A Look Before You Leap

by Anita Benson (United States of America)

A leap into the unknown United Kingdom

When I traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland I thought I knew what the landscape would be like, but images of barren rocks and a castle balanced on top of an old volcano did not prepare me for the incredible changes in elevation I would experience as I actually walked the city streets! Travel gives me a fresh perspective on my life and the lives of others, but as I get older I like to use a little technology to help prepare me for what to expect on my travels. I am amazed at how much of the world is covered by webcams and how far Google Earth has traveled to send back images of much of the world. These two sources of information help me leap gently into the unknown, knowing my old bones won’t be too rattled by my fall into a foreign country. Before going to Edinburgh I discovered there was a webcam on the Royal Mile, the main road in Edinburgh that leads to the Castle. I could look at that webcam and plan what my trip would be like, what clothes I might need, and I could imagine walking up the Royal Mile to the Castle. When I actually arrived at the Castle in person I didn’t think I would stay long at the castle because I like to walk the streets among the people to learn the history. However, I spent most of an entire day walking through the Castle and learning the history of a fierce people who love the rocks and earth beneath them. The Edinburgh Castle is a structure that has been built and rebuilt throughout history. The oldest building in Edinburgh is thought to be St Margaret’s Chapel which dates from the 12th century and stands near the top of the castle. When I visited the Crown Room with The Honours of Scotland, the crown jewels, I began to understand the complex relationship between Scotland and England. In the room was a glass case with several pieces of jewelry which included the crown, made in 1540 for James V, along with the scepter and sword of state. These crown jewels were first used together in 1543 for the coronation of the infant Mary Queen of Scots. Later these pieces were hidden for a time. Finally, after the 1707 Treaty of Union uniting the Kingdoms of Scotland and England under the name of Great Britain, these jewels were locked away for 111 years until they were rediscovered and put on display. The jewels were beautiful. However, the thing that really caught my eye, alongside the velvet, gold and gems was a large, rough stone with two crude metal rings at either end of the stone. It measured about 2 feet long by a foot high and a foot deep. I knew this had to be the Stone of Destiny, and I could see the stone had the same value to the Scottish people as their crown jewels. It is a symbol of the Scottish nation and also called the Coronation, or King making, Stone used for the coronation of Scottish kings. In 1296 Edward I of England believed it was his right to have dominance over Scotland and he took all the treasured objects of the Scottish nation, including the stone, to England. He had the stone taken to Westminster Abbey in London and placed under the Coronation Chair. Throughout the years many Scotts tried to steal the stone. However, in 1996 at a formal ceremony the stone was handed over at the border and brought back to Edinburgh Castle, 700 years after being taken. When I want to reminisce back on my trip I can sit at my computer and look at the Royal Mile webcam and use Google Earth to walk the Edinburgh streets. However, those glimpses of a place, unknown to me before I traveled there never showed me the true Scottish people. The shift from looking at images on my computer to seeing the Stone cared for as carefully as their priceless jewels is what gave me a greater understanding of these people and their love for their land and country.