The Borderlands

Took another tour today. It was the best one so far. We went southeast from Edinburgh into the country on the border with England (hence the name). The countryside was very pretty, with rolling hills and forested areas. The highlights of the tour were Melrose Abbey and Rosslyn Chapel. For 50 points, can you remember why Rosslyn Chapel ticked your mind? If you remembered the Da Vinci Code, you win. Rosslyn Chapel has the most ornate interior of any church I've ever seen. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures inside--something about an accident and a lawsuit. I've posted some pictures of the countryside and Melrose Abbey below along with some exterior shots of Rosslyn Chapel.

Borderland hills. There was once a Roman fort on top of the tallest one.




Susan in the gorse.




There are lots of sheep in Scotland.




Melrose Abbey. It was destroyed several times and not rebuilt the last time. The English under Oliver Cromwell had a bad habit of destroying cathedrals across the British Isles during the English Civil War.



Most of the abbeys and churches in this part of Scotland are made from native sandstone, which gives them a beautiful multicolored look.




A flying buttress from Melrose Abbey.




The front of the Abbey.




Exterior shots of Rosslyn Chapel.




Note the detail of the carving. These shots also illustrate one of the problems with using sandstone--it wears away pretty quickly (in historical terms).




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