I started this journey with a MLK quote: "The large house in which we live demands that we transform this world-wide neighborhood into a world-wide brotherhood. Together we must learn to live as brothers or together we will be forced to perish as fools." Martin Luther King, Jr., 1967

As I reflect on my experiences, I realize two important things about myself. I enjoy nature and being outdoors so I need to find ways to incorporate nature into every day of my life, preferably near water. The second is that I can make a positive impact in the world through making connections, realizing that the human bonds between people is stronger than the differences. 

When I work with children, I want to open their eyes to see how much people are alike no matter where we live, and how we treat others matters. Saving our planet from environmental disaster is too big a problem to tackle, but training young people to be good stewards of the earth is an achievable goal. Helping the students in Scotland see the importance of healthy forests was an easy connection with the unhealthy forests in Colorado and fires. Next year I hope to continue the connection with Farr Primary School through the children. They are our future. "If our American way of life fails the child, it fails us all." ~Pearl S. Buck

And sometimes, we just need to laugh at ourselves!

Tuesday was a long day. We left Marion's house at 5AM for her to drop me at Inverness airpot. I tried to sleep a little on the three flights, but it didn't work. Met another teacher on holiday on the flight from Manchester, so we had lots to share from our journeys. It made the flight very pleasant. Seeing swirling ice flows and the first islands off Newfoundland was exciting. I arrived in Denver only 15 minutes behind schedule, and Dylan made. It through traffic to pick me up. After 21 hours of travel, I was back home and ready to call it a day. It felt good to sleep in my own bed after 27 days away. But what a wonderful 27 days it has been!

After a tasty breakfast in my Edinburgh guesthouse, I headed north across the Firth to Stirling. I can see why the literature says it is a "must see" castle. This was the setting for Braveheart. The area around the castle is beautiful, but used to be bogs with the river running through. The reason Wlliam Wallace defeated the English at Stirling was because he waited until about half the troops had crossed a narrow bridge across the raging river and then came rushing down the rock outcropping nearby. The English troops were unable to quickly retreat across the river, so Braveheart took back the castle. Then he destroyed it. Thankfully, King James I of England/ King James VI of Scotland restored and lived in it at times. The furnishings and costumes were all from that time period. Thus endeth the history lesson for today!

The drummers and pipers on the lawn when I arrived were very good. After seeing the Crown Jewels, scepter and sword of the king in Edinburgh and the birth place of James, the first king of the United Kingdom, it was good to see how he might have lived, ruled, and held banquets.

My last stop was lonely-looking Urquart Castle on Loch Ness. It is a lovely setting and an important military site. The day was beautiful with a gorgeous sunset for my final evening in Scotland.

Today's drive was a snap. I arrived in Edinburgh, found my guesthouse right away, got on the bus to city center and began the grand tour. First stop was the lovely appointed Georgian House in New Town. Then climbed the castle mount to view the inside of the castle. Views across the Firth toward Dunfermline are lovely. Before leaving, I spent over an hour in St. Giles Cathedral, originally built in 12th century. The structure, windows, and sculptures are all amazing. Edinburgh also has some very peculiar structures, including the modern Scottish House of Parliament. I couldn't even take a picture; it hurt my eyes to look at it!

Saturday was a 5-castle day. As an adventure, I highly recommend it! Driving an unfamiliar manual transmission rental car on unfamiliar roads, with controls on the opposite side, lanes on opposite side, and through the pouring rain, I didn't do too badly, if I do say so myself. I would take castle searching on one-track roads over driving in Aberdeen, Dundee, or Edinburgh any time. Inverness is a piece of cake compared to the others. I must have circled my guest house in Dundee half a dozen times before I had to locate a phone to call. I was only 5 blocks away, and had driven past it at least twice. I was relieved to finally call it a day.

The castles outside Aberdeen in order of my route were Fraser Castle, Craigievar, Crathes, Drum,and finally Dunnottar ruin on the North Sea. I think it was my favorite, even though it was too late in the day to hike out to the cliff. I arrived too early for the tour of Fraser, but through the windows, it looked very well-furnished. Craigievar was the model for Disneyland's castle with its tall spires. It has been recently re-harled with native lime and local pink granite exterior stucco, when concrete stucco caused the castle to retain moisture and deteriorate. Crathes had great guides with interesting stories. The medieval tower of Drum Castle was under renovation, but should open in 2014, the 700th anniversary of its construction. The tower houses the library--would be worth returning to see that!

The countryside north and west of Aberdeen reminds me of Central Idaho. There are rolling hills of grazing land, fields of grain and hay, interspersed with sections of forests. Everything is luscious green, except for the bright yellow fields of canola.

Today after saying goodbye to the students and staff of Farr Primary School, I started a road trip  to Aberdeen. My goal was to see at least three historic castles. I managed to see Brodie Castle, Huntly Castle and Tolquhon Castle and also found the lovely Pitmedden Garden. Then I made an unexpected tour of downtown Aberdeen!  I am so thankful I have a fairly reliable internal compass. Next trip abroad, I am bringing an international phone with satellite navigation! My room for the night is great, and now it's time to go exploring for some fish & chips!

Brodie Castle

Brodie Castle spire

Sunday Marion took me to the Western Highlands. We hiked with an environmental studies colleague of hers, and three interns from France up Beinn Eighe (pronounced ben ee). We rock scrambled about 5k up to a hanging loch. The others pressed on to scramble up scree to the summit then walk the ridge and scramble down the steep slope to the north. I think I did well in my trainers. I wouldn't attempt scree without boots. From several vantage points we could see the Atlantic and caught a glimpse of the Isle of Skye.