Mainstream Stone Age

Sunday 10 August 2014

4:19 PM

Orkney Mainland, Scotland, UK

To say "I'm tired" would be an understatement. I'm staying in Kirkwall, but I had to bike to Stromness today so Ethel could get a tune-up. I suppose that wouldn't be too bad, but I didn't get to bed until 4 AM. Last night I started listening to Where She Went, and I couldn't stop. Now I'm on my way back to Kirkwall. I'm a figurative zombie, but I'm listening to it again as I ride because it's therapeutic in some very painful way.
I've just passed the village of Stenness and now I have to make a judgement call. Do I keep on, or stop and take some photos of the standing stones? I've been fairly good about not repeating things I've already done on this trip, but it really would be a shame if I stayed in Orkney for a whole month and never visited the stones.
So I turn off onto the B road, and make my way towards the monuments. There are people everywhere. Tour buses stop one after another, and people stream out like ants descending on an unsuspecting picnic.
Despite the masses, I'm happy I came here. The Stones of Stenness are what brought me to Orkney in the first place.

The Stones of Stenness now only has three stones which stand to their original hight, but originally it was comprised of 12 stones in a circular formation spaced 10 Megalithic Yards (MY) across. These very tall stones in such a tight circle would have felt very enclosed when the circle was complete.

Stenness is nice, but near by there is a Neolithic village called Barnhouse. I completely missed it last time I was here, and so I'm fairly eager to check out this peculiar village. All the buildings are worn down almost entirely to their foundations. It's strange because it just outlines where the walls and doors would have been. I'm reminded of when I was a little kid and I would draw the outlines of a house on the side walk.

Barnhouse Village, contemporary with late Skara Brae, is strange for two key reasons. The first is obvious, it's positioned extraordinarily close to the monuments mentioned in this post as well as Maes Howe. This tends to imply that the inhabitants of this village had a bit of status. Also these Grooved ware people don't seem to have a butchery like all the other Neolithic villages in the archipelago. No they weren't the world's first village of vegetarians, we know they ate meat. Was someone bringing this village it's meat? I'm willing to bet they weren't just stopping at Tesco.

The best bit about Barnhouse is that there weren't any tourists. The village isn't well known nor was it sign posted so people seem to miss it. But soon, I'm back into the throng of people hopping from monument to monument.
Next up is the big dig. I also missed the Ness of Brodgar excavation the last time I was here. Unfortunately, it's not exactly in a visit-ready state.

This Ness of Brodgar was not a village. They're calling it a ritual complex. With over 100 buildings that were originally surrounded by a stone wall unlike anything else from its time and a startling lack of domestic supplies, it's hard to come up with something better to call it. Only 10% has been excavated, and just that is completely revolutionizing what we thought we knew about the Neolithic.

If you're really interested in the Ness of Brodgar, I suggest you start with this video. It's really long so just be warned.

As with most in-progress digs, it's difficult to make heads or tales of what's going on unless you're working on the dig yourself. There is a person giving an explanation of the site, but they're just rapping up when I arrive. So I wander around, snap a few photos, and then head on to the Ring of Brodgar.

I'm not going to ramble on about the Ring of Brodgar because I already did that. So if you want some Neolithic Facts about the Ring of Brodgar check out this old blog post: A Peedie Adventure Part 2

It's a bit long winded as is the trend with my posts from last year, but it also details the village of Skara Brae so that's a plus.

Although you can't see them in this photo, it's crawling with tourists. This is as far as I make it before I decide to turn back. I'd go back to Brodgar later, but for now I just wanted to get back to the hostel and I had a long way to go.

My Home in Eday Part 2

Saturday 2 August 2014

2:15 PM

The isle of Eday, Scotland, UK

The post office is open, but the cash point won't take my card. I lack a chip... damn American debit cards... However, the nice ladies in the shop are able to get me sorted with some cash back, and so all is well.

There is a sign for the Eday heritage walk right by the shop, and as it would turn out, that walk contains the remainder of Eday's cairns. There is a short ride down a B road before there is a sign and one of those weird gate things.The thing with these gates is that only one person at a time can fit through it (and a skinny person at that). Bikes are a no go, and so I'm forced to leave Ethel behind.

This is apparently called a kissing gate. I didn't take this photo, nor do I know the elderly gentleman using this one. Either way, I'm sure you can see how such a gate would pose a problem for a bike.

It's a very short walk to the Stone of Setter, which happens to be the tallest monolith in Orkney (for the record, a monolith is a single standing stone, hence the prefix "mono").

This is the Stone of Setter, which is apparently 4.5m tall (although it is believed that it used to be even taller). 

I continue on to Braeside, a stalled chambered cairn in rough shape. It has clearly been excavated and the entrance is really easy for me to make out. The cool thing is that the entrance pretty clearly lines up with the Stone of Setter. This is an older cairn, so that probably dates the stone as well. Unfortunately, this isn't the most photogenic of cairns. So I'll spare you the photos.
Only a few hundred metres away is Huntersquoy Cairn. I have to say, I wish all my days here in Orkney were this easy. All my targets are within sight of one another. When I see it, I start to get excited. It looks like it's completely in-tact. As it so happens, it is. But... it's also completely flooded.

