It’s August?!?
My August morning started with a wonderful run in a beautiful park with golf-course length grass. We then left early to head north toward Inverness. The scenery was so so so so beautiful! I love Scotland. Everything is green—there are forests and hills and lakes and rivers. I love it here.
Our main stop was in Culloden, just outside of Inverness. Culloden was the site of the last big battle in Britain. In 1746, the Jacobites (the people supporting Prince Charles Stuart, which was most of the native Scots) were slaughtered by the government forces—those who opposed the Stuarts. The museum we went to was really neat. It was arranged very effectively so we could follow the events that led up to the battle and the battle itself. Then we had a GPS audio guide and went out into the battle field. The whole experience gave me a better appreciation for the Scottish people and for the hardship of war. After this battle, the Scottish clan system broke down. They had to leave the highlands and many traditions were lost over time.
 |
| My first taste of the highlands |
 |
| Battlefields at Colloden |
 |
| Clan markers and mass graves at the battlefields of Colloden |
Have you heard of tartan before? This is the name of the Scottish plaid patterns. Supposedly they identified the particular clan a person belonged to. There are many many clans and many different tartans. The clans are associated with family names that carry on today, McClellan, Frazer, and Johnston to name a few. But a Scottish man said that the tartan tradition is more of a myth. The real way they identified themselves was by the plants they wore in their hats. The plant would be something unique to their clan land and would show where they were from.
We headed back to our hostel, made dinner, and went on a walk. I was consumed with Harry Potter 6, which I’ve been rereading. I’ve really enjoyed having the time to read, but I feel like Harry Potter has torn my eyes from observing the Scottish countryside. So I’ve vowed not to read the 7th until I’m in Germany.
No comments:
Post a Comment