Focus on Scotland - 3

In the afternoon, after our trip to Loch Katrine, we went to Stirling Castle, where we had time to explore the castle if we bought a ticket for 16 Pounds, which I did because I thought it might be worth visiting - and it was!

A lot of the state rooms had recently been restored and looked very colourful now - even a bit too colourful to my mind. I asked  one of the wardens if these rooms really were so colourful when they were first built and she told me: YES, they were - because paint was very expensive at that time, it used to be a sign of wealth to have everything decorated in bold colours.

http://www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/

For more information you should visit the official website of the castle.
But before you climb to the castle you see a statue of a rather small man well-known as kind of Scottish Robin Hood:

the statue of Rob Roy - in the town of Stirling

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Roy_MacGregor

Stirling Castle

Castle's ramparts

 

fireplace - with the unicorn as a heraldic animal

Knight's armour

 

View to the Wallace Monument in the distance

The museum's wardens were dressed in traditional costumes

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After our visit to Stirling and its castle the day was not over yet - the last stop of our bus was at the Wallace Monument.
I am sure some of you have already watched the film BRAVEHEART with Mel Gibson.

http://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEcQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DCALe4odIPIo&ei=go9uUuf8JozcsgbHtYGQCA&usg=AFQjCNHNB0Whceag6p48mLSzJw6pMnsdNw&sig2=IYX7ISCfe2sHhBT3XX1rAw&bvm=bv.55123115,d.Yms&cad=rja

If you are interested in history and in the true story of this Scottish hero, follow this link and you can watch a BBC documentary on YOUTUBE about William Wallace (Don't worry it is in German :) )
You will also find out what happened to him after he had lost the battle of Falkirk againt the English army.

Have a look at some of my photos to get some impressions of the 

Wallace Monument:

On top of this coat of arms you can see the Scottish thistle

This should be William Wallace

This actor told the story of the battle at Stirling Bridge which the Sottish won

Inside the monument there is a souvenir shop!

Focus on Scotland - 2

LOCH KATRINE & TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK

Another nice trip we had at the weekend.
It was by bus to LOCH KATRINE in the Trossachs National Park. Unfortunately, the weather was very changeable that day. We arrived when it was raining, but later we were lucky to get som sun on our walk along the banks of the lake (Scottish: "loch")

http://www.lochkatrine.com/

You can also follow this link to find out more about the area, and what you can do there.

 

Some of us took the boat for a tour across the lake.

Others preferred hiking along the lake.

You could even hire bikes.

Focus on Scotland - 1

CULROSS

One afternoon we went by bus to a place near Dunfermline called CULROSS, there we visited a palace with a garden, but have a look yourselves! It was a tiny "palace" - not very posh :)
The palace itself closed at 5pm - shortly after we had arrived there, so we did not go inside. But we could walk around the terraced garden which had beautiful wild flowers and looked very romantic.

But Culross was a very nice traditional place near the Firth of Forth ("end" of the River Forth going to the North Sea).

The Glen Pavilion as party location

The pavilion where our lessons took place is usually used as a location for meetings, functions of all kinds - such as wedding receptions and ceremonies.

At the weekend after our first week the pavilion was decorated for a special occasion.
I am going to show you some photos of the preparations and I am sure you will find out which type of function is being prepared:

PS: Although it looks quite strange - to have all decoration in black - I was told it was a wish of the bride and groom!

Late news from my Scottish diary

From 4th to 16th August this year I stayed for another teachers' course in the UK - it was for the fourth time since 2007.

Today  I am going to write about the lessons we had during these two weeks. The title of my course included the phrase: "... focus on Scotland".

In the first week we had a teacher who showed us lots of class room activities with music to bring more "listening fun" to our pupils and students.
In the second week we had lessons on Scottish literature, and on Scottish politics (pro and contra Scottish independence).

The participants of the course were about 30 teachers from all over Europe. They came from Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Spain, Poland, Portugal, and of course Germany.
We were divided into two groups. Our lessons took place in a pavilion within a wonderful park. But the location itself looked more stylish than is was suitable for the course. There was no computer access and the rooms were a bit too large for a class room, so the acustics were not the best. But we had really enthusiastic teachers who made up for this, AND we really learned lots of interesting language activities.

Have a look at some class room impressions:

Glen Pavilion

coffee break & fresh air

Our teacher in the first week was very inspiring and funny, he understood very well to motivate us.
Here is a link to his website. If you like and have the time you could find out something about quite interesting and unusual recipes he has tried himself and described in his blog.

http://www.jeremytaylor.eu

Jeremy Taylor is not only a teacher trainer, he also writes books and blogs and recipes and, and, and, ...

Hello from Dunfermline in Scotland

Dunfermline / Scotland, August 2013

It has taken a long time before I could actually start continuing this blog, but Internet access in Scotland seems to be rather difficult.
At my host family I don't have WIFI, therefore I have applied for membership in the public library for these two weeks. But of course I'm not here for writing a blog, but because I should go to college and "brush up" my English.
I don't have time to be here every day.
I wanted to give you an impression on the town, but unfortunately, there seems to be something wrong with the page, so it might not work.

Erfurt / Thuringia, October 2013

...It is already October now - autumn holidays - which gives me some time to continue. As you can see, it did NOT work to post anything in Scotland!

Here are some impressions of DUNFERMLINE,
the historical capital of Scotland: 

High Street of the town that has about 39,000 inhabitants

Pittencrieff Park, donated by Andrew Carnegie one of the most famous people born there

Our walking tour guide - told us he was standing on William Wallace's "secret" grave!

Andrew Carnegie's memorial - have you heard of Carnegie Hall in New York City?

 It was named after the same man.