I love my job, but you couldn't pay me enough to go for a swim in a flooded subterranean Neolithic tomb. 

There is one more cairn on my walk, and to get there I have to make my way up the steep Vinquoy Hill. There are sheep everywhere, but the ground is covered in grass not heather. The climb is certainly worth it. I mean even if the cairn was a dud, the climb would have been worth it.

This is a panoramic view from the top of Vinquoy Hill which incidentally is on top of the cairn as well. It starts facing the Holm of Faray and the southern tip of the Isle of Westray, but you get to see a good deal of Eday as well as the Calf of Eday in this shot.

Lucky for me, this cairn isn't a dud. In fact, this cairn is the best/coolest cairn I've visited since coming to Orkney. This is because it's not in ruins. There is a long, low, gently curving entrance which opens up to a tall but cosy chamber. There are four smaller chambers which split out from the main one. each of their entrances are as low and narrow as the passageway into the main chamber. However, once inside these chambers are tall enough for me to stand in. Although, they leave me with an intense feeling of claustrophobia.

The entrance to the cairn as seen from the back wall.

The original roof had been replaced with a cement block fitted with a skylight. This illuminates the central chamber, and I have to say I enjoy the foliage which is growing along the top. It really adds to the feel of the place.

I think, if I lived on Eday, I would come here often. It's a good place to think.

Archaeoastronomy on Hoy

25^th July 2014

5:50pm

The Island of Hoy, Scotland, UK

I’m back tracking now. I’ve dropped off most of my things at the hostel, which turns out to be nothing more than a small one level house: two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a small central area for dining. I only have my small UK bag and my archaeoastronomy things with me. It’s so much easier to bike without all of my luggage, although I think I’ve more or less learned the art of it. That said, at one point my shoulder bag, the one holding my tablet, almost fell off the bike. The bungee cords held it awkwardly along the side of my bike tire. I nearly had a heart attack.

Anyway, I’m biking back to the Dwarfie Stane, which is my first research subject of my time in Orkney. I’m not going to go into great detail on all of the tombs I visit, because I plan to visit about 60 and I imagine that would get boring after a while. However, I will tell you about this one so you all can get a taste of what I’m doing.

I leave my bike at the parking place off the side of the road, and walk down the well walked path. Trudging through Scottish heather might just be the most efficient way to twist an ankle. By some stroke of luck or genetics my ankles don’t really twist in situations where they would for a normal person. All the same, the walk would have been awfully unpleasant if it weren’t for the path.

The Dwarfie Stane might actually be a bad “example cairn” because although it is a Neolithic tomb… it’s not actually a cairn. Technically a cairn is a mound of rocks and a burial cairn is a mound of rocks with an open centre which was used as a communal tomb. The Dwarfie Stane is unique in Orkney and the UK as a whole in that it’s a tomb made by hollowing out one very large rock. This quality of the tomb doesn’t cause me to change my research procedure, so you’ll still be able to get a feel for what I’m doing at all of the sites I visit.

The Dwarfie Stane as seen from the outside.

So the goal is to record the position of the opening, as well as the direction of the entrance passageway. Therefore I need a GPS & a compass (I have both so we’re good). The GPS has a 3 metre resolution right now, which is pretty brilliant even if it doesn’t sound like it. And it seems as though my iPhone’s compass still works even though there is “no signal” which means I get to take a secondary measurement on the passageway’s direction. Scientists love additional data points whenever you can get them.

I start by taking a few photos, and then I crawl down into the tomb. Sticking my arm out of the cairn, I record the GPS position. Then I begin to fiddle with both my Orienteering compass and my iPhone compass to take measurements.

The entrance points to the west, and seems to line up with the point on the horizon where these two hills meet. I haven’t calculated if there are any alignments with this tomb yet. However, it seems wholly possible that this tomb aligns with the setting sun or moon on a specific day. The celestial body would set in the crevice right between those two hills.

View from the mouth of the tomb

This is a spectacular first result, way more than I had hoped for. The inside of the tomb is covered with carvings, but all of them are comparatively modern. As I sit here jotting down the last of my notes, Ain’t no Grave by Crooked Sill plays on my iPhone. The irony isn’t lost on me.

When Was the Last Time You Did Something For the First Time?

Once upon a time, I visited Belize and Guatemala. It was here that I heard the question: When was the last time you did something for the first time? So here are my firsts from that trip and let me just say, they changed my life.

Tuesday 6 March 2012

۞       I went on a multi week trip without my family.

۞       I went to a foreign country. I remember the feeling as I stepped out of the plane and I breathed in the humid Belizean air. The sky was overcast and it had just begun to drizzle but none of it mattered. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I walked off of the Tarmac and onto the paved landing strip. My first steps onto a foreign country.

