Journeys for Knowledge

Due to my prices of flights around Christmas, I booked my flight home for two days after Christmas. In the meantime I went up to Newcastle with Miranda to visit my uncle. We decided since we were already further north, we should take advantage of this opportunity to explore some cities in Scotland. Thus we made short day trips into Edinburgh, Durham, and Newcastle. This will be quite a long post, so apologies in advance.

This first thing that struck me about Edinburgh was how hilly it was. You must understand Cambridge and London for the most part are quite flat. As someone who grew up with hills by my house and went to college at a campus that was on a slope, it was quite a refreshing sight. We noticed another Christmas market that seemed eerily similar to the Southbank Market in London, with many of the same German foods and Christmas gifts for sale.

Next to it was the Scottish National Gallery, which an interesting assortment of 18th and 19th century art. All this recent exposure to art has taught me that it is not enough to simply form an opinion based on a piece, a small bit of knowledge regarding the artist or the technique can go a long way into discovering the deeper meaning behind a painting. This is why I find myself appreciating a sculpture by Rodin more than an average painting, because I took that time to learn more about him while viewing the extensive collection of his work at Stanford.

However, what I am drawn to far more is history and architecture, which is why our next stop about a quick lunch was Edinburgh Castle. The view was simply amazing from up there, and though entering the castle itself was too expensive, it was enough just to pass through its gates. We made a second pass at browsing art in the National Museum of Scotland, this time Japanese wood block paintings regarding kabuki theater. I actually recognized several scenes being portrayed from “Shui Hu Zhuan”, a Chinese classical novel I read back in college. After a quick walk through Edinburgh University, and a little meander through the streets, we made our way back to Newcastle for some hard earned rest.

The next day was a brief visit to Durham, which is famous for its cathedral. In fact the view of the cathedral from the train is considered one of the best in the world, and truly it did not disappoint. The weather was a little less forgiving this day, but once we were inside it no longer mattered. The building dates back to the 11th century, and while it certainly isn’t the largest church in the world (that honor goes to St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City), it is still awe inspiring.

We decided to sit in for a short service that was starting just as we were about to leave, which consisted of singing several hymns and listening to a children choir sing. Neither Miranda or I knew the words or tune to any hymns, so we simply listened silently. Regardless, it was an immensely calming experience to sit in such a grand house of God and take part in another faith’s prayers. It was a comforting reminder that faith and good will can transcends all boundaries between people, even the ones it puts up itself.

The final outing to the Newcastle coast was a nice way to end our travels in Scotland. There was no major point of interest to see or pilgrimage to make, simply a windy coast to the North Sea and the river Tyne feeding into it. We spent the morning taking in the whole experience, along with a fair bit of sand kicked up by the wind. Just as we sought shelter in a small cafe, the rain hit and continued until we finished our tea. After a late lunch in the city we returned early to rest and spend some time with the family. Art, culture, and history are all fascinating subjects to explore, but juxtaposing it with nature results in a simply beautiful journey.

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