16 August 2014
Accommodation – Dunedin House, Edinburgh
Weather – very windy, early cloud giving away to rain
Temperature – 13 degrees
Today we headed west to see the sights of Glasgow as it is
only 80kms from Edinburgh. We had driven
through whilst the Commonwealth Games were on and decided to visit this very
busy city of culture at the end of our trip.
Currently it is also hosting the World Bagpipe Championships.
On the way we detoured to Roslin, a tiny village not far
from Edinburgh. It is famous for the
Rosslyn Chapel featured in The Da Vinci Code film. The chapel has very ornate stone carvings throughout
which are hugely symbolic including the floriated crosses of the Knights
Templar. The columns near the altar were
carved by the master mason and his apprentice.
The apprentice’s column is extremely ornate compared to the other. The chapel is also known for its ‘green men’
whose little faces peer out of vines.
Once again, no photos were permitted so you will just have to visit!
Such an exquisite little chapel.
The superb detail of the buttresses.
The Rosslyn Chapel was built in 1446 by Sir William St
Clair, the 3rd Prince of Orkney.
The Protestant reformation forced the clergy to leave in 1571 and the
chapel lay in a sad state of disrepair until 1736 when a St Clair descendant, Sir
James, commenced its rehabilitation.
One of the better preserved pieces on an exterior wall.
Such is the beauty of this little gem that is has been
written about by authors, poets and painters including Robert Burns, Sir Walter
Scott and Turner.
We then made our way towards a very rainy Glasgow. We parked about a kilometre out of town and
it was a very gusty walk. It’s hard to
describe Glasgow as it doesn’t have the castles, palaces and big tourist
attractions as Edinburgh. What it lacks
in charm, it makes up for in shopping!
Several large streets have been made into cobblestoned malls and they
feature many top name shops including Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
The Nelson Mandela Place mentioned by Billy Connelly in the opening of the Commonwealth Games.
The main mall in Glasgow - awash with rain and people!
As Glasgow is in the midst of the bagpipe championships
there were many people dressed in kilts or in black raincoats covering their
tartan. The raincoats have a particular
‘look’ – they have a cape attached at the top to cover the bagpipes in the rain.
Some of the street art for the games.
After visiting the Celtic Football Club merchandise shop to purchase a soccer shirt
for a grandson we then wandered the streets ducking in and out of shops and
avoiding the rain.
On our way back to Edinburgh for dinner we did a mini detour
through Airdrie where my great great grandfather was born. All I can say is, there is not much at
Airdrie – or perhaps I missed it. The
surrounding farmland is very pretty but Airdrie itself looks quite industrial.
It was a dinner at the local pub before we hit the bed after
a busy day.
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