۞       I got my passport stamped for the first time. After walking into the airport we all waited in crowded lines. I went to a desk that didn’t match up with the line I was in. Unfortunately the woman who stamped my passport was not as enthusiastic as I was.

۞       I sat next to the girl I wanted to. She had taken a seat in the van which would later be known as “The Mystery Machine” I politely took the seat next to her. This would turn out to be a pleasant seating arrangement for the duration of our stay at Crystal Paradise.

۞       I went into a Central American Store…   You know you’re a tourist when you start taking pictures of the inside of a grocery store. The cloudy weather made the interior of the store a tad dreary. However, none of us seemed to care it was Belize! There were unfamiliar Central American brands to see and exotic fresh produce and meats. It was also here that I saw her smile. It was even more wonderful that it had been in my dream from weeks before.

۞       I got my first Belizean currency. This is where I first experienced how wonderful it is that everything in Belize is “half off.” It was also the first time I received a foreign currency by actually going to the country.

۞       I went to the Belize Zoo. It was here that I saw an assortment of tropical animals in habitats almost identical to their natural ones. I also saw the Tapir which I did a report on in the 4^th grade, and The Jaguar. I am going to take this moment to say how it was very wise of me to choose the Jaguar as a component of the Kendaro. Its agility and liquid-steel muscles were incredible. I do regret not actually petting the Jaguar.

۞       I rode in a van on the muddy mountainous Belizean back roads. The sky was overcast there were steep muddy walls punctuated by thick tropical vegetation. On occasion, we would drive though a small town or village. It impressed me how many people I saw outside even when it was drizzling. It was a nice first glimpse of Belizean culture.

۞       We arrived at Crystal Paradise Resort. The food was excellent, the beds were surprisingly comfortable, and the running water…   well it had the potential to be warm. Either way the desserts were unBelizeable, and socializing by the bar was fun in a casual way.

Wednesday 7 March 2012

۞       I had my first taste of actual fresh squeezed orange juice. Regular orange juice back in the states will never be the same.

۞       I rode a ferry across the Macal River. It was interesting and slightly unnerving to be on this rickety wooden craft that was driven by a motor and some cables. The Murky tan water below made me wonder what could be lurking underneath.

۞       I saw wild monkeys, a small troop of Howlers outside of Xunchunich. Amongst this troop was a baby monkey. It was adorable.

۞       Seeing the Howler monkeys was the first time I heard Ed say that in all the years he had been doing this trip it had never happened before. It felt special at the time, but as the trip went on and it almost became his catch phrase it lost a lot of its “Impressive” feel.

۞       All spice was the first wild jungle plant that was pointed out to us by our tour guide Eric. It smelled incredible. One of my few regrets on this trip is that I didn’t sneak some back into the states.

۞       I saw the Pyramids of Xunchunich, tremendous colossal structures that imbued us with breath-taking awe. It was here that I experienced, climbed, and explored ancient Ruins for the first time. The unforgiving jungle had clearly taken its tole on this once thriving city. It was also here that I saw my first “Halaw” the stadium of the ancient Mayan game of Pitz. Although Eric called the game “Pok A Tok” which is actually the Later Toltec adaptation of Pitz (the actual game that would have been played in this arena) with a completely different set-up.  All and all there was something amazing about standing on the summit of “el Castillo” (the biggest Pyramid on the site) and overlooking the city. The Rain lightly drizzled leaving the air misty in a way that only added to the experience. Xunchunich the stone maiden was a place where real people ate and prayed. People lived and died here in this city that was now in ruins after a millennium of abandon. I doubt our cities will remain as intact after our people have moved on.

۞       I bartered for the first time, and quite successfully if I might add. I got a slate Mayan calendar for about half of the original price, and a Colourful backpack which I would end up using the entirety of the trip, if only I had bartered for that dagger. Unfortunately, I spent all the money I had brought with me for that day, which later proved slightly problematic when we were wandering around San Ignacio.

۞       I explored a Belizean city for the first time. San Ignacio was really amazing. The sun had finally come out, and There were stray friendly dogs everywhere. The people were at these amazing fruit stands that sold an amazing assortment of produce much of which I had never seen before. Here we also saw wild iguanas and leaf cutter ants.

۞       I swam in a Belizean river. The Macal River with its deceptively powerful current nearly was the death of me. I tried to swim across but I was unaware of how much more difficult my shoes would make swimming. I remain confident that I could have made it across if I weren’t wearing those shoes. Either way, it was a fun experience and there was something real about it. This river was the murky tan colour that you see on National Geographic when they visit the Amazon.

۞       I explored the medicine trail with Ellie, Jessica, and Cindy. It was a cool trek through the jungle we all got so much mud on our shoes that they became heavy, but it was still really cool to be that close to these jungle plants.

۞       I had plantains for the first time. Honestly, I prefer their cousin the Banana. Plantain chips, however, are delicious. Banana chips not as much.

