the Rosslyn Chapel

The Rosslyn Chapel wasn't really part of the agenda. But a gypsy girl I met at the square mentioned it to me and said that its a must to see, so my curiosity got the better of me and there I was on my last day, at the Rosslyn chapel. I later found out that this was one of the scenes in the movie Da Vinci Code. And so that explained the massive crowd when I got there. Not what I was expecting. What I thought it would be was a peaceful place where I could have my silence. It was far away from that.

It was late afternoon when I got there. Silly me took the wrong bus from Edinburgh. I got there in the end, Roslin, Midlothian Scotland, in the outskirts of Edinburgh. The entrance fee was a little bit expensive but I guess the Chapel was in dire need of funds due to the crumbling walls and ceilings. I've learned that ever since the location was included in the movie, it suddenly became a hit tourist destination, with visits increasing from 400,000+ to almost a million each year. Good for business. 

The Rosslyn Chapel was technically part of the Sinclair Family, a well known and noble family that was a member of the Norman knights in Northern France, thus the influence of medieval architecture. What caught my interest was the alleged involvement of Freemasonry and the Knights Templar around the vicinity. However, I believe these were all speculations. Although, there were stones with etched swords that seemed to be those of the Templar Knights. 

The whole inner architecture of the place was rather stunning, in the sense of its uniqueness. I've never seen such intricate masonry in a church before. I was so used to seeing saints, cherubims, devils, jesus, mary, carved on the walls. But this time around there was a mix of Green men (more pagan), plants, musical boxes, animals and so much more. The external architecture actually reminded me of the temple Burubudor in Indonesia. Photos though were not permitted inside. 

A tall Scottish guy with glasses (who I found charming and cute) passionately talked about the history of the chapel. I asked if any more excavations occurred in the past century. He said that efforts were started but because of the fragile architecture, they had to stop and use scanners/xrays instead. They found there were metallic figures that seemed to be knights buried underneath.

Late lunch was beckoning, so I went out and found a hidden place away from the chapel's cafe far away from the people. All because I was a little bit embarrassed with the food I brought with me, big slices of chicken drumsticks from a cheap dairy shop in Edinburgh. I sat on the ground at the edge of a field and stared out while happily munching my chicken thighs. The view was lovely, rolling hills of greenery, covered by healthy green trees swaying with the wind. It was starting to be chilly and the scent of incoming rain was filling the air. I quickly finished lunch and went back for my last few moments in the Chapel. 

There was a new bus group that arrived. A swarm of elderly people stormed in the place and that's when I noticed Margaret, the lady I met earlier on the Highlands tour. She was enjoying the surrounds. I quickly sat with her, seemed that fast paced walking could get her breathless quickly. She's been joining group tours for the past few days, which was the best approach for her traveling around. After a few minutes, I left her to explore the chapel and said my goodbyes.

I found a bench outside, under a big old tree. There I filled up my postcards to families and friends. The guy who gave a talk earlier passed by so we had a chat. I found out that he was living in Spain, teaching English. He was such  personable guy and easy to talk to. As I write this, I realize I've forgotten this name. 

I finished filling up the postcards and made a final loop around the Chapel before I headed off. The Roslin town was quaint and charming. I found the bus stop back to town and got back to my hostel. It was time to pack up again.