Rosslyn Chapel - History at its best

We decided not to waste another weekend and to continue our quest for discovering interesting places even if the weather was not inviting!

With this in mind, we set out for an adventure: to explore the Chapel from the well known movie The Da Vinci Code and we were not disappointed! Although in the movie Rosslyn Chapel is depicted as having secret passages the reality is that those were pure fiction. Despite that, the place didn't fall short of beauty. And the weather actually helped as it started to snow like in a fairy tale.

Puzzle

' What is the thing that the person who makes it gives it away, the person that takes it doesn't use it and the person who uses it never sees it? '
                                                                                                           ' A coffin.'
                                                               

This is how many of the tales about Rosslyn Chapel and the people that are part of its history start: with a puzzle. Although with a hint of macabre, the history and myths surrounding Rosslyn Chapel are fabulous! The Chapel is dated 1446 and it is part of the legacy of William St. Clair. According to the guide that told the story, it took the masons 38 long years to build it! And that was only a small part of the initial plan!

The story says that the mason ended up killing his apprentice in a moment of anger and envy when, after arriving from a long journey dedicated to bringing inspiration, he found out that his apprentice finished a pillar that he meant to do and that was actually considered a more difficult and exquisite work!

Neil, the guide, had an unique way of story telling! Such passion and dedication! History can usually be a bit tedious but he had the skills to draw you in and make you wanting to hear more! Kudos to him!

There is also the story of William, a cat that is part of a generation of guardians for the place. You can usually find him curled up next to a heater being lazy and watching stories unfold.

Rosslyn Chapel is truly a fabulous and magnificent place, a must see!

The start of 2016 - what happened so far...

Hello again!!

I haven't written much lately but I decided I should try harder in the new year...at least to share memories and pictures that are precious to me in order to make sure I will always have a way of keeping them and looking back when I need. That is more because unfortunately, last year I've lost all my photos and I had no way of retrieving them! Why didn't I use a 'cloud' like any technology savvy person would do?!

I must say the 2 weeks I had off over the festive period were exactly what I needed! I spent a lot of time with by amazing boyfriend and as always, I have enjoyed it so much! I had a catch up with my friends, discovering different cultures and customs. I revisited old but dear places and also discovered new ones.

Starting with the old, we went back to that French café on Victoria Road (La Barantine) I told you about a couple of years ago when I started this blog. It's as nice and welcoming as before and the cakes are as tempting. Still very popular!

A new place we've tried this year, after we long wondered about it, is Tigerlily on George Street. It's a very trendy and modern restaurant. The prices are a bit higher but in tandem with the rest of the bars and restaurants on George Street. I very eagerly recommend the fondue! Superb! My boyfriend kept raving and dreaming about it for days after! (I must specify that we are on a diet and because we are not used to moderation we are in the 'all about chocolate and crisps' hallucinating stage!!).