Thursday 8 March 2012

۞       I walked across the border into another country for the first time. Even though this was the second country I had visited. It was still cool to walk across the Border into Guatemala.

۞       I jammed out to music with my group in “The Guatemalan Mystery Machine” It’s not that I’d never jammed out to music before, but it was the fact that I was part of a group of strangers fitting in. It was fun doing stupid dance moves with “the Cool Kids”

۞       I spoke Spanish to a local Guatemalan. I had been speaking Spanish for years, but I had never needed to before, so when I met this small boy selling key chains I couldn’t miss the opportunity. He was so adorable too. I felt bad that I didn’t have any money on me. Either way it was a wonderful experience to have a practical application to something I learned in the classroom. This was one of the best moments on the trip for me.

۞       I met Luis Gonzales. That alone should explain it all. He was a stout well spoken man who seemed to hover above the jungle trails. The human encyclopaedia was wise beyond his years in a charismatic and amusing way. He showed a love not only for Mayan history, but a love and respect for the Forest from which the ancient Maya harvested their herbs. He had a unique way of combining all the philosophical similarities of the various religions around the world in a unique and impressive way. Even for a non believer like myself, he was more than capable of convincing me that there is something beyond our current state of reality.

۞       I saw the Pyramids of Tikal. This amazing complex put Xunchunich to shame. The Warm sunny air illuminated the structures. It was a wonderful feeling to climb the uneven stone steps and to explore some of the lower buildings. Of course all of this was made so much better due to the fact that it was explained to us by an expert like Luis.

۞       I went zip lining in the canopy of the Guatemalan forest around Tikal. It took a lot for me to conquer my fear. However, you would be amazed by how helpful encouragement from a crush can be when it comes to conquering a fear. By the end, I was doing tricks. All and all it was a pretty good time.

۞       I played my first drinking game. It was called “Fuck the Dealer” when they asked if I wanted to play I immediately responded, “Well that depends who the dealer is.” However the game actually has nothing to do with sex. The game is played by trying to guess the card that the dealer has. If you get it right they drink. If you don’t you drink. Eventually we got bored of this game, and became entertained by Melvin, the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle. A thousand and one “Chuck Noris” style jokes were inspired by this bug. This would be a reoccurring comedic theme for the whole trip.

۞       I had rum for the first time. I learned that I like rum a lot. 

Friday 9 March 2012

۞       I visited my first Central American school. I spoke at length with the principal who told me many things about the curriculum. As far as I’m concerned the only thing that set the school in Cristo Rey apart from the average elementary school in the US was the lack of funding.

۞       I went into my first cave. This one was known as Rio Frio…   for good reason. Luckily this one we really didn’t have to go into the water, although I got my feet in to remove some pebbles. This was the first time on the trip that I got to do a little rock climbing.

۞       I stood on a rock outcrop in the pine ridge region climbing on the cliff face and taking pictures of the natural waterfall. The Air was bright and sunny, and the water had an opaque green colour to it due to all the weathered rock that was in it.

۞       I swam in the brackish water of big rock falls. It was a lot easier than the Macal River because I wasn’t wearing my shoes. The water did have a salty flavour to it due to the eroded rock, and it shared the same green color as the other waterfall I had taken pictures of. The current wasn’t too strong, but the pools were really deep. I dove off the lowest of all the rocks, and I went down at least ten feet.

۞       I played Futbol against the local and All-Star Futbol team in Cristo Rey.

۞       I actually played well in a team sport. People cheered for me. We all sucked compared to the well trained local team, but we all had a lot of heart. I almost scored a goal once, and I ran as fast and as hard as I could. We were Team Melvin! And we gave it our all, scoring one goal…   to their 12…   Honestly, I have to say that’s pretty good for some people who never really played Futbol before.

Saturday 10 March 2012

۞       I went to Actun Cave. This is an experience that is almost beyond words. To start you have to go on a long trek through the jungle, mud, and mountain streams. The air was warm and sunny, and well…    I slipped and fell in the mud. Then we got to the cave. Although this wasn’t my first cave, it was completely different from Rio Frio. This cave was a cavern carved out by an underground river. We were given helmets with lights and we swam and hiked through the underground river.

۞       In Actun Cave I saw pottery and actual sacrifice victims as they were left. It was like actually going into a documentary rather than just watching it. This was something that I can’t wait to go back and see. Although I lost a good pair of socks in the deal.

Sunday 11 March 2012

۞       I saw the Belizean Capitol city of Belmopan. Ed was right, It was a two bit hole in the wall. The American embassy made me sick. Talk about ugly Americans, it was this huge over fortified building that seemed more like it was there to show off rather than any of the actual duties of the embassy. Other than the embassy the only other things to look at was all the wonderful Graffiti of dicks…   Belize should be so proud.

۞       I saw the cultural capitol of Belize, Dangriga! This was a treat. Our accommodations were nowhere near five star, but it wasn’t the first time I had stayed in a cheap motel. The town was poor, but the people pleasant.

