Last night we attended an optional excursion to see a show called The Spirit of Scotland and a dinner. We were greated by a bagpipe player when we arrived. How cool is that!
I really liked the meal with smoked salmon as a starter and then haddock pie, a fish stew with broiled mashed potatoes on top.
We had a sample of haggis. It wasn't bad, kind of like sausage. Haggis is an old traditional Scottish food made with leftover bits of sheep parts, oatmeal, and seasonings which are cooked in a sheep's stomach.
There were two singers, four dancers, an accordion player and the bagpipe player. All of them were very talented.
 |
| This little girl was adorable! |
They performed traditional Scottish music, as well as some modern songs. At the end, everyone sang Auld Lang Syne, the second most sung English song after Happy Birthday. I didn't know it was of Scottish origin.
On the way home, our tour guide had us singing karaoke on the bus. It was a great evening of fun!!
This morning we visited Rosslyn Chapel outside of Edinburgh in the city of Roslin. This 600 year old chapel was finished in 1446 for an Earl named William St. Clair. He was very wealthy, owning a nearby castle, and wanted a chapel for his family.
Master stone masons were hired and it took 40 years to finish the current chapel. There were plans to add much more to it, but the Earl died, and the rest was never completed. The stone carving is incredible.
 |
| Burial memorial of the 4th Earl |
If you look closely or zoom in on any of the above pictures, you can see the amazing details of the many carvings.
Unfortunately, there were no pictures allowed inside. I did manage to sneak one of the ceiling and main stained glass windows. The ceiling is incredible!! The current windows were installed in the 1800s. Prior to that it was just glass. The remaining pictures are from the internet.
There are many legends surrounding the chapel. One is regarding the two main columns in the front. One is much more impressive than the other. The left one was supposedly carved by the master mason. Upon completion, the Earl was not happy, so the master mason took a trip to see if he could find inspiration elsewhere. In the meantime, his apprentice carved the column on the right based on a dream he had. When the master returned, he was so jealous, he killed the apprentice. Take a look and see which one you like better.
 |
| Master |
 |
| Apprentice |
There is a crypt below the chapel where the last clue in the DaVinci Code movie was filmed. There are legends that the Holy Grail may have been here at some point. Who knows!
The castle ruins are just down a hill from the chapel. The 7th Earl of Rosslyn still has a home here. It's around 500 years old.
The original castle was built around 1304. Some of the ruins are just next door to the current house.
On the way back we passed the National Records building. Even their government buildings look like palaces. It's where all birth, marriage and death records are recorded. They refer to it as the hatch, match and dispatch building. 😀
We also passed this school which was supposedly the inspiration for Hogwarts. Tough to get a picture from the bus.
So, our time in Edinburgh has come to an end. It's truly an amazing and magical city. I would encourage you to visit if you ever get the chance!
No comments:
Post a Comment
We'd love to hear from you!