Allens & Nickels in Linlithgow!

Day trips are becoming much looked forward to events. Even though the alarm went off early on Saturday morning, seeing historically beautiful sights with good friends makes temporary tiredness worth it.

This time we set off with Jesse and Liana to Linlithgow, the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots.

My new smart phone (believe it or not, it's cheaper than my pay-as-you-go phone) told me it was -1 degree Celsius. Brrrrr! As we meandered up to the palace, Liana and I spotted a knitting shop. This now excites us because we've recently learned to knit! Although I didn't find any yarn that spoke to me, it was still fun to look around. The boys waited patiently because they often benefit from our mad knitting skills. :)

Up a wee lane from the main street in town, we saw the entrance to our destination:



After getting our Historic Scotland Passes stamped, we entered the center of the palace. This is the home of the oldest fountain in the UK.




The palace has four towers and that each have spiraling staircases up to the top. We climbed to the very top of the Queen Margaret's Bower, despite someones fear of heights (GARRICK!).





Back down the stairs, we walked in and out of apartments, hallways, water-closets, and saw some very large fireplaces! They would also put tapestries on the stone walls to provide insulation. Something tells me it was still pretty cold.





Commence jumping photos:





Back outside, we took in the changing leaves and amazing views.




Right beside the palace is St Michael's Parish Church. We had two elderly men kindly give us a tour around the church, sharing interesting facts along the way. The steeple was made to resemble the Crown of Thorns:



Here is the view looking down the center aisle. The stained glass at the front represents the hierarchical structure of the Heavens and the Earth.



This stained glass window was put in recently and symbolizes the tongues of fire and the doors in Revelation. Each window has an intentional fault, to remember that only in Christ are we made perfect and whole.



After lunch at the Four Mary's Pub, we caught the next train to Edinburgh!



After a brief walk from the train station, Liana and I found another knitting shop! I picked up some yarn and double-pointed needles for a new pair of gloves.

Also worth mentioning, Eggnog Lattes in Red Cups:



We shopped, explored, and enjoyed our time with the Nickels, a very fun and lovely couple!

Towards the end of the evening, we stumbled upon some festive lights and decorations, and even had some time to dream in Anthropologie. Then, we ate some terrible Indian food and were back on the train to St Andrews. Here's the Nickel's take on our trip: http://mcnickel.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/our-second-expedition-linlithgow-palace.html. Stay tuned for more adventures!