Stirling Castle Photos

Stirling Castle

Shouldn't we all have a room like this for our kids?
The Castle Kitchens

Give Jax a stick and he is a happy young man!

King and Queen Tomchesson in the Great Hall

Family Photo at the Castle

The Wallace Monument

After we visited Stirling Castle, we decided to go over and visit the Wallace Monument. We had watched Braveheart during a family movie night before we came, and Jaxon was very interested in William Wallace. As a side note - while the Scottish people are proud of their heritage, William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and Rob Roy McGregor they are very prickley about the way film and Hollywood has depicted these people. There has been quite a lot of leway between the Hollywood stories and the real history. Do not make the mistake of quoting any movie to the Scots. It won't matter your age, they will set you straight very quickly.

William Wallace was in fact a Scottish knight and landowner (minor nobility) and would become one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He was born between 1272 and 1273 and was captured, tried for treason, tortured, hanged and killed all before he reached the ripe old age of 35.

The Monument is wonderful and filled with lots of exhibits covering not only Wallace, but other leaders in the Wars of Scottish Independence. It also houses the sword of William Wallace which was of particular interest to Jaxon. This sword/claymore measures 5 feet 6 inches and weighs 6 lbs. (Can you imagine?!)

Highland Pictures

Eilean Donan by day and night

Isle of Skye

The hard part about blogging is trying to decide what makes the cut. So this is all about the Isle of Skye.....this was Skye's choice. She wanted to visit the place she was named after. To get from Edinburgh to Skye is only about 5 hours. You drive through the Highlands past 4 Lochs (including Ness) and up over a bridge. Josh did a ton of research and we visited Neist Point - the most Westerly point on the Isle of Skye. Most of the drive was a 2 lane road until you get closer to the light house area. It is located off a 1 car road with free roaming sheep and goats and some passing points. We took a short walk from the road end, down a super steep combination of steps and ramps to see the light house and the spectacular views. It is a breath taking sight, very windy and cold. The only views are giant rock formations, sea gulls and sheep. (ok - and sheep poo) Trying to imagine that someone lived out here and manned the lighthouse is mind boggleing. It is desolate and beautiful all at the same time. It is hard to express how moving the area is but please try and get a sense of wonder from the pictures.

Isle of Skye - pictures

Paris 2011 The Catacombs

Ok this was one of those excersions that was a little out of the norm. The background - The Catacombs are made out of the old Paris stone quarries and snake under the city streets. By the 17th century, the area around the cemetary of the Innocent was the major cause of infection . This cemetary had been in use for over 10 centuries and people were starting to complain. The old quarries were selected to house the bones and after a blessing, the bones began to move to their new home in 1786.
It is hard to describe what it was like to be down in these tunnels. To get to the actual catacombs, you have to walk down over 150 steps and through what feels like miles of tunnels. Eventually you come to a sign that welcomes you to the "City of the Dead". After spending two days in the Disney parks, it didn't even seem real to be surrounded by 6 million bones. It almost seemed like a movie set. It is very quiet. Just the occasional sound of footsteps and water dripping down. The thought that went into the placement of these bones is amazing. Patterns emerge around every corner. Crosses made from skulls, an entire pillar of human bones, the perfect allingment of thousands of individual leg and arm bones. It will leave you speechless. It is an interesting place to visit and we recommend it for everyone.

Paris 2011 Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famousmonuments in Paris and honours those who fought and died for France in the Revolutionary War and Napoleonic War. It is located at the West end of the Champs-Elysees and houses the Tomb of the Unknown and the Eternal Flame.