۞       I saw a political rally in Dangriga. The Peoples United Party (PUP) had won there, and they were celebrating with speeches. Unfortunately, none of them were really charismatic speakers. Either way it was a wonderful cultural experience.

۞       I had home-made bread from a woman in Dangriga. I love fresh bread, but this was off the charts, and for $1BZ a loaf…    you couldn’t go wrong.

Monday 12 March 2012

۞       I snorkelled off of Tobacco Caye. The fish were awesome. The food was great. The sun was hot. I ended up extra crispy…  

۞       I found Conch Shells in the ocean. I actually got a lot of them for other people, but I kept the best one for myself.

۞       I’d like to say this was the first time I had broken my mom’s camera on a trip, but that would be a lie. However, it was the first time I had broken my mom’s camera on a trip while on a boat. Anyway it ended up temporarily waterlogged, and it won’t stay closed. According to Ellie, a little tape should be able to fix it.

۞       I saw and participated in some traditional Garafuna dancing. They had a live band, and they would teach us some dance moves, but most of us just did our own thing. I know I broke out my patented move “the Refrigerator” Everyone had a good time, and the music was really catchy. Easy to find the beat and move to it, and great for anyone who likes rhythms.

Tuesday 13 March 2012

۞       I flew on a little 8 seated airplane. I had never been on a plane that small before. It was a fun experience especially since I really like flying. On a side note, I was actually able to finish the rest of my edits on the second round of edits for The Legend of Sentra Night of the Lunar Eclipse during the duration of this flight.

۞       I made it to San Pedro, the city on Ambergris Caye. What a fun place. The ocean was beautiful, the shops were cool and we all really began to get a taste for “Island Time Mon…  ”

۞       I saw the sunset from a boat. Almost everyone went in the water, but my sunburn hurt to the degree where it wasn’t worth taking my shirt off. However, the sunset was magnificent and the rum punch was pretty good too. It just needed some strawberry flavouring. I remembered for the next time.

۞       I went out drinking for the first time. I had a few shots and a Smirnoff. Audra had us try something called a chocolate cake shot. There was vanilla something or other in the shot and lime with sugar on it, and it actually tasted like chocolate cake. My mind still hasn’t completely wrapped around how, but still it was a pretty fun affair. I can now say I finally understand why people drink. The buzz definitely added to the experience. We were also at a Karaoke bar, so I sang 3 songs. Of course I sang Piano Man, but I also did Hotel California, and Your Song. Everyone loved me, but then again, it doesn’t take much to please drunk people. At one point we all got up there and sang “Don’t stop Belizing!” It was a lot of fun, but I don’t think Journey would be all that proud…

Wednesday 14 March 2012

۞       I saw manatees for the first time. Many of the girls made comments as to how adorable they were, but I can’t say I was all that interested. I had more fun hanging off the side of the boat. Although we did get a few good opportunities to look at them when they surfaced for air. I don’t know but I have heard stories of how manatees had died by being too friendly to boats and getting chopped up by the motors. As we were looking at these animals, all I could think was that they really didn’t seem to want anything to do with our boats.

۞       I snorkelled off Goff Caye. We saw some pretty awesome eagle rays and stuff, but my flippers were so uncomfortable that this was probably my least favourite snorkel of the whole trip. Goff Caye however, was a nice little treat. It was a small little Caribbean island that seems like the perfect place to get shipwrecked. I mean if I had to be stranded on an island like that…   I think I’d be okay.

۞       I touched Stingrays. Yeah I actually touched stingrays…   I could of and should of touched the nurse sharks that were around when we were snorkelling. The only reason I didn’t was because I had never gone underwater with snorkel gear intentionally before, and by the time I had convinced myself it was a good idea I the nurse sharks had already left.

۞       I went to Caye Cauker! We didn’t spend much time here but I was able to buy a hammock for my mom. Caye Cauker is my favourite Caye we visited. 

Thursday 15 March 2012

۞       I explored San Pedro with Ellie and Jessica. It was a fun day in the sun. We saw most of the down-town part of San Pedro exploring many stores and seeing all kinds of interesting places. I’d like to say this is the first time I helped girls pick out dresses…   but that would be a lie.

۞       I told her how I felt, all without a drop of rum. Not surprisingly it didn’t work out, but from what I remember of my original dream. It didn’t work out then either. The rum came after. The good news is that things never got awkward. We still hung out afterwards like it had never happened.

Friday 16 March 2012

۞       I saw dolphins. A pod of dolphins swam near our boat. We actually were right behind them for a while, and I was in the front most part of the boat. I put my hand in the water not even a foot away from one swimming.

۞       I saw a sea turtle up close and in person. We were snorkelling off the northern coast of Ambergris Caye when our guide found a relatively large sea turtle resting underneath some coral. He got it out with his flipper, and It swam inches underneath me.

