leaving the highlands

I only have a few short hours left in the Highlands of Scotland. It's an extremely bitter sweet feeling. I still have more than half of my trip ahead of me, but the highlands are one of a kind and something I had been looking forward to seeing them for years. The highlands truly surpassed every expectation I had. Easily my favorite region of the world I have ever been to, they captivate my imagination and bring me a sense of peace and joy. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true! There's something about this place that really affects me. I can't wait to come back here, next time in the winter or spring. In the winter months, all of this is covered in thick snow! Summer is the best time for 'tourists' to come to the highlands because it's mostly sunny and warm(ish). I can't wait to come back when it's stormy and raining constantly, real Scottish weather. I was told by an old man here that when it rains in the winter/spring, the hills come alive and gigantic waterfalls sprout out everywhere on the side of every mountain and hill. He said you can just sit and watch them for hours and be spiritually moved by them. I can't wait to one day come back and see it.

It doesn't really get dark here until super late in the summer, and in the winter that's opposite. We've gotten almost 18 hours of daylight here, it's rad! Anyway, I'm writing this as I pack up my room and preparing to leave the hostel in Inverness. From here we'll take the train down to Stirling for a few nights. I'm really excited for Stirling because that's very history Scotland. The Wars of Independence centered around there and I can't wait to visit where the battle of Falkirk took place. Stirling is also home to the huge Wallace monument. From Stirling we'll make our way over to Loch Lomond. One of the more famous and beautiful loch's in Scotland, it's also right around where my ancestors lived. The lands of the CLan MacFarlane (my ancestors) were situated between Loch Lomond and Loch Long. It's going to be a very meaningful experience finally visiting these lands. After Loch Lomond, we'll go to the west coast for a few days in Oban. After Oban, we'll finally make our way back to Glasgow. After a few nights, Janelle will leave and go back to California, and I'll stay there for another week or so before returning to London and starting Europe Semester!

highland cathedral

My favorite of the three major national anthems of Scotland is Highland Cathedral. Seeing as how I'm writing this on my last night in the highlands, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about it. 

I've always favored this one over Flower of Scotland and Scotland the Brave for some reason, I just kind of connect to it. I think it's the first two lines that really get to me. My experience in the highlands has been one that I will never forget. I've seen the most beautiful sights, and have met some of the most colorful and interesting people (even if I couldn't always understand what the heck they were saying). I am so blessed to have traveled here, and even though I still have about half of my Scotland trip ahead of me, it's still sad leaving the highlands. I know that I'll be back, and hopefully soon!

HERE it is sung with words, and HERE it is just instrumental. Both are so ridiculously epic 

Land of our fathers, we will always be
Faithful and loyal to our own country
In times of danger, we will set you free
Lead you to glory and to victory

Hail, Caledonia, to our ancient prayer
In this Highland Cathedral, let our standards, bear
Joining, together, with one dream to share
God bless the people of this land so fair

Chorus:

Gone is the past, let us start a new

Let this hope of peace, always remain

Spirit of Scotia, be strong and true

Then your children will smile again.

Rise, Caledonia, let your voices ring
In this Highland Cathedral of our God and King
Whom, joy and liberty, to all, will bring
Come; let your heart, with love and courage, sing

Chorus:

Lonely the exile, o'er distant seas,

The home of their birth, gone from their eyes.

Bring back their souls o'er the ocean breeze

To the land where their fathers lie.

HP7 - the official end to my childhood

Almost exactly two weeks ago, in the extremely early hours of July 15th, 2011, my childhood officially ended. When I walked out of the theater in London having watched the midnight premier of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, I felt different. Obviously, being almost 20, I haven't been a child for quite a while, but something still changed that morning.

