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!