Navigator Nathalie

Once again I have broken my promise of writing more frequently! This past month has had its ups and downs, but luckily the good has outweighed the bad. Here are some notable things I've done (in relatively chronological order):

Yarn Bombed Bench (photo credit: Ruth)

• I participated in the KnitSoc yarn bomb, which I had been looking forward to for a while. We completely covered a bench in front of the Museum of Saint Andrews with knitted and crocheted squares. It was a nice way to brighten the atmosphere- it was just beginning to get very wintery. I also went to the KnitSoc Christmas dinner early in December which put me in the holiday spirit (pictures on the Knitting Society blog: KnitSoc Blog). I especially liked the Christmas Crackers which we pulled by crossing our arms in a circle, rather than between two people like I am used to. Everyone wore their paper crowns throughout the meal!

Biking on a Golden Afternoon

• I went out to dinner with my academic sisters and then saw the movie "Silver Linings". We were a bit annoyed with the restaurant service (I wrote a poor review afterwards), but the movie was pretty good and overall it was a very enjoyable evening!

• I've continued to bike around town- the roads and paths are great for exercise or simply taking in the scenery. I love to ride at a relaxed pace and take in the sights and smells of the town- the smell of damp leaves from rain the night before, or fresh bread and cheese from shops; the sight of a little girl with a huge umbrella, or a flock of birds flying south in a V-formation.

• I finished the environmental posters for the CAPOD (Centre for Academic, Professional and Organisational Development) offices, which will be put up to encourage sustainable practices throughout the building. The Design Team is already beginning to plan out and work on projects for next semester.

A Few Mini Posters for CAPOD

• I went back to Edinburgh on my own the weekend after Victoria visited to return the jacket I bought (the zipper didn't work properly and I didn't like the overall design very much). Unfortunately, I don't have the same persuasive returning skills as my mom, and the store would not accept it back. I had a very nice day exploring Edinburgh though!

My Path through the City

I started out at the castle, trying to master the art of taking pictures without getting my camera lens wet and avoiding crowds of tourists. Then I headed down the Royal Mile to visit the Kirk of St. Giles and the "Heart of Midlothian". I loved the gothic-y mix of styles throughout the church. Next I walked through the Grassmarket District an popped my head into a knitting shop and the National Library. I also went through the Greyfriars Kirkyard and saw the Flodden Wall. After that I went to the Holyrood Palace and Abbey, where I enjoyed viewing the royal apartments of Mary Queen of Scots. Then I decided to hike up a hill in Holyrood Park (in the shadow of Arthur's Seat) at sunset, following the "Radical Road" path past the Salisbury Crags. Finally I went back into town to get some dinner and catch my bus back to St. Andrews.

• My fleece arrived in the mail and I had a lot of fun cleaning it, carding it, and making it into some yarn (press play on first set of photos) and felting a hat (press play on second set of photos). I still have a lot left over and am trying to decide what to make next!

• I spent the last couple of weeks of the term studying for exams during the revision period. Not too much to note- I started to get cabin fever by the end, and had to make sure I was getting time outside everyday. I had an Anthropology exam on the 14th and a Art History exam on the 17th. I was very excited that Italian was all coursework so had no final test.

• When I found out that I had a few days after my last final but before my flight, I decided to plan a mini trip out west. Here is where I went:

Day 1

I started out taking the bus from St. Andrews to Dunfermline, arriving around sunrise (8:30ish!). I walked around the town and through Pittencrieff Park until the Dunfermline Abbey and Palace opened. Many medieval Scottish royals were buried in the churchyard, but due to political upheaval most were disinterred and hidden. In the 19th century they found the remains of Robert the Bruce (though his heart lies in Melrose Abbey, literally) and cemented over the area, then built a new section of the church over it. It is still difficult to say where the rest of the "eight Kings, five Queens, six Princes, and two Princesses of Scotland" are, but there is some chance they may be under the cement as well.

Next I went to the Abbot House, a small museum where for £3 I got a private tour including a lengthy explanation of the history of Scotland. I found the history of the Picts and the real vs. romanticized accounts of St. Margaret quite fascinating. After that, I stopped by the first ever Carnegie Library (of over 2,500!) built by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie as a way to give back to his hometown. Then I went back into the park and visited the remains of Malcolm Canmore's Tower, a notable defensive location in the 11th century, and another small museum.

I then caught a bus to the small village of Culross, which has many preserved historical buildings. It was very scenic, though there was quite a strange contrast with petrochemical complexes on the other side of the Firth of Forth. Next I took the bus to Glasgow where I strolled some major shopping streets and checked into the Glasgow Youth Hostel. Finally, I went and saw "The Hobbit" at the IMAX theater in the armadillo shaped science center.

Day 2

A Classic Mackintosh Design

I left the hostel early in the morning and walked through Kelvingrove Park to the Hunterian Art Gallery where I visited the reconstructed house of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a renowned Arts and Crafts/Art Nouveau designer from the Glasgow School whose style I really admire (pretty much the main reason I wanted to visit Glasgow was to see his works). After that, I went over to the nearby Kelvingrove Museum to see an exhibit about the Art Nouveau movement in the U.K.

