Wrapping Up Scotland

 I wish I could have wrapped up Scotland with a bow and taken it home with me, but that of course is impossible. These pictures, along with my souvenirs and memories, will have to suffice, along with my plans to return in the future. It was such a beautiful place and a wonderful trip, and I'm so glad that I went! 

This bumblebee runner was in a church in Edinburgh and reminded me of David.

A cool statue in Glasgow

Cullen skink soup again. It was my favorite food!

Gift shop fun:

Afternoon tea at Mackintosh Tea Rooms in Glasgow. This was a treat!

I was too full from afternoon tea to eat much at dinner that evening, so I had this tasty burrata appetizer for my dinner. Cheese and tomatoes is one of my favorite food combinations.

These were so good. Gummy peaches are a weakness for me, so I hardly ever get them.

I took this as a sign from the universe that my next international trip might be Egypt! This was at the airport to fly home from Glasgow to the U.S. {We had to be there horribly early.}

Home again in Boston! Good 😊and not-so-good 😔. 

I can finally say that I've been to Europe! 😄

The Token Museum Post

 What trip to Europe would be complete without visiting a museum? While we were in Glasgow, we spent a few hours at the Kelingrove Art Gallery and Museum. It had an excellent collection of art and historical artifacts, and I highly recommend it if you're ever in Glasgow.

There was an amazing organ in the main hall. We were hoping to hear the daily afternoon organ concert, but it didn't happen while we were there.

The building was majestic and impressive!

The ancient Egypt section is always one of my favorites in a museum.

Don't mess with Sekhmet! See below for why!

Side view of Sekhmet

Now that's a coffin...

I liked this!

 {Little did they know that a Savior would provide the only way for them to survive death!}

Sekhmet again. Was she a cat lady or something? 😄 No, she was a lioness goddess.

An actual ancient Egyptian coffin

Other cool findings in the museum (that I took pictures of; there were many more than this!)...

Studying original art in museums feels so refining!

Stained glass always reminds me of my friend Meredith, who makes stained-glass art.

A marble bust of Queen Victoria from 1888

I really liked this painting of the Highlands with Balmoral Castle in the background.

An explanation of the painting:

How cute is this tartan dress!?

😍

This is Salvador Dali's famous and controversial actual and original painting of Christ on the cross. The museum bought it the year after he painted it. 

This Viking longship was neat.

Armor and weapons galore

These soldier models in the midst of battle were interesting.

I couldn't resist this photo opp outside of one of the gift shops. I can't wait to go to Egypt someday!

But for now (or then), I was thrilled to be in beautiful, historic Scotland!

Glasgow Cathedral and Other Historic Treasures of Glasgow

 Even though I preferred Edinburgh to Glasgow, Glasgow had some really cool things, such as...

Glasgow Cathedral! It was beautiful and stunning. It dates back to the 1300s (and to the 1100s as a church site) and is mainland Scotland's oldest cathedral.

The stained glass windows were gorgeous. I liked the blues and greens of this one.

Amazing architecture! I don't know how they built things like this all those centuries ago.

The chapel was grand and majestic. Imagine walking down this aisle as a bride...

The doorways were gigantic. 😄

This Bible was so cool. It's over 400 years old.

Check out the amazing story below about its disappearance and subsequent discovery and return!

I liked this depiction of Christ and a lamb.

The downstairs area (the crypt?) felt ancient and primeval (because it was!).

Jennifer and I tossed some coins into this mythical well (you were encouraged to).

It's an amazing cathedral, and so worth the visit.

Behind the cathedral is an enormous necropolis that was fun to explore.

It was very elevated and had good views from the top.

It was windy up there!

And finally, we went to Glasgow's oldest house, which was nearby.

1629!

Mary was here.

I like a good, twisty staircase.

The history in Scotland is intoxicating. I'd never experienced anything like it since America is so young compared to Europe. One of my favorite things about this trip was the history!