"The train ride is very nice. Quiet and quick, it offers us sights of Scotland we would have otherwise missed. Old cemetery's, stone walls lining fields, horses covered with blankets, the ocean glistening along the left side of our entire trip. Towns with rich history line my right side and I am happy to watch them fly by, just to catch a glimpse of the stories they may tell."
St Andrews was one of my favorite places. I left wanting to own a Bed and Breakfast here. It was smaller, quaint, beautiful, old and full of history.
We did all of our site seeing in one day. We walked to the remnants of a cathedral with a grave yard just as old. We visited an old, barely there castle and climbed around on the rocks below. I can only imagine waking up every morning in that huge castle to the sounds and sights of the sea. It would certainly make the huge castle seem a lot more small.
St Andrews University takes up most of the city. Every building with a blue door is University owned. Prince William attended university here, but our main attraction was seeing the St Salvador Chapel. Not only is this an incredibly beautiful chapel where thousands of historic people have worshiped, it is also the resting place of John Knox's pulpit. John Knox was a leader in brining the reformation to Scotland.
We couldn't come to St Andrews and not visit the Old Course. This was the first golf course, ever. St Andrew is, in fact, the birthplace of golf and it's quite a big deal. We were going to play a round-of putt putt that is-on a smaller course near the Old Course, but they closed as we got there. We took a few pictures and then decided that touching the water of the North Sea would be much more fun.
The beach at St Andrews is where parts of Chariots of Fire was filmed, so according to Patrick, it was only right that we run up the beach and sing the theme song to Chariots of Fire. So we did.
We walked around town for a while, going in and out of stores. We stopped for dinner at a UK chain Italian place called Bella Italia. We enjoyed that our waitress, who was clearly Scottish, would use Italian words when serving us: Bon Appetite, gratzir, and so on. The food was decent, but dessert was wonderful! After dinner, we went to a coffee shop called The Couch and drank hot drinks and played games together. It was really great to relax and enjoy feeling like a local.
The next day was short and sweet. We woke up to rain, but decided to wander around anyways. We ate a wonderful breakfast at the B&B and got ready for our day. The bed at this particular B&B was incredible and I think it was my best nights sleep yet.
We got some hot drinks at a little cafe that was something like an Eat'N'Park and we sat for a while in hopes of the rain slowing down. We walked down to the Old Course again and walked a few guys finish off their game at the 18th hole. Patrick went onto the course and grabbed some grass for souvenirs sake.
We walked down by the ocean again and climbed around on the rocks and enjoyed the hazy view. Before getting our bags to catch the train out, we stopped by the grocery store for a quick take away lunch. Also, I wish I would have taken my rain boots with me to Europe. They would have been very handy and helpful to have :)
St Andrews in pictures:
The 18th hole on the Old Course. I, personally, love this picture. Also note the golfers in the background :)
A church door. I took so many door pictures.
The sentiments of the locals expressed every few feet with chalk.
Patrick and I by the chapel ruins...
Looking from the back of the ruins to the front from the graveyard...
The castle remains...
The Quad on campus...
The pulpit of John Knox...
Patrick on the famous bridge on the Old Course
I loved taking pictures in St Andrews. The weather was gorgeous the day we got there and I couldn't stop snapping pictures! This is just a taste of the beauty we saw in Scotland!
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