I Fought the Law...and the Law Won

Maybe they found out about
the Wallace sword story...

Day two in Stirling was just as eventful as the first.  My illegal presentation caught up with me, though, and I was booked at the Old Town Gaol.  Conditions were rather bad: one of the punishments was picking oakum, essentially picking apart the individual fibers of tar-covered ropes.  If you prefer something else, how about turning a crank over 10,000 per day?  Justice is served!

I suppose he isn't the "Right Guard" for this...

Melinda was incarcerated as well - her crimes were never listed, although in this particular picture she looks skeptical of the entire ordeal.
Actually my crime was telling a bad joke: I told this gentlemen that I had some frozen holy water and would be glad to sell him a "pope-sicle."

Living Quarters (right) and the Great Hall (left)

Moving right along.  Under James V, construction of Stirling Castle - parts of which are newly refurbished - began in 1538.  It was intended to be a residence fit for the king and his queen, Mary  of Guise.  Alas, he died in 1542 and more than likely never saw the completion of the castle.  The Great Hall is a light hue of honey, a coating appropriately named "King's Gold."  It is quite probable that at one time the entire castle was this color and would have been quite impressive to the eyes of visitors.  Inside the Great Hall, an astounding room greets the entrant, and the ceiling is reminiscent of a ship.        

Yarrr....me ship listed badly
when me took this picture

An extensive project was undertaken to restore the royal apartments.  Notably, the "Stirling Heads" were recreated and painted.  Once situated high above the floor, the wooden heads - carved from Polish oak - depicted the royal family, Roman emperors, high-ranking officials and symbols of the king's wealth and power.  Oh - the paint contained arsenic.  The weight of the heads was so great, however, that during the eighteenth century the ceiling collapsed.


One of the perks of working in Edinburgh is the company car.  This is not the color I would have necessarily chosen, but I suppose it will do.  

No match for my Prius in a drag race...