A Trip Back in Time

“Knock, knock.” “Who’s There?” “It’s me, Selena!”

Get ready for a trip back in time to last summer! You may not remember that I was on vacation in Scotland. I’d love to share about the rest of my trip. After Edinburgh, we traveled through the countryside.

It was especially beautiful! We went to the Scottish Crannog Society. It’s a museum and living archaeology and anthropology center. They’re mostly researching stone age life in Scotland. This building was constructed with historical methods and tools. (I promised you a trip back in time, after all….)

Their collection houses the largest and oldest piece of fabric in the British Isles. It’s a double-woven textile from the Stone Age. They’re studying how people made clothes. As part of that research, they’ve built a stone-weighted loom and are using it to make historical clothing for the people that work there. It’s truly incredible what they’ve created!

The people there were so welcoming and I’m so grateful for all they shared. Speaking of history, we stopped by another site where they’re restoring and reconstructing other important events and time periods in Scotland. For example, this phone box is from WWII. There were many children evacuated to Scotland to keep them safe.

Next, I hopped on two boats to get to the Isle of Lewis & Harris. There were many remarkable discoveries everywhere we looked. It was like being in a real-life game of “Isle of Skye”. Here’s a broch from 200 BC. It was used until about 1000 AD. The community used it as a refuge for their animals (lower level) and families. It must have offered great protection!

I also stopped into the Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean. It showcases the rich history of life on Lewis throughout the centuries. I had not heard of the famous Lewis Chessmen. The pieces show evidence of the extensive trading and cultural exchange happening in the 12th-13th Century. They’re made of walrus ivory that came from Greenland, were carved in Norway, and then made their way to Lewis. That must have taken some significant ingenuity, dedication, and collaboration!

Our last stop was in Glasgow. The Botanic Gardens there were huge and very jungle-like. It was gorgeous inside the buildings. And so much diversity of life inside!

Unlike outside, where it seemed like there were nothing but pigeons everywhere you looked. Do you think this guy drives the bus?

My favorite part of this city was the Natural History Museum. There were well-preserved examples of animals accompanied by artwork. The museum put a lot of care and artistry into every exhibit. These majestic seabirds are looking quite serene and regal.

And, this, on the other hand, is Hank. Hank likes to eat fish. Well, dead fish and a lot of different invertebrates. And plants. And, well… anything he can get his claws on.

Speaking of food, we’re on our way to a local restaurant for dinner. Goodbye from me and my friends in Scotland!

-Selena