Saturday 17 March 2012

۞       I went to an Island without the direct supervision of any group. Ellie, Cindy, Jessica, and I went to Caye Cauker again some days later (the Saturday). We took the water taxi, and met some really friendly people. We also got to eat a fresh coconut.

۞       I had mango ice cream. Not the world’s most ground breaking first, but hey it was pretty good all the same.

Sunday 18 March 2012

۞       I watched the sunrise on the ocean. I had seen the after-effects of the sun on the ocean before, but I had never gotten up before it rose and watched the whole thing. Out of everything I saw on the trip, nothing was more breath-taking than the golden gleam on the water from that first ray of sunlight. I truly regret not watching it every day.

A Peedie Adventure: Part 2

Ello Mates, welcome to Orkney! Here comes the second installment of my Peedie Adventure to this wonderful island. This day, this entry, may just represent the best day of my life thus far, possibly second only to climbing the pyramids of Tikal in Guatemala. So please do enjoy, because I certainly did.

Friday 15 March 2013

7:21 AM

Orcades Hostel room # 1

My eyes groggily opened as my ears caught the wheeze of the TARDIS. My morning alarm was going off, and despite still being rather tired, I was very eager to start the day. My eyes scanned the light yellow walls, brilliantly illuminated by the early morning sun. It was going to be a beautiful day. This changed things.

Originally our plan was to explore the area around Kirkwall during the day today, and then head to our hostel in Stromness that evening. Then the following day we would walk to see Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness, and Maes Howe. Since today was beautiful, and tomorrow was supposed to be rainy. I made the corporate decision to reverse our day’s activities to better account for what’s we’d be doing inside and outside.

I then went to the bathroom which was adjoined to our room and tried the shower. No matter what I did, it wouldn’t turn on. This was rather disappointing, and to be honest surprising considering how modern this place looked. Either way, I threw on some deodorant and new clothes.

When I left the bathroom, Amber was just getting up. I told her about the showers, and she said she’d give them a try, while I went upstairs to see what could be done about breakfast. Orcades hostel does not provide breakfast, but it does provide a kitchen in which one could be cooked. The kitchen, if I might add, was quite nice – so much so that I could gleefully see myself cooking there. I quickly found an assortment of spices, and most importantly, tea, sugar, and powdered milk – the proper start to any breakfast in the UK. Since I had come prepared, purchasing a box of Apple Pop Tarts before I left, we had ourselves a meal. Your standard box of Pop tarts comes with six packages of two pop tarts. Since Amber and I were here for three mornings and there were two of us, my mental math calculated that we should have one package each per morning.

Feeling content as to how well that worked out. I made up two packages of pop tarts and began boiling hot water. Amber soon joined me in the kitchen and we had a really nice little breakfast.

According to the note that come with the room key, we wouldn’t be able to check out until 9:30, which left us with about an hour to kill in the lounge area. Here we found a book on bus times around Orkney. As it would turn out the next bus to leave Kirkwall for Stromness wouldn’t depart until 10:30 anyway. So we looked up walking directions to the bus stop, and waited to check out of the hostel.

When half nine rolled around we were packed and ready by the front counter. We officially and briefly met Eric, the guy with whom I had arranged the key drop a week ago. He explained to us that there was a switch outside the bathroom which had to be turned on in order for the showers to work. It was too late to do anything about it now, but it would have been nice to know earlier.

Afterwards, we made our way through Kirkwall until we found the Tesco. If I haven’t mentioned it before I will now. Tesco is Scotland’s Wal-Mart. Since Kirkwall is the capitol of the Orkney Islands, this Tesco was full sized and had exactly what I needed: New Shoes. Looking back, they were well worth the £14 that I spent on them.

From Tesco we continued on to the Kirkwall Travel Centre. We were about 15 minutes early for the bus. Since Orkney is so rural, 15 minutes is a good waiting time. We would later find that 30 minutes to an hour is more common. However at the time, it felt like an eternity.

There are two distinct differences between the buses of Orkney and the Buses of Edinburgh. The first is that in Edinburgh all bus fares are the same regardless of the distance between pick-up and drop off. In Orkney the fare is dictated by the distance travelled  Also in Orkney you can actually hear conversations going on regularly, as opposed to the generally silent locals in Edinburgh. I suppose this second difference comes from the fact that on a small island one is more inclined to know a good number of the people on the bus.

Either way, £2.80 and 35 minutes later, and we were in Stromness. I think I instantly liked Stromness better than Kirkwall. There was something quirky about it. Stromness seems to be terraced. It’s on a hillside in the south western corner of the mainland, and each street away from the ocean is substantially higher than the one before it, making it a theatre city.

Brown’s hostel was easy enough to find, after moving past the town square and walking down the main road for a minute or two. The roads in town were strange little one lane streets with passing zones frequently alongside buildings. Truthfully this is more or less pretty common here, but it really is an alien concept compared to back in the states.

