Stirling: Day Four

"Here Stuarts once in glory reigned
And laws for Scotland's weal ordained
But now unroof'd their palace stands
Their sceptre's sway'd by other hands
The injured Stuart line is gone
A race outlandish fills the throne
An idiot race, to honour lost
Who know them best despise them most."

Our honeymoon exploration of Scotland comes to an end, and on our last full day in Scotland, we think it best to note that the lines we've used to introduce our posts are, of course, from Robert Burns. Today's lines were etched by Burns with his diamond pen on a pane of glass in our very hotel (he smashed it later with his riding crop due to ill-feelings it engendered). We spent much of this rainy day (the sun only came out to indicate it was about to set just moments ago) in the hotel and in the city centre. We had viewed the Wallace monument (in which the first monument in the Hall of Heroes was of Robert Burns) and Stirling Bridge from the ramparts of Stirling castle (no longer unroofed due to 35 years of renovations which have just been completed), and after our "nice walk" around Stirling yesterday, decided to give our feet a rest. The town itself is wonderful and compact, and the city centre holds our hotel, shopping, lovely bakeries (we shall miss you Stephens) and the Athenaeum, a gorgeous round building (in the Scots style) designed as a reading room. We will continue to post our adventures (small and large), but, likely these tales of the mundane will pale beside our days in Scotland. Fear not, esteemed readers, it is certain we will travel again, when the funds are replenished...
Tomorrow: A harrowing drive to the airport (roundabouts!) and long flights home.