More Orkney picspammmm
So! We made it all the way to Orkney! Wed morning was first Van Unloading -well, first it was tea and toast and shuffling about in pjs, THEN it was Van Unloading. But once that was done it was time for....
Exciting Archaeology and Architecture!!
First, we went for a wander round Kirkwall, and Tasty Lunch. Then, we went to explore the cathedral
Which is a very beautiful building, and also has trees!
Inside was also lovely
There were several Olde Graveslabs along the walls (14th century ish I think) which had all skulls on -
with No Lower Jaws!! This made me happy -
I did like this busy little guy too tho!
Beside each one was a translation of the inscription, this was my favourite; someone really missed Jean (click for larger!)
There was also lots of lovely stained glass, a memorial to Explorer John Rae, which got Thesme and Unhurt v. excited, and general cathedrally stuff.
After Kirkwall, we drove over to Stromness, a place I may have completely fallen in love with. We wandered along the very long and windy main street, with its beautiful houses with gaps down to the sea
Cottages in desperate need of repair, that I can move there and live in
Very Specific Hospitals
and... cats!
It also has a wonderful wee museum full of things in drawers, random exhibits donated by locals and scrapbooks, where we spend a happy hour or so poking at stuff.
AND a lovely cafe with some of the best scones I have ever tasted where we had tea and met unhurt's ex-collegue with his wife and v. cute baby. Which was nice!
Ok so more architecture there than archaeology, but now we get to the exciting stuff! if you like that kind of thing. After Stromness, we headed to the Ring of Brodgar stone circle (the stone at the top is one from the circle, split after it got hit by lightening).
The Ring of Brodgar has Big Ditches round it, and Interesting Mounds - (which may well contain Mystery Swords from teh Past. or hints to the location of such things...)
Even with several stones missing, it is an impressive sight
Thesme found a caterpillar! Can you find her?
We also found the stone with Norse Grafitti. No doubt yet more clues to Excaliber...
From there, we went down the road to the Stones of Stenness, another circle, tho one that has lost a lot more stones
From there, you can see the Brodgar circle across the Loch (and a sheep in the ditch)
Over to the island of Hoy
And, in the other direction, to the Maes Howe passage tomb (the mound in the distance)
In addition to all of this, just a short walk away is the Barnhouse Neolithic settlement, which is earlier, but very similar to Skara Brae
It has been partially reconstructed to give an idea of the layout of teh buildings -
After that, you will probably be glad to hear, we decided we had seen enough for one day, and were now tired, hungry and COLD. So we returned to Casa Unhurt to thaw out, then went back in to Kirkwall for a very tasty dinner! Nom Nom Nom. And cider/wine.
Which might explain the very serious and earnest debate in the taxi back on the viability of Orkney as a place to retreat when the zombies rise and attack. Even the taxi driver joined in!
Then Moar Cider and much insistance that the Puma-Struck Toe was FINE and I could almost even walk on it. Sort of. Good thing I packed all those painkillers really ;p
Still to come! More Scenerey and SKARA BRAE OMG! Woohoo!
Exciting Archaeology and Architecture!!
First, we went for a wander round Kirkwall, and Tasty Lunch. Then, we went to explore the cathedral
Which is a very beautiful building, and also has trees!
Inside was also lovely
There were several Olde Graveslabs along the walls (14th century ish I think) which had all skulls on -
with No Lower Jaws!! This made me happy -
I did like this busy little guy too tho!
Beside each one was a translation of the inscription, this was my favourite; someone really missed Jean (click for larger!)
There was also lots of lovely stained glass, a memorial to Explorer John Rae, which got Thesme and Unhurt v. excited, and general cathedrally stuff.
After Kirkwall, we drove over to Stromness, a place I may have completely fallen in love with. We wandered along the very long and windy main street, with its beautiful houses with gaps down to the sea
Cottages in desperate need of repair, that I can move there and live in
Very Specific Hospitals
and... cats!
It also has a wonderful wee museum full of things in drawers, random exhibits donated by locals and scrapbooks, where we spend a happy hour or so poking at stuff.
AND a lovely cafe with some of the best scones I have ever tasted where we had tea and met unhurt's ex-collegue with his wife and v. cute baby. Which was nice!
Ok so more architecture there than archaeology, but now we get to the exciting stuff! if you like that kind of thing. After Stromness, we headed to the Ring of Brodgar stone circle (the stone at the top is one from the circle, split after it got hit by lightening).
The Ring of Brodgar has Big Ditches round it, and Interesting Mounds - (which may well contain Mystery Swords from teh Past. or hints to the location of such things...)
Even with several stones missing, it is an impressive sight
Thesme found a caterpillar! Can you find her?
We also found the stone with Norse Grafitti. No doubt yet more clues to Excaliber...
From there, we went down the road to the Stones of Stenness, another circle, tho one that has lost a lot more stones
From there, you can see the Brodgar circle across the Loch (and a sheep in the ditch)
Over to the island of Hoy
And, in the other direction, to the Maes Howe passage tomb (the mound in the distance)
In addition to all of this, just a short walk away is the Barnhouse Neolithic settlement, which is earlier, but very similar to Skara Brae
It has been partially reconstructed to give an idea of the layout of teh buildings -
After that, you will probably be glad to hear, we decided we had seen enough for one day, and were now tired, hungry and COLD. So we returned to Casa Unhurt to thaw out, then went back in to Kirkwall for a very tasty dinner! Nom Nom Nom. And cider/wine.
Which might explain the very serious and earnest debate in the taxi back on the viability of Orkney as a place to retreat when the zombies rise and attack. Even the taxi driver joined in!
Then Moar Cider and much insistance that the Puma-Struck Toe was FINE and I could almost even walk on it. Sort of. Good thing I packed all those painkillers really ;p
Still to come! More Scenerey and SKARA BRAE OMG! Woohoo!