Monday was a bank holiday in Scotland which meant Katie had the day off from work and William was home from school. Despite the cold, sporadically wet weather, we decided to venture out and walk around the Old Town campus of the University of Edinburgh. Until two years ago, Katie’s office used to be located at Tevoit Place in the old Medical College, so she was able to provide a very interesting and detailed tour of her old stomping grounds.
The University of Edinburgh is world renowned for its teaching and research. In the 18th century, it was the center of the Scottish Enlightenment, a period that was marked with major advancements in intellectual thought. Some of the writings from the Scottish Enlightenment, especially the letters of David Hume and Hugh Blair, are of particular interest to me because Thomas Jefferson attributes them with greatly influencing his political and rhetorical philosophy (but I’ll save that discussion for Kristin Cook on Wednesday).
The campus is rife with old stone buildings, leaded glass windowpanes and carved stone reliefs over entranceways and windows. Student flyers were plastered across old iron lampposts and blew in the wind across Bristo Square, an open space full of steps and concrete where students congregate between classes and on sunny days. The streets surrounding the campus are full of cafes, vintage clothing shops and pubs. We stopped in Starbucks to get some coffee to warm our hands and in a small bakery for Katie’s favorite pineapple and cream confection before heading on a drive to Leith, Katie’s first home in Scotland.
3 comments:
Another cool thing about Edin uni, King James allowed it to become a Uni. He was very canny and never gave any money to the making of it, but 'allowed' it to become. When it first started, there was one professor and 6 students. Now there are over 26,000 staff...no idea how many students!! At least 1,000 med students at any one time...don't know about the other colleges or sub sections of the uni. I feel absurdly proud to be a part of its history....should've kept the carved wooden sign on my old door that had my name on it!
love your picture makes me really want to come to Scotland not all pictures come though my computer hates me but the ones i am getting are great Zelda sends you lots of wet kisses and to to tell you she is being good:~}
I can tell how proud you are Kates, and you should be!!
Post a Comment