Glamis castle and the Electric Brae

Weird Glamis castle

Glamis castle appeared to be a renovation job which had gotten out of hand. It was never a fort or a stronghold, so why it was built like one i do not know. We toured ten rooms and the guide told us that each room seemd to be added on. They added on this and that and the other. There was even a fake armoury room. It would appear that it was sort of a drop inn centre for nobility when they needed a bed or like a place to stay for the night or to go hunting. They also seemed to like raising their children in there. The Queen Mother i think had some kind of connection to it.

 

At the end of the tour i felt a bit stupid. Unlike the Rosslyn Chapel where i felt edified and wonderful, i felt sort of swindled. We had been charged an arm and a leg to take a tour of the Earl of Strathmore's home - just a few rooms - so that we could listen to how wonderful they all were. I have to say it did raise a few Republican feelings in my chest and Oisin at some point asked, what did they do anyway that they got all of this?

 

Apart from the China much of the furniture was fairly tasteless and the portriats were also rather tasteless. There was one of the Earl of Strathmore - like the third or fourth one, who had a flesh coloured leather hunting breastplate made for himself complete with six-pack and nipples. He was in full Jacobite wig and was painted like some Roman God. It was really quite funny.

 

The only reason why i went to Glamis was because of the Shakespeare connection. It turns out that this was also some kind of fabrication on behalf of Shakespeare. I also felt that everything - and i mean - everything which this culture stood for seemed rather meaningless. It was like looking at some empty shell which had outlived its purpose - if it ever had a purpose to begin with.

 

Real treasure and riches

Later on we took a walk towards the Italian gardens which did not look very Italian to me, apart from the carvings of stone urns which were stationed here and there. The boys ran around picking flowers and daffodills... and asking for kisses and hugs - until it kinda got quite competitive. I said to them, you know, it is important i say this, that this daffodil and daisy to me are more valuable than anything we have seen today. To you - said Oisin, well to not just me, but to the whole universe. Then Ghin said, you mean you feel like you are the Queen of the Universe? Yes, i said, i feel like the Queen of the Universe because i am here with all of you.

 

True story.

Giant Scots pine in the Italian garden

I am almost never ever visiting a private castle again. Unless someone else is paying for it. Or if it is run by the government. Castles should be ruins or they should be all access. Castles belong to history and everyone. I am not a Republican, i am just someone making an observation of how i felt.

Queen of the Universe....

I like that :-)

After that, we went home

Actually Not so FAST... we visited the Electric Brae where water flowed upwards and our car rolled upwards the hill.

We heard about it from the hairdresser in Ayr and i thought the boys deserve a weird phenomena for being so good, except when they were torturning each other of course. Anyway, we found the place on the way back and it WAS incredible. They spilled some Coke on the ground and it went upwards and we also let the handbrake of the car go and it rolled back upwards as well! It was awesome.

I think that's enough weirdness for one holiday really... and so we then DEFINTELY went back to Belfast, which isn't weird at all of course.