Author: acarswell

Now that you have gotten a taste of what our first day in Orkney was like, come along with us as we “cover thousands of years of history in one day” (Yes, this was an actual quote from our sweet tour guide, Sue). As we boarded the coach early Saturday morning, we weren’t quite sure what to expect, but knew we were in for a fun and informative adventure. While we actually did manage to cover a lot of historical years before dinnertime, WordPress may explode under the weight of all the stories we heard and information we learned. Keeping this in mind, we have decided to highlight our favorite spots of the day and list the rest for you to explore on your own!

Our first stop of the day took us to Maeshowe, a large cairn that was created around 2,700 BC. We had a little look around the gift shop before heading over to what appears from the outside to simply be a huge, grassy mound. Once at the entrance – which happened to be one of the tinniest doors we have ever seen – we learned about the settlers who lived in Orkney thousands of years ago and about the way the Winter Solstice sunset shines directly through the opening, lighting the back of the cairn once a year. This seemingly magical happening is just one of the many “coincidental” alignments in the village (there are many other places where rocks and monuments form perfect lines of vision!). Once we all made the squatted walk into the opening in the mound, our wonderful guide talked about the ritualistic burials and mysteries in Maeshowe.

After a few more stops, we took time to explore the Ring of Brodgar, a true circle made of 27 stones. Although no one knows for sure when the ring was made, ask any local and they will tell you it is older than Stonehenge, but who’s counting? Just like the date, the original structure and use of the megalith stone circle is up for debate. As with another stone circle we visited, the area may have been used for celebrations involving food, drink, and music. Today, people of Orkney use the site as a place to walk and bring their dogs on a pretty day.

Take any Art History class at Furman, and one of the coolest places you will learn about is Skara Brae, one of the oldest and most intact settlements in the world. Excavated in the 1920’s, the settlement features 8 homes linked by covered walkways, most likely to be able to travel from home to home in the cold weather. The homes showcase original furniture and other objects that suggest certain things about the lifestyle of its inhabitants. There are clear spaces for sleeping, a dresser for food or highlighting pots and pans, and cutouts in the floor for storing fresh food and water. Being close to the ocean, it is now the fear of protectors of Skara Brae that portions of it will continue to be lost to the sea. They are now taking measures to protect the area as well as excavating a new area close by.

 

Our final stop of the day was the Italian Chapel, a place that was very surprising to us. From the outside front, the 1943 chapel looks like it is made of beautiful materials, meant to be an ornate chapel. When we went inside, however, we realized it was simply an old army hut, given to Italian soldiers in World War II as a place of worship. All of the painting inside, achieving the look of actual fancy architecture, was done by a POW named Domenico Chiocchetti. Just as it was cherished during the war, people of Orkney cherish the chapel today and are doing everything they can to preserve its unique beauty.

We hope you enjoyed touring Orkney via our pictures and stories and we wish we could have detailed every unique place we visited. As they say, however, once you get a little taste it will leave you wanting more. So, if you ever get the chance, we suggest you get out there, see the stones, eat the ice cream, feel the history, and make memories of your own!

Please explore the list below to see the other places we visited:

Barnhouse Village

The Standing Stones o’ Stenness 

The Brough o’ Birsay

The Broch of Gurness

– Arynn and Essence

Walking around the city of Edinburgh on Sunday February 24th, the streets were bustling with tension and excitement as Scottish and Irish rugby fans intermingled on the way to the much anticipated 6 Nations Rugby match. Everywhere you looked, fans decked in green or blue waited in line for buses and poured into pubs to get a good seat for the rivalry that was about to take place. Why was there so much excitement and what exactly is a 6 Nations Rugby match, you ask? Continue reading and learn for yourself as we take you along on our journey to Murrayfield Stadium where we watched two nations collide.

When we got off the bus at Murrayfield Stadium, the scene was one that let you know immediately this was going to be an exciting day of rugby watching, people watching, and most importantly, eating great stadium food (the burgers and curly fries were a hit!). Murrayfield Stadium, originally built in 1925 and most recently renovated in 1994, holds 67,130 fans and hosts all international rugby matches as well as football games and concerts. The name Murrayfield Stadium, which it was given due to area in which it stands, is well known to rugby fans and the people of Edinburgh alike. As we climbed the stairs to our seats in the upper deck, we noticed the interesting design of the outer edge of the stadium as well as the fact that the stadium was full to capacity.

While neither of us are huge rugby fans and know little about the sport, we had heard talk around the city that this match between Scotland and Ireland was one that always drew a rowdy crowd of loyal supporters. One of the reasons this match in particular was so popular was the fact that it was a part of the 6 Nations Rugby tournament. What nations make up this 6 Nations Rugby tournament, you say? The nations involved are Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, Italy, and France. Annually, the countries face off in different match ups with a winner at the end of the tournament. Each country gets the opportunity to play every other country, with the advantage of playing on their home field switching every other year. How lucky we are to have been here for Scotland’s turn at playing at Murrayfield Stadium! Every year, a Championship Trophy is given to the team who successfully beats the most number of teams from the five other countries based on a points system. Currently Wales holds the trophy for winning the 2012 6 Nations tournament. Another interesting point is a different form of victory called the Triple Crown Trophy. Only Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales are allowed to participate in this special competition. A country is awarded the Triple Crown Trophy if they are able to defeat all three of the other countries in the matches they play. Wales also currently holds the Triple Crown Trophy from defeating Scotland, Ireland, and England in 2012 (wow, they must have been eating their Wheaties!).

One other well-known award given is the Centenary Quaich, the trophy given annually to the winner of the Scotland v. Ireland match.  While the blue and green teams have squared off in over 120 matches, this particular trophy has only been awarded since 1989. Good news for us, our temporary home, Scotland, has beat Ireland on more occasions, including this past Sunday in the 6 Nations tournament! Picture this, you are sitting in a stadium that much resembles a globe with its blue and green fans. Scotland has proudly sung their national anthem and Ireland has answered with their nation’s song. A small amount of points have been scored, and when they are, Ireland keeps the lead for some time (this was expected as Ireland was picked to win the match). Much to our surprise and to the surprise of our fellow fans present that day, Scotland made a come back that kept even us rugby amateurs on the edge of our seats.

It is safe to say that winning this match and joining in with fellow Scots as they jumped, cheered, and clapped, has been one of our proudest Scottish moments thus far! While it is always great when the unexpected team comes back for a win, it is even better when the team represents a country that has grown to mean so much to all of us. In true Scottish fashion, we also enjoyed heading out to a crowded pub after the match to celebrate the win. Now that you have been on the journey to victory with us, join in and cheer, Let’s Hear it for Scotland!

 

Remember to keep up with the blog for more adventures. We can’t wait to take you along on our next journey!

Essence and Arynn