I have been more or less obsessed with Harry Potter since I was 11 years old. I've read the books cover to cover so many times that they are falling apart. I have the movies memorized, and I haven't missed a midnight premier since they started them with the 3rd movie. Some call me crazy and clinging to childhood, but there is something special about this story. I literally grew up with them. I first started reading these books when I was 11 (the same age as Harry in the first book), and I have been roughly Harry's age for every book. I have grown up on the same pace and Harry, Ron and Hermione. It doesn't hurt that I've always pretended to be a Weasley! I am Ron Weasley.

As they grew up, I started growing up. As they realized the horrors and evils of the world around them, I realized the horrors of the world around me! I recently read an article comparing the Harry Potter series and my generation growing up in a post 9/11 world. I was in third grade when the 9/11 attacks tragically happened in New York, and that was the first breaking of innocence in my childhood. The article, which I just tried to find again but couldn't, was written shortly after Bin Laden was killed. It connected Bin Laden with Voldemort and drew multiple erie parallels between the last decade and the decade of Harry Potter.

Erie parallels aside, Harry Potter was the only lasting 'thing' from my childhood. I'm now well into college and choosing a career path, and even contemplating getting my masters degree and political aspirations and whatever else my future might hold. Potter always has been, and will continue to be to a certain extent, my escape from my new adult world back to my childhood. By picking up any of the books to a random page, or turning on one of the movies or audiobooks, I can immediately jump right back into the story like it's the first time I'm reading it.

The books have been an escape for me in some of my most troubled times in my life. I can read the books and forget about my pain and just engulf myself in the magical world. It was a distraction and comfort to me when I was scared, angry, emotional, or just bored. That's the main reason why I cried through basically the entire film. My life is changing now, and a new and exciting chapter in my life is just starting. I'm in Europe, away from any comforts of home (either in PV or in Santa Barbara). I won't be home for almost 6 months, and I'm being forced to mature and become even more independent. Simply put, I'm not a child anymore. As scary as it is to admit it to myself, I'm an adult!

Even though I'm becoming an adult, the Harry Potter series will have a lasting impression on me for the rest of my life. It helped shape me into who I am today. I wish I could thank J.K. Rowling personally, but I know she's gotten the message already from thousands of fans just like me. I should probably write her (note to self: write J.K. Rowling thanking her while still in Scotland). I will forever be grateful to her, and to the magical world she created!

Hogwarts will always be there to welcome me home

highland cows

The animals on the Isle of Skye were awesome, and I finally got to see some highland cows!!

They've got huge longhorn sized horns and crazy hair with bangs.

Did I mention they were ridiculously fat?! Fattest cows I've ever seen, both the highland and normal ones. And the baby highland cows are the cutest animals in existence, I wish I got a picture of one (look them up on google). There were also sheep and goats EVERYWHERE.

Alas, the Isle of Skye

I'm sitting here in my hostel in Inverness and after 24 hours of trying, I still cannot easily put to words my experience visiting the Isle of Skye yesterday. It was by far the most breathtaking and inspiring place I have seen in my almost 20 years of existence. I took hundreds of pictures, and none of them even closely compare to what it was like seeing it in person.

Our bus stopped a few miles before the bridge so we could take pictures of the isle from across the small channel between mainland Scotland and Skye. I knew then that this was a special place and I was in for a once in a lifetime experience. We journeyed over to the isle and had lunch in a small town. Janelle and I passed on the sit down expensive lunch so we could just buy sandwiches from the co-op store and have more time to walk around. We walked to this small paved jetty and I just sat on the side and took it all in. 

I still can't believe that it was real. It went by so fast, it's already starting to feel like a lifetime ago I was sitting there. I watched the small waves break on the rocks and boats go in and out of the harbor. The green highland hills and mountains in the background were perfect, I will never forget that sight.

We walked through small areas of seaside shops and homes. As we've traveled more and more north up into the highlands, the people have been harder and harder to understand. In Skye, it was impossible to comprehend 99% of what anybody said. They don't just have a strong accent, they speak an entirely different language: Scottish Gaelic. The primary school on Skye is the only one left in Scotland that teaches exclusively in gaelic. The residents I met either spoke only that, or an equally impossible to understand mixture of gaelic and 'english'.