Sylvia Brown is a lovely woman, who cheerfully showed us our room. There were no keys. Nothing was locked up. Why would they need to lock anything up? I feel like the saying goes, that a good thing is always spoiled by one person, and I have to say it made me feel good that, at least here, that one person hadn’t come along yet.

We left our stuff in our unlocked room, and began walking north out of town. It wasn’t long before the road forked, and we had a choice. We could go left and walk the eight miles to Skara Brae or go right and Walk four miles to the stones of Stenness. The plan was then to make a large loop one way or the other. Amber chose and chose wisely to walk to Skara Brae first.

It was a long yet beautiful walk. There’s something about Orkney that honestly reminded me of the area surrounding Berlin, Wisconsin. The rolling hills of farm fields, and the scent of livestock was ever so familiar. However, the stone walls outlining the farm fields gave the area a rustic look that was completely foreign. And it was this strange blend of familiar, rustic, and foreign which kept my mind occupied, as we walked along the beautiful sunny countryside.

There was one fatal flaw in this grand plan of mine. We didn’t have any food with us, and we hadn’t brought a drop of water to drink. If we had eaten a proper breakfast or really any sort of lunch at all we would have been fine. Since we did neither, we were incredibly hungry. All that aside, this wonderful eight mile walk took us a little over three hours. Every time we would pass a sign telling us how far to Skara Brae, we would rejoice in self congratulations. My ankles were starting to hurt from force breaking in new shoes, and Amber was getting tired, but eventually we found the gates which said Skaill House. We’d made it to Skara Brae.

I couldn’t help but to feel so incredibly accomplished with myself as we walked into the visitor’s centre and I saw the most beautiful words in the world “Skara Brae Café.”

One of two women came out to greet us, asking how she could help us. I responded, “First and foremost, we just walked all the way from Stromness without eating lunch; we would like to get something to eat.”

Initially they were surprised that no one had given us a ride. However, we’d simply never asked. Our American stigma against hitch hiking was so deeply rooted that the thought of hitching a ride had never crossed our minds. The woman ended up taking pity on us, giving us large discounts on some baked goods and extra hot water for the tea. I had a biscuit of sorts that was made from a type of local grain and fruit, and man was it good. Sure I was really hungry, but even still it was delicious. Anyway, three cups of tea and two biscuits later, we were both feeling rather good about ourselves.

It wasn’t until this point that it dawned on us that in order to actually see Skara Brae, we would have to pay. To make matters more depressing, it was £5.90 to get in. If I hadn’t just walked eight miles to get there, I might have turned down the opportunity to see it. However, Amber saw this as a good opportunity to rest, before we continued onward to the Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness. So I took Amber’s camera and purchased my admission ticket.

I walked in and watched a peedie video on Skara Brae. Getting in video form, all the information I already knew, from having researched the site before hand. After the video, I followed the passage way into a room filled with artefacts from the site along with plaques describing these artefacts'  various functions. Under normal circumstances, I would have spent a good deal of time meticulously reading all the information and looking at every artefact  However, since I knew Amber was waiting on me. I quickly snapped a large number of photos trying to capture everything. I could go back and read over the pictures later.

The artefacts room, ended with a door to the outside where before anything else there was an exact replica of Skara Brae house 7. Keeping the same mentality as before, I took as many pictures as fast as I possibly could. I had been told well before coming here that there were little runes inscribed around the bed posts, but I was in such a hurry that I didn’t even look for them.

I continued on through a gate marked with a sign that read: And now you will journey back 5,000 years. As I walked through the gate and along the gravel path, I noticed that there was a cement slab on the ground to my right that read: Man on the Moon 1969. A little ways further there was one that read: America Declares Independence 1776. A ways after that the first Crusade, then the Fall of Rome, the Birth of Christ and so on all the way back to Skara Brae 3,100 BC.  A short ways down the path there was yet another gate where a short blond woman about my age in a black poofy jacket was standing.

My immediate thought was: Ohh great. A guide. Now I won’t be able to get really close to anything. Ever since hopping the fence at Urquhart Castle, I’d felt particularly rebellious around ancient sites, and the simple fact that there was a guide there restricted that possibility. I sighed and the asked if I needed to show her my admission’s ticket. She said that wasn’t necessary. So I walked in the gate and there was the magnificent village of Skara Brae.

Before she began to give her tour, I pointed out houses 9 & 10 in the back, asking, “Now are those houses in the back the older houses that were built over?”

“Umm, Yes they are,” she responded rather surprised.

We continued down the path that surrounded the village, and all the while I would point out things and ask questions that identified exactly what they were, until the tour became less of a tour and more of an archaeological discussion on a place we were both rather familiar with. This apparently is not a common occurrence at Skara Brae.

Rachael was so impressed that she took me inside. We were just walking along one of the buildings when she unchained one of the blocked passage ways into the complex and signalled for me to come on. Here I we continued our discussion of the various aspects of the site. I was through the moon. This was an honour, a privilege, beyond anything I had ever imagined.

