Another brick in the wall
Trip Start
Jun 12, 2010
1
8
17
Trip End
Jun 21, 2010
Keswick, England, United Kingdom
Sunday, June 20, 2010
After a 30 minute drive, which at times looked like the inner roads off florida's coast near St. Augustine and then the lowlands of South carolina, I was in the Mecca of golf, where it all began 550 or more years ago, St. Andrews. This is where the open, or as we say the British Open is played about every 5 years, and a must see for both golf enthusiasts and those agnostic to the sport. There are sights well beyond golf, an intersting coast, an active shopping community, a cathedral and fort both seen and also just thye ambience of knowing that golf has 18 holes because that is how many fit at St. Andrews. All the greats are featured in the excellent golf musuem from Arnie, to Nicklaus, to Gary Player, to Tiger, and demonstration of thye equiptment from clubs to balls is shown throughout the last 5 1/2 centuries. The terms of the game, the rules of the game and the layout of courses all began here, so this is the ground zero for the sport.Nearby is the course itself, which is flat, windy and strewn with bunkers and creeks, but actually very playable, in good weather conditions. Wind and rain make it impossible, which is why a 72 hole subpar score is hard to come by come tournament time.
The castle and the church have old relics and are in part ruins but worthwhile to explore. I have already learned that much of what you see in great britain is a series of old, but in ruinous state, relics. This includes Hadrian's wall seen today, but featured most likely tomorrow. There were also other artifacts and a very intersting cemetary by the cathedral, dating back 450 years. The church itself I believe dates back close to 800 years and John Knox himself preached there. Next it was on to Stirling and the castle ther, the best seen in europe and it gives you a feeling of the braveheart era as robert the Bruce and then Mary Queen of scotts lived. Kitchens and munitions are featured here with everything from recipes to recreations of the period clothing are shown. You get a great overview of this very intersting area and also a museum which shows the scottish contribution from the Crimean war against the russians. Finally it was on to the metropolis of Glasgow, not my fav place, but nonetheless choked full of old building, museums, theatre and great food for those wishing an urban ambience. This will be updated more tomorrow or later as now it is time to download pix!
