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!