The homes here were modest, and everybody was going about their daily lives without a care in the world for affairs off the isle. After lunch, we continued the drive inland on the isle to a few different lochs and glens. We saw a bunch of animals (I'll post about them separately) and went to completely deserted areas of the isle. 

We went into the main harbor and had coffees and teas. There's an extremely old ruined castle right in the middle of the bay, and a lighthouse on the other side of the bridge. The bridge is actually very new, until a dozen or so years ago the ferry was the only way on and off the isle.

I will never forget the Isle of Skye, and I pray that I get to go back and see much more of it. It was the highlight of the trip thus far, and will be extremely hard to beat. I've never seen bluer ocean and greener hills.

Eilean Donan

One of the most iconic castles in Scotland. I never dreamed I would be able to make it up north to in on this trip, but alas, we did! Eilean Donan Castle: friggin awesome!

It's situated on this small island on the side of a beautiful loch. Most of the inside is still intact and had tons and tons of old relics that have been put in it.

We went to it on our bus tour up to Isle of Skye. It was an extra bonus for the trip that we were stoked we got to include!

It was ridiculously sunny the entire day, I actually got sunburned! Who would have thought. For years I've blamed my Scottish skin for always getting burned in southern california, and in Scotland of all places I fry. As you can kind of tell from this picture, the Scottish beard is coming in strong. I've decided NOT to shave or even trim it while I'm in Scotland. It just doesn't seem manly to shave here.

@daviddry

For general information: I've been using twitter a lot lately since it's so easy to update. I'll post pictures from my iphone, locations, and random updates whenever I can. Wifi is kinda hard to come by here, but I try and post whenever I find a cafe with free wifi, or at my hostels if it works.

Follow me on twitter HERE

the highlands at last!

Finally! I'm in Inverness, de facto capital and gateway to the Highlands of Scotland.

The highlands are more beautiful that I could ever have imagined, and I've only scratched the surface. We're in Inverness for the week, situated above Loch Ness and on River Ness. It's a small town, and I can hardly understand anything anybody says... it's awesome! I'm trying to work on my accent, but I don't want to try it out here and insult somebody. 

I kinda wish the weather wasn't so good lately. The only time it's really rained was in Edinburgh. Since then it's rained a little, and drizzled a ton. But the summer weather is kicking in and it's actually been mostly sunny the past few days. I think it's supposed to start raining again later in the week, I hope it does!! I'd love to come back sometime in the winter and see all of this covered in thick snow.

Tomorrow yet another one of my lifelong dreams is going to come true. We're taking a bus tour to the Isle of Skye! I didn't think we'd be able to see it on this trip because it's so far north and out of the way. It's on the west coast, it's also the most beautiful place in Scotland, in Britain, and (in my opinion) in the entire world. Look it up and your jaw will drop. We're also going to Eilean Donan Castle, one of the most iconic and epic castles in Scotland. I honestly can't believe I get to go to these places tomorrow. Rest assured I'll take over a thousand pictures in one day, easy. I'm getting chills just thinking about what tomorrow holds.

God has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams on this trip. I have already seen things I never thought I would see, and have met some truly amazing people. My back has help up better than imagined. I knew it would be tough and a struggle, and it has been for sure. But I'm managing and Christ is with me and giving me the strength I need day by day, I've had to lean on him daily in order to survive. 

On the top of the Scottish Royal Coat of Arms, there's a banner that reads "IN DEFENS". It's a shortening of the Scottish motto: "In My Defens God Me Defend". It refers to a Scottish prayer that I've recently taken to heart.

In my defence God me defend

And bring my sawl to ane good end

ane vertuous lyf procureth ane happie death...

