Travel diary Scotland day 3, 2016: "Long may she reign" - Nostradamus, Reign

 **Disclaimer: I write and upload the same day, often after a long and exhausting day. I often don't have the focus to re read and take out the typos, grammatical and vocabulary errors. Beware!**

Hallooooo!!

Today's photos make it look like it was such a dreary day, but I promise you, it wasn't. Well I know some people would have found today boring, but that is each to there own ;)

So yesterday evening before I went to sleep, I made sure I had set my alarm clock for every morning for the rest of the week. I have a busy schedule and I'd like to get the most out of my trip. I did set my alarm clock for the rest of the week, except today... When I woke up this morning, it was 9am. 9am! I had my alarm set for 7! A 2 hour delay. Anyway, rather than rushing out of my hotel room, I just adapted to a new plan. If I get up later than anticipated, let just take the rest of the day super laidback as well.

I drove to city centre and parked my car near Stirling Castle. The first thing I needed to do was to find breakfast. It took me a while to locate a Cafe Nero or any coffee shop that was open for that matter. Living in London really gives you a false idea of reality where all the shops are open every day of the week until ridiculously late hours.

All the links to Reign
Anyway, after breakfast it was time to make my way to Stirling Castle. Didn't do much research about it before hand so it was a nice surprise that the main focus on the audio tour was King James V (Mary, queen of Scots' father). It was so interesting to hear someone actually talk about a certain periode in history (16th Century). I've learned so much about that periode thanks to one TV series. Back in May, a friend introduced me to the show and I've been hooked ever since. Not only do I think the show is great, it also makes me look for information and actually learn something. It was amazing to be able to actually link names to a place and other people in history.

The main reason why I wanted to visit the castle in the first place was not because it was a film location of anything that I was familiar with (yet), but it was featured in Dragonfly in Amber, the second book in the Outlander series.

I really need to see Braveheart now
After my 2hours wandering around Stirling Castle it was time to move on to other places. I've visited Argyll Lodging, which I don't really recommend and the William Wallace monument on the other side of town, which I do recommend. By the time I arrived it was proper raining, which gave the below view on Stirling Castle:

I'd recommend this with an audio guide! I knew who William Wallace was and why he was a local hero, but I've learned a lot more thanks to my visit to the monument. It's also inevitable: I have to see Bravehart...

And yes, that is actually Wallace's (broad) sword. 1.67meters long!

You can actually go on top of the monument, which should give you (with better weather) a beautiful panoramic view on Stirling. Instead I got this. Quite a view hein?

The monument closes at 5, so I had wandered around for a good hour, which was enough.

After I got back to the car I wanted to back to the hotel and get some dry shoes, but I changed my mind as I wanted to have an "early" night. That didn't work, it's passed midnight... Again -.- Anyway, had dinner at a pub in Bridge of Allan, not to far from Stirling University (where I'm staying) and was 'home' around 7. And that is it for today! Tomorrow I'm leaving Stirling to visit more places, especially one I'm very very excited about x)

That is it for today. Thanks for reading!
xo - Sara