Picture Perfect

The excitement on the bus heightened as we drove out of Glasgow on to the Scottish Highlands for a day trip. With fellow international students I toured around to see breathtaking landscapes, historic monuments, and film locations for Harry Potter and James Bond movies. The day was picture perfect as the sun was out and the scenery was magnificent. 

Loch Lomond 

Our first stop was the shore of Loch Lomond, a familiar place but none the less exciting! The early morning sun was perfect for photos and capturing the breadth of the loch (lake), the largest in Scotland. 

Glencoe

Passing through Glencoe was fascinating as you gaze up to the top of the highlands from the bottom of the Glenn (valley). My fascination lie not only in the beautiful scenery, but in the geology that forms the landscapes. Following the highland boundary fault many rock types, and geologic events, shape the landscapes and were highly visible along the roads. This made for a great opportunity to see and better understand some of Scotland's geology, including collecting samples. 

Fort William 

A quick stop for lunch in Fort William was just long enough to walk about the town center and appreciate the full day of sunshine! 

Glenfinnan Viaduct

The height of the trip was the Glenfinnan Viaduct, aka. the Harry Potter Bridge, with more picture perfect scenery. The views of the area and its wildlife were accompanied by a bit of trekking through some of the forests and wetlands to better appreciate the landscape (and search for rocks). 

The iconic bridge at the viaduct is just as you can imagine, huge. Here is a fun fact: it is up to 100 feet tall and 1248 feet long, with 21 arches. Most people know this bridge from the scenes where the Jacobite Steam Train, aka. Hogwarts Express, crosses the bridge in the Chamber of Secrets, among others in the series. 

Our return to Glasgow was beautiful as we traveled back through the highlands to yet again be blown away by the picture perfect scenery as the sun set behind the clouds, reminding me that everyday is a gift and should be treasured, even if it isn't picture perfect! 

Fieldwalking...the Extreme Eye Test

The designated site is a ploughed field just outside Dunning, in the east of Scotland. With the farmers permission a group of archaeologists (many in training) set out to look for anything that could help with obtaining a better understanding of the site. This field is identified by the presence of three scheduled monuments: a ring ditch, pit allignment, and barrow/enclosure. 

Our days are spent searching the field, in an organized manner, to spot objects of interest. Can you spot it? 

Once found the item is recorded with the location (GPS coordinates) and saved for further examination in the lab, if necissary. After fieldwalking, lab work and other analysis are carried out the report will be completed by the project leader for SERF, a Glasgow University archarology project ( http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/humanities/research/archaeologyresearch/projects/serf/). 

At the end of day two our finds exceeded 40 and many of them were "keepers" to be studied further. Among the finds are pottery, flint, glass, quartz, and chert. These are exciting finds and we expect to find many others in the next two days!  

Travels to the East Coast

The sun was shining, the bus was full and our plans were set for a day trip to the east coast of Scotland. You can imaging a group of international students who were only too eager to explore Scotlands rich history and culture. Our bus journey took us through some of Scotland's scenic routes, fully accompanied by traditional Scottish music and some Gaelic phrases!  

Dundee

Our first stop for the day, where the sea meets the land. Dundee is Scotlands fourth largest city and home to many attractions. With the sun still shining we set out to see the city! 

The Discovery is found in her home port on the River Tay, the longest river in Scotland. The ships is now used as a museum, visitor center and confrence venue, also a main attraction for our visit. 

Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven 

This stop needs few words to describe the scenery, history and beauty found at the seaside castle. 

I spent quite a bit of time standing in awe looking up along the rocky cliffs and out towards the sea, admiring the geology and smelling the salty breeze. 

Aberdeen

The final stop for the day: Granite City, and the oil capitol of Europe. The city was full of life and the exploration began! There was so much to see when taking a stroll along the city streets, peering into the alleys and pubs for those unexpected places the city is most alive. 

The name "Granite City" comes from the use of granite stones in most of the buildings, giving the city a grey look on the best of days. We were fortunate to have a, still, sunny day and we took adventage of the color it brought in the city. 

To wrap up the day we enjoyed a relaxing journey back through the countryside to Glasgow, arriving with a new sense of Scottish adventure.  

Where the Rocks Are

Just a few days in to the study break and a few fellow students and I headed to Loch Lomond for a day of walking the trails and enjoying the fresh air. 

