Day Two: Chelsea

In front of Holyroodhouse Palace

Today as a class we embarked on the Edinburgh 15K, or as our class liked to call it, Sunday. We started our morning with a walk to the Nelson Monument in Greenside Park where I (Chelsea) presented my Staff Ride to the class on Horatio Nelson, a navy commander. After this we took a short walk to the Holyroodhouse Palace where Ryan used his superhuman powers to stop a taxi showing his assertive and protectionism methods as a leader. 

Shortly after during a tour of the Holyroodhouse, we encountered a guard, Robert Johnston, and he proved the class with the idea that the Scots were very fluid with everything. He let us skip most of the tour and hurry on through to the chambers of Queen Mary of Scots. As we speak more and more with the locals and tour guides here, we are noticing several outward cultural differences including the use of “No worries” for “You’re welcome,” and “C’ya soon” upon leaving a store. 

During the tour of Queen Mary of Scots we noticed vast gender differences between her and Horatio Nelson, Mary whom was rumored to have had an affair and Nelson who did. Despite Nelson having his prior to Queen Mary, he was never punished for his very public affair, and Queen Mary, although it was just a rumor, the gentleman with whom she was having an affair with was murdered. This shows the different standards for morality for men and women due to men accorded more status, which is a possibility due to strength and being a warrior which result in more power and the ability to get away with things. Queen Mary of Scots could not collaborate with her husband as he was seeking power that she had, so it became more of a competition, whereas in Nelson’s situation he already had the power so felt no need to collaborate or be competitive for the power in the relationship. 

Melanie thought provoking the class

Melanie and Meghan’s “Personal” Pizzas

Melanie then presented on Kind David in the Holyrood Alley, who was a King by chance, not by rightfulness. We learned how he was selected by the King of England during the time to rule over Scotland, despite him not inheriting the crown. After a thoughtful provoking discussion as a class, we came to agreement that he was both a coercive, legitimate, and reward type leader depending on what part of the kingdom you lived in, what your duty was, and where you were when he took over as King.  

Our hike up King Arthur’s Seat

Dr. Herd in front of a field of Gorse Bushes

Louis Hiked Arthur’s Seat!

John, Literary Pub Tour Guide

As a group we then made our way down Victoria Street (aka, what Diagon Alley was based on) for a literary pub crawl, which once ago showed the fluidness of the Scots in that they did not ask for ticket confirmation, just saw that we were a large group and gave us our allotted tickets. Caroline and John (our tour guides) brought to life the many famous writers of Edinburgh including Sir Walter Scott and R.K. Rolling (they claim they adopted her!).