When I climbed the pyramids of Xunantunich and Tikal, I was filled with a feeling that is truly hard to put into words. I was standing in a place where people who were long dead and forgotten had stood. I was in their footsteps. It’s a strange powerful sense of nostalgia. When I was standing in Skara Brae this feeling was tenfold. The builders of Stenness and Brodgar had crouched (because of the then low tunnel) where I now stood.

I suppose for me this was a true moment of Self Actualization. Here I was in this magnificent place, and I had gotten there by my own hard work and determination. As an archaeoastronomer, this was a moment where I was really living out my career. If I had any doubts, they were gone. This is what I wanted to do with my life. I was on the right track. I was in the village of Skara Brae, and I was here because I had earned it, or at least I felt that way.

We eventually left the inside of the complex, and continued onward around the village chatting away about what life would have been like here in its heyday. To be honest I completely lost track of time. Rachael’s shift was done and Skara Brae was closing for the day, and so we walked back, arriving an hour and fifteen minutes after I had left. Luckily, Amber had really appreciated the break and didn’t mind waiting too much.

Rachael also thought it was odd that we hadn’t gotten a ride and offered to share her taxi with us. Amber and I were very keen on this because this meant we didn’t have to walk to the ring of Brodgar which would have easily been another four mile hike. So after a few minutes the three of us left for Brodgar. On the way I began to describe to Amber the astronomical significance of this stone Circle, and Rachael remarked how I should really work for Historic Scotland. If that was a serious offer, I wouldn’t have gotten on the ferry on Sunday morning.

Anyway, Amber and I were dropped off in the car park near the circle. Waving goodbye, Rachael rode away in the Taxi towards Stromness. Ignoring the stupid thoughts that were certainly in my head, the two of us crossed the road and walked into the monument.

If only I could have seen it in its prime. The Ring of Brodgar today consists of twenty some standing stones, but originally consisted of 60 tall stones. The stones themselves actually do very little for solar alignments. The main function of this circle, which measures exactly 125 megalithic yards across, is to mark out the intricate lunar patterns that can only be seen at the latitudes of Orkney and the Hibernian Isle of Lewis.

Archaeoastronomical Note: A megalithic yard (my) is theoretical unit of measurement proposed by the late Dr. Alexander Throm. He derived this unit by statistically analysing the circumference between several different stone circles to determine common multiples. In more understandable terms: 1my ≈ 2.72ft. Dr. Throm’s research has received a substantial amount of criticism by archaeologists and science historians. This is primarily because his research continues to imply that these Neolithic peoples had unlocked the Pythagorean Theorem as well as several other somewhat complicated mathematical feats. As an Archaeoastronomer, I personally have yet to take a stance on Throm’s research. I do think it is a mistake to under estimate the knowledge and ability of these people. However, it is an equally grievous mistake to super impose our understanding of the universe upon our interpretations of another culture’s innovations. I am unlikely to form an opinion on this until I’ve conducted serious research on this for myself.

Anyway, Amber and I wandered about the ring of Brodgar for the better part of a half an hour before making it down the road towards the standing stones of Stenness. On the way we passed the Watch Stone. A several meters tall imposing monolith which once stood opposite another stone known as the Oden stone (unfortunately the Oden Stone was blown up by a crotchety farmer in the 1800’s because he was tired of tourist attraction it brought). 

We continued on to the Stones of Stenness, which according to Rachael are what remains of the oldest standing stone circle in Europe. Today there are only three remaining proper stones each of which are almost as tall as the Watch Stone. There are a few smaller stone fragments also standing in what was once a twelve stone circle measuring 10my in diameter.

After we were done here, we continued walking until we reached the main road. By a sheer stroke of luck, the bus arrived within thirty seconds of us reaching the correct side of the road. We hopped on and rode the rest of the way back into Stromness.

I wasn’t exactly hungry yet, but we would have to do something for dinner soon. Our plan was to find a grocery store, and to then buy enough supplies to make the next two lunches and dinners. We ended up wandering about the whole of Stromness before coming across a grocery store. We were able to buy a loaf of bread, Peanut butter, raspberry jam, grapes, 6 pork chops, a bag of carrots, and two packages of instant rice for £14. We’re really good shoppers.

This was enough for us to have 4 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches each (two per lunch for Saturday and Sunday) as well as a proper dinner of pork chops, carrots and rice. When we made it back to the hostel, I went to the kitchen to inspect what was available to cook with. There was virtually nothing.

Now I’m a fair cook. If you’ve ever had my food you’d probably agree with that. However, these spices made it challenging. Somehow, I pulled together a meal of steamed carrots, rice, and pork chops seasoned with powdered bay leaves, salt, and stale granulated garlic. Believe it or not, it came pretty good. The rice and carrots were horribly bland, but the pork chops were pretty tasty.

After the dishes were washed, it was time to get some sleep. From our calculations, we walked at least 12 miles that day. It was time for a rest. We’d definitely earned it.