We began on the shore trail that led us around the loch to a few beaches, fields and alongside a hill. A quick stop was necissary for a few of the group to try their hand at skipping stones, all the while I was busy scavanging the beach for whatever caught my eyes. A short ways along and a set of boulders in the loch tempted a few to see how far out they could go, without falling in. 

The landscape was breathtaking, but my eyes didnt move far from the ground, observing the everchanging landscape at its core (a mix of sandstones, conglomerates, and shales). 

We visited an island on the loch, eager to explore the history preserved within. The particular island we visited was home to a farm and church. All that remains now is a few stones in place of where the buildings once lied and the gravestones of the people who once lived on the land. 

A breathtaking view was in store at the highest point of the island before we started back. Take a look around and you immediately see the beautiful nature that is well used by many other visitors. The rolling hills in the distance, hid behind clouds, are a mystery for another day and from the highest point on our walk we could see just how huge the loch is.  

I have been blessed by the friends I have met while studying in Glasgow and I am thankful for the time we are able to share exploring the countryside. This wouldnt be possible without the people who dedicate their lives to maintaining this area for us to use as we wish and providing generous information about the area. 

Live a Life Worth Writing About

Life is a funny thing. We are born, we live and we die. The time we spend here on earth is so short and we worry so much about things that dont really matter in the eternal perspective. I cant imagine a better way to spend a relaxing day than with the people around me, exploring the historic city of Edinburgh. 

The time spent with these wonderful people in Edinburgh was amazing as we explored the city, took in the sights, and enjoyed the culture. 

There are all kinds of people alive today who love to be around others and share life. It can be pretty boring to have no one around to share time with, so encourage others and be thankful for the great friends and family you have had and have right now, no matter how unique (or crazy) they seem to be. 

As simple as it seems we need others to share in our struggles, fear, accomplishments, love, pain, and joy. There is always a need for a good friend to stop and listen, to share time with, and to create lasting memories with. So today, and every day, be a friend to someone in need, it may be someone you never talked to. Stop and spend time with them. It could change their life, or better, yours! 

A word of wisdom to end: 

I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun. This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing. Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 NLT)

A Look into the Past

What an interesting way to look at the world...a search grounds for clues into the past. Not like a game, but real "science". The clues left behind by past generations can lead to ideas about the way of life (or death) and the cultures of these people. New discoveries are being made at many sites, leaving more and more mysteries to uncover (or let be), piecing them all together to create a more complete understanding. 


Bar Hill
A Roman fort that lies along the Antoine Wall (the mound of dirt that seems to run nearly across the center) and is thought to have been inhabited multiple times before it was abandoned. 

The central point to the site is nearly all in ruins except this structure, a bathhouse where the soldiers are thought to have gone to relax when off duty. 

Many mysteries still remain at this site, and most of them will never be discovered. 

Tappoch Broch
From the outside it looks like a small hill, not really significant in any way. 

But when you go inside you uncover a complex wall structure that seems to have some purpose.  

Apparently people lived here for some time, protected from threats, while the rest of the community lived in the surrounding farmland. 


Doune Castle
Known to many as the filming site for Monty Python and to others as the home of a King, The Duke of Albany. Built in the 1930's this castle is host to many royal features - as thought by the Medieval people who occupied it. 

The best view of this castle is not of the inside (cold stone and deep, dark windows) but of the outside (highlands, rivers, and vast landscapes). 

It may seem beautiful but their are hints towards the idea that the castle, as it stands now, is not (and never will be) complete. 

Dunblane Cathedral

A large building with lost of history. Do you notice the color differences in the stone? The Cathedral was originally built in the 13 Century around the already standing 11 Century Tower (minor improvements?). 

The inside is just as grand as the outside, with many Christian images splayed over the walls, benches, pillars, windows, and just about anywhere else they seem to fit. 

The splendor of this Cathedral is reflected in the multitude of generations who have (and still do) worshiped here. A testament to the longevity of the beliefs in an unchanging God.  

Archaeology is an interesting field of study that looks at the clues left by the people of the past to figure out how they interacted with each other and the world around them. Then providing some reasoning to explain these interactions. 

All of these photographs were taken onsite during a field excursion with an introductory archaeology class. 

More information is available (canmore.rcahms.gov.uk) on all of these sites if you are interested!