Scotland Part 2

The rest of the week in Scotland was fantastic. I really got a feel for the country and people. One day we climbed to the top of Arthur's Seat, a dormant volcano and had breath taking views of all of Edinburgh. It was amazing to sit a top this hill and look out over the Atlantic ocean. I live at the beach in NH during the summers and always look out on the horizon line and wonder who/what is on the other side. While a top the volcano, I looked out at the horizon and felt connected to the rest of the world. As I travel more and more, I feel more connected to the human race in general. In addition to the volcano, we hiked a huge ridge of crags and got some fantastic pictures of all of us. The pictures will surely be something I cherish for the rest of my life. This experience is changing me in numerous ways and the photos are will be a good reminder of this time of my life.

Scotland is the Whisky Capital of the World and we took a tour of the Whisky Heritage Museum. The Edinburgh Castle sits high a top a cliff in the middle of the city. The Castle is extremely old and we got a chance to tour it. It is a very interesting structure and was used by the Scottish to house crown jewels during invasions. The Scottish Crown Jewels now are guarded in a room in the castle, which we had the pleasure of viewing. Standing in the castle and looking out over the city made me feel like royalty. The castle made me realize how young of a country America is. These castles are hundreds and thousands of years old and America has only been around since the 18th century. Hearing things like "this was built in A.D. 289" is surreal. I think that the philosophy and values behind government and society clearly reflect this youth. The United States gained a position of power relatively quick and aligned itself perfectly to become a global hegemon. However, I think this position often goes to our head.

Scotland beat England in the Six Nations Rugby tournament. We watched the game at a local pub called the Globe with a huge group of locals. It was very interesting to see their reactions compared to some of our reaction to games of national importance (i.e. the red sox riots). They just got really happy and all linked arms and sang the national anthem. Their was joy in the air for the next few days but certainly no violence. However, Scotland seems to have a high level of nationalism. Great Britain on the other hand does not. People see themselves as being a resident of the UK, not solely Britain. But although Scotland is part of the UK, they have a lot of pride in their country and tradition. As one of them told me, "William Wallace didn't fight for nothing!"

The museums regarding Art and War were extremely interesting. I have not been exposed to much Scottish culture. However, these museums informed me of the Scottish involvement in numerous wars, gave me a background on the different tribes (example: Cameronians) that have fought on behalf of the country/ UK throughout history. Furthermore, I have not been exposed to many Scottish Painters. The art work was rather impressive. This made me realize that many galleries feature a number of famous painters but often omit skilled works because they are not big name artists.

Overall, my trip to Scotland was spectacular. I feel that my time up in the mountains was a perfect escape from the fast paced and work intensive environment of London. I wish I was still up in the mountains contemplating where my life has been, where I am going, and what will become of me. Human beings need time alone with nature. In the words of the Rolling Stones, I am a Ramblin' Man! I need too keep traveling. I envy men like Ernest Shackelton, Jack Kerouac, and Ken Kesey who spent their lives traveling and exploring the human condition. All I can do is try my best to understand what my life is about and keep an open mind and heart. We live in a beautiful world. Singing off.