St. Andrews

            This Saturday I went on a day trip to St. Andrews. The International Students Society at The University of Edinburgh organized the trip, so it was a great way to both see a different part of Scotland and meet other foreign exchange students. I have always been curious about life in Saint Andrews. The quaint town attracts both students and golfers to this haven built upon ancient ruins and boundless coastlines. The smell of the ocean lingers the streets and gives the town a feeling of a hidden marvel set along the sea.

            During our trip we visited the St. Andrews Cathedral and the St. Andrews Castle. After popping into one of the towns delightful cafes for lunch, we headed to the Church. Here we learned about the history of the cathedral, walked through the gravesite and traveled up to the top of the castle. One of my favorite, yet also tedious experiences while visiting the Church was the winding and seemingly never-ending stairs to the top of the castle. After tight turns on stone steps we finally made it to the top and what a view. I could see all parts of Saint Andrews, from the churches, schools and where the town met the sea. It was interesting to see ancient ruins join in a modern day town and extend out to sea.

View from the top of the Castle at St. Andrews Cathedral. In one direction, you can see the town stretch towards pastures and the other towards the sea. Marvelous!

            Our second site to see was the St. Andrews Castle. First we earned a bit about the history of the castle and how its conquering lead to the remnant’s I visited that day. Afterwards, we began to climb the different parts of the castle. The structures of the castle are broken up into the four corners each shedding a different light on the castle’s history. It was amazing to walk up staircases kings and queen once strode and peer our heads out towards the same ocean front view that Scotland’s royalty experienced 500 years back. However, it was certainly comforting that my view did not include an army of soldiers approaching from the sea and waiting to conquer the very castle I peered out of.

This is the street view of St. Andrews Castle. Within, four corners
 of the castle stand and border a center greenery. The face out towards
 the most magnificent views of the city and the sea.

Lastly, we made our way to the other corner of the castle that looked out onto the sea. This was home to the kitchen and pantry. Back in those days, one was not to be seen in the kitchen and it was a place solely for the help. To me, the kitchen is my haven, it’s a place I will always love to be and share time with my family. It was so strange to see how the practically of an oven and pans can be transformed through culture. This experience has opened a door to the past, but also an opportunity to assess the present. The processes of how we become our culture are crucial for understanding and of which a place like the castle and St. Andrews has a lot to offer.

Also, I also really enjoyed seeing the dungeons. The dungeons housed prisoners differently based on class. The high class received more proper sanitation and the lower classes were left to literally the bottom of the barrel, or in this case castle. In the center of the four structure of the castle lies the dungeon in which prisoners were housed. We then went into a separate room where we could peer down and see what would have been the prisoners home.

Here I am in front of the Old Course in St. Andrews.
The town is full of eager golfers ready to play a round and enjoy
a wonderful afternoon in St. Andrews.

No trip to Saint Andrews would be complete without seeing the famous St. Andrews Old Course. The greenery stretches on for seemingly forever only to stop and meet the bounds of the sea and castles. I loved not only seeing the course, but also experiencing the true golf community. Everywhere you turn there is either a golfer or a golf shop. There is even a street name Golf Place! We also passed by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and saw members in the beautifully stone building conversing along the golf course. My family is very passionate about golf and it was especially wonderful to explore a little part of Scotland that reminds me of home.

This is the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. Members meet in this beautiful building overlooking the golf course and enjoy a cup of tea accompanied by a round of golf.

My trip to St. Andrews was packed with exploration. I even enjoyed simply wandering the streets and speaking with locals and students in the area. We even stopped into a famous bakery named Fisher & Donadlson and marveled at a sea of donuts, cookies and confectionary delights. It was the perfect way to the end the day. We even explored a coffee shop that is known as the place where Kate met Will for coffee. Each bakery, coffee shop and café had its only little touch of happiness.

Fisher & Donaldson is one of the quaint and flavorful bakeries in St. Andrews. They are famous for their fudge donuts. My friend and I split one of my favorites, a decorated and delicious gingerbread man.

My trip to St. Andrews was full of exploration both into the past and the present. I learned about the conquering the quests and everything in between that made up this modern day city built among ancient ruins. I also, though, explored so many hidden wonders tucked in this quaint town bustling with students. While my visit to St. Andrews was an opportunity to learn about a new part of Scotland and it also further contributes to my understanding of Scotland as a whole. I am eager to explore all corners and creations that lie in the wonders of Scotland.