Thursday, September 18


Today we left the Highlands behind and made our way to Saint Andrews for the night.  On the way we stopped in Dunkeld to look at houses managed by the National Trust of Scotland and the ruins of the 14th Century Dunkeld Cathedral.  Then we went in search of the last tree from the old forest of Birnam Wood.  Birnam Wood is featured in Macbeth (Shakespeare play mentioned yesterday).  It was foretold that Macbeth was safe until Birnam Wood came to his Castle.  He doubted that would ever happen.  Well, unfortunately for Macbeth, Birnam Wood came to his Castle.  An attacking army carried branches from the trees in the Wood with them into battle against Macbeth in his Castle.


Next, we drove to Dundee and visited the Victoria and Albert Museum of Design.  The building itself is interesting and next door is the ship RRS Discovery.  The RRS Discovery, launched in 1901 in Dundee, was the first vessel built specifically for scientific research and carried Captain Scott on his first Antarctic voyage. It was also the first to be designated as a Royal Research Ship (RRS). 


At the museum we learned that the Kaleidoscope was invented in Scotland and saw a carpet made using Celtic images.  There was also a mobile set for a play designed like a large story book. It was carried around on the top of a van in the 1970s and used for performances in small towns.

Then it was on to the Kinkell Farm near Saint Andrews where we were spending the night.  We went out for a nice dinner at a nearby restaurant.

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