Kings College

I've decided that I'm going to grad school in Scotland. If I'm going to be studying International Relations, why not study it internationally? St. Andrews is by far my first choice, but another college I would conceder is University of Aberdeen, Kings College.

just visiting the queen

Balmoral Castle, the queens "Scottish summer house". It looks like it belongs in Disney.

We didn't really get to go inside because it's still an official royal residence and is in use, but the outside alone was awesome! It's in the middle of the forrest, the bus ride up kind reminded me of driving through Colorado on my road trip last month. It's at something like 1,000ft elevation, and is right next to River Dee. It feels like you're in the mountains slash at Disneyland. 

Fyvie Castle

This place was the first non-ruined castle we've been to. We walked all around the grounds, gardens, fields, and around the lake. Plus we got to go inside the castle and see a few rooms with all of the original stuff inside.

To get to all of these awesome places we've visited, we've just been taking public buses that go kind of near them. We have to walk from the bus stations to where ever we're going, and Fyvie Castle was a bit of a hike (but completely worth it). To get to the castle, you had to go through the front gate, then walk through the entire estate to the back corner where the castle is. It was one of the craziest walks I've even been on. We went through meadows, on paths through a forest, along the bank of a lake, it was awesome!

Flower of Scotland

Scottish history lesson of the day: Scotland does not have an official national anthem, but a few that are used. The most common is "Flower of Scotland" and it refers to the victory of the Scots, let by Robert the Bruce, over England’s Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 (stolen from Wiki).


I thought I would share the lyrics with you, along with some pictures I've taken around Aberdeenshire.


O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
Your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

The Hills are bare now,
And Autumn leaves
lie thick and still,
O'er land that is lost now,
Which those so dearly held,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

Those days are past now,
And in the past
they must remain,
But we can still rise now,
And be the nation again,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

0 Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

some of the best moments of my life!

For the past two nights, Janelle and I have been staying in Aberdeen, and exploring greater Aberdeenshire. We’ve just taken local buses out of the city down the coast. We have stumbled upon some of the most beautiful sights I have seen in my young life! Yesterday we found this beach with no sand, only perfectly round stones. Janelle spent the entire time looking for cool rocks, and she came back with her purse overflowing with them and one huge one that she thinks looks exactly like a heart.

From there we took a bus to Stonehaven, this picturesque port city on the side of a cove. We found a path and a sign that pointed to a castle 2.5 miles away, so naturally we followed it. About half way through the walk, I saw sign with a picture of the castle we were walking to and I froze. We were walking to the one and only Dunnottar Castle. I’ve dreamed of seeing this castle of years and years. I knew it was in Aberdeenshire but I didn’t know exactly where. I walked as fast as I could across the cliffside path to the castle, and when I finally saw it my heart jumped. It was absolutely the most amazing sight I have ever seen!!

Dunnottar Castle is even better than I imagined! I walked all around it, but when I got to the bottom of the hill where the entrance is, I found that it was closed!! Immediately decided we would come back tomorrow, I then walked around the cliffs surrounding it just soaking in it’s beauty.

This morning we got up and went straight back to it. When I finally got inside, I couldn’t believe it was real. I was sure that any moment I was going to wake up, either not in Scotland, or still in my hostel. But it was 100% real and beautiful. Almost every window looked out over the cliff to the water down below. Everywhere I went I could constantly hear the ocean below and the wind in my ears. It’s extremely difficulty to me to even try and put into words how I felt. All I can say is that multiple times I teared up at its beauty. Here are some pictures I’ve quickly edited, but they don’t even come close to the real thing!

St. Andrews

Yup, I want to transfer here right now!

If I go to grad school, this is by far my first choice! St. Andrews is now my favorite city in the world. It is the most beautiful town I have ever seen. It's all still the old buildings, it's situated right next to the sea, it's got a ruined castle and ruined huge cathedral.  I've only got four more minutes on my free wifi at my hostel in Aberdeen, so I got to make this quick! 

St. Andrews golf course, oldest and first golf course in the world, was so awesome! This place is honestly heaven on earth for me!!