After breakfast Richard drove my parents back to Edinburgh to pick up their rental car, and they took Miriam with them. So the boys and I walked down to the pier. North Queensferry is in the Kingdom of Fife, and it's so beautiful. There were those purple and blue clouds again, contrasting with the dark green landscape. I had fun taking photos while the boys played on the rocky beach.
After lunch we drove to Scone Palace. (Pronounced "Scoone" if you want to sound Scottish.) Scone palace was the coronation site of Kings and Queens of Scotland for hundreds of years. I couldn't quite get my head around the significance of the ceremonies that took place at this quiet and serene palace in the Scottish countryside.
We toured the palace, which actually is still the home of the Earl of Scone and his wife. His son is the Viscount of Stormont and he is therefore married to the Viscountess of Stormont, and they have a son as well. He is not yet married but what pressure! There was a guide in the palace who valiantly tried to explain to us how the aristocracy of Earls, Lords, and Viscounts was organized, and with several comparisons to Downton Abbey as a reference for us sort it out, I think we came away with a vague idea. It is quite fascinating actually and I think I need to dig up some movies to help me really get a handle on it. (Or read a book, but don't movies about Earls and Lords sound so fun?) The guide told us that there is a running joke among these families "Produce an heir, and one to spare."
The palace was lavishly decorated and really fun to walk through. There was also a special exhibit about Dido Belle, probably because of the recently produced British movie about her life- which of course now I'm dying to see! I know I post a lot of links, I do that for your convenience if you are curious, because I reference them to help me get my facts straight. But if you don't click on any other link- read about Dido, it's a really neat story.