Then I headed to the Mitchell Library, which wasn't quite what I was expecting, but was still fun to visit. Next I went to the Glasgow School of Art to take a tour of the building (also designed by Mackintosh). I liked a lot of the innovative architectural details and the overall structure.

When the tour was over I walked to the Necropolis, an intense burial ground that was used mostly in Victorian times. I also visited the nearby Glasgow Cathedral, which was very impressive, especially with the huge Christmas trees inside the church! I saw a lot of sign posts around with the Glasgow coat of arms, which is probably the oddest coat of arms I have ever seen. It features these things:

There's the tree that never grew, 

There's the bird that never flew, 

There's the fish that never swam, 

There's the bell that never rang.

Glasgow Coat of Arms

It would take a while to explain each element, but if you are interested check out this site: Glasgow Coat of Arms. Next I went across the street to the Provand's Lordship, the oldest house in Glasgow and looked around the museum.

After that, I walked back into the main part of town and saw the small carnival and lights set up for the holidays in George Square. I would have gone ice skating, but it was pouring and crowded so I watched the skaters for a while instead. Then I went to the Lighthouse, another one of Mackintosh's designs. There was a nice museum about his works inside, as well as an awesome exibit featuring aerial shots of Scotland, and a high look-out tower (at this point, I think I have climbed way more spiral staircases than the average 18 year old). Finally I got some dinner and went back to hostel.

Day 3

I took the subway, nicknamed as the "clockwork orange" (probably because it runs on a circular track and the trains are orange) to George Square to get the Rabbie's tour bus. I've always been rather against guided tours, we Mitchells enjoy exploring on our own, but since I have no car in Scotland and the public transport is a bit difficult to manage in the regions I was interested in seeing (many I had seen before but wanted to see in winter), I decided to book a tour. The group was quite small like I had hoped, only seven of us plus the informative and amusing tour guide.

We started out driving past Renfrew, where some of my ancestors may have lived, and Paisley, where the paisley pattern was invented, and then up towards Loch Lomond. It was interesting see the city fading away, gradually becoming countryside. Our first stop was in Luss, a village on the west coast of the loch. I walked along the bonnie, bonnie, banks of Loch Lomond (song here: Loch Lomond)- it is true what they say about Scotland only getting prettier when it rains. The fog made the loch all the more mysterious and thought-provoking. Our next stop was in Glen Croe at Rest and Be Thankful Pass, which was also transformed by the rain. It is called "Rest and Be Thankful" because it is the highest point after a steep journey, and so one can rest and be glad for making it to the top. Next we drove to Inveraray, a quiet town on the edge of Loch Fyne.

After that, we visited Loch Awe and Kilchurn Castle. Rabbie's had exclusive access to the castle in winter, so we got to unlock it and explore around without any other tourists. The surroundings were stunning! I found it fascinating that a lot of the seemingly peaceful lochs and hills of Argyll had a lot to hide- everything from a hollow mountain that contains a power plant to a submarine torpedo testing ground.

Next we stopped in Oban to get some lunch. Of course, I went off exploring- I did not want to spend an hour at a sit-down restaurant! I climbed up to the folly, known as McCaig's Tower, overlooking the town and was just in time to see the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry take off headed towards the isles. I went back down and popped into some shops, including a cool kayaking store, and strolled around the harbor.

Castle Stalker in Monty Python

Then we got back in the van (we were in a hurry at this point because we wanted to get to Glen Coe before sunset at 3:30) and drove to Castle Stalker (famous for its appearance in Monty Python and the Holy Grail). My dad and I really like Castle Stalker and its dramatic setting, so I was excited to see it again. After a brief look, we continued onwards to Glen Coe (another film location: Harry Potter, Rob Roy, and Skyfall).

Glen Coe was breathtaking- definitely my favorite of the day's locations. The tops of the mountains were frosted with snow and little streams of water were trickling down. The wind was ripping through the valley, and rain was coming from every direction which added to the tragic beauty.

From there we headed through the Rannoch Moor and back to Glasgow.

Day 4

I spent the morning shopping around the Buchanan Galleries looking for Christmas gifts and then took the bus back to St. Andrews and packed to fly home.

• My trip home was really nice- the plane rides did not feel overwhelmingly long. I only encountered two problems. The first: My last flight, Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, was mysteriously cancelled so we quickly booked the airbus instead. The second: While trying frantically to get through customs to catch the airbus after my plane landed I was stopped for what seemed like a random inspection. Security dumped everything from my suitcase and backpack onto a table and proceeded to ask me questions about each item (special inquiries were made about my Nintendo DS, a piece of bread, and my knitting!). Luckily I made it out to the pickup area just in time!

• I've had a great time celebrating the holidays with my family. Bridget and I made elaborate gingerbread houses this year- hers is a castle and mine is an Art Nouveau inspired manor.

academic family biking crafting exploring history holidays societies travel walking