Day 118 of international places giving smiles – Remembering our visit to The Kingdom of Fife and St Andrews in Scotland
My golf addict husband wanted to visit the place of origin of golf at St.Andrews and along with that we were ready to go where not many Indians had gone before called the Kingdom of Fife! This place sounds impressive but is actually just a chain of little ports and coastal fishing villages.
We first went to Queensferry which is so called because the Queen had established a ferry at this point to take pilgrims across the bay to the north churches. We got a great view of the huge Forth Rail Bridge-said to be one of the longest cantilever bridge in the world. It is said that painting it was a continuous affair for the painters. By the time they finished painting the end of the bridge, it was time to start at the beginning again. The person in charge was a Mr. Bauch and this shoddy work was nicknamed a ‘bauch job’. Even now as per the Oxford English Dictionary a ‘botched work’ means the same thing. We then had to cross the bay called the Firth of Forth by the road bridge.
We crossed the sea town of Largo which is said to be the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk who is the real-life inspiration for the story of Robinson Crusoe by the Scottish author Daniel Defoe.
We were ready to drive to drive through the small picturesque villages on the east corner of Fife called the East Neuk of Fife. The small settlements around the sheltered harbours had a distinctive stone-built architecture. As trading boats increased in this area, the previous thatched roofs were replaced and we saw the distinctive red clay pan tiles on many of the old buildings in Fife. Our first stop was by the lighthouse of the village of Elie. These small coastline villages were also infamous as a paradise for smugglers. We then drove past the church and the windmill in the village of St. Monan. Our highly enthusiastic guide Mac told us stories about how witches were treated at the next village we passed called Pittenween.
Our next stop was at the harbour of Anstruther where we saw many pleasure sailing boats being docked at this marina. It is home to the Scottish Fisheries Museum. There was a small memorial dedicated to the local sailors who died when their ship was attacked on the high seas. We also saw the double award winning fish and chips shop- the Anstruther fish bar.
The kingdom of Fife is also known throughout the world as the home of golf with more than forty beautifully landscaped golf courses. Our next stop was the place where the sport of golf was invented- St. Andrews. We were looking at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club which has the responsibility of overseeing the rules of the game even today. This is considered to be the Mecca for golf-lovers and we were thrilled to see the small bridge on the 18th hole of the Old Golf Course!
We next saw the oldest Scottish St. Andrews University and it was attended by Prince William. We saw a small café with a board that said ‘Kate and William would meet here’. We visited the ruins of the St. Andrews Cathedral and Castle and tried to imagine how majestic it must have been before it was attacked by the forces. This town with its surrounding hills and hamlets retains an appealing old-fashioned feeling to it. We had no time to take a leisurely walk on the famed sandy beaches, instead we browsed through the small shops that catered to the many tourists on the main street of St. Andrews.
Our guide told us many interesting stories about how Fife was the home to Scotland capital for many years. Evidence of this can still be found in the many castles, cathedrals and places of historical interest. After a pleasant drive through central Fife our next stop was at the Falkland Renaissance Palace- the home to the old royal family and we saw a recreation of the monarch rooms as they were used in those times.
As we drove up the rural hinterland of Fife, we saw the change in the landscape. Our guide told us that the hills, cliffs, bays and beaches were the perfect setting for the shooting of some of the scenes from the movie ‘Chariots of Fire’. We then stopped to admire the wild beauty of the Lomond Hills. Our guide kept us spell-bound as he narrated in detail the incredible rise and fall story of the famous Mary-Queen of Scots. We drove past the small island on Loch Leven where she was imprisoned during her later years.
It seemed as if we were coming back from another era as we returned back to the hustle and bustle of the city life of Edinburgh. The memories of the visit to the Kingdom of Fife and St. Andrews would surely leave quaint old feeling in our minds at all times!
So what place made you smile today?
Be thankful for the places that make you smile!
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