All is well here. The skies this week have been so so blue, but the wind the past few days has reached fifty miles per hour and it feels near impossible to walk through the wide open fields I usually cross to class. On the first of the windy days, I underestimated how the wind could slow my commute as each step is much slower and I just made it to class on time. This afternoon I tried to read on a bench by the shore and the sea wind was just too much for my book's pages.
I've also been really trying to push myself to write this week and it's been successful. I think I'll always be in the middle of planning, thinking, writing and editing pieces but it's a wonderful creative outlet to have. :)
This past Saturday afternoon I met up with my friend Becky and her friend Janet who was visiting from England's Lake District. The three of us headed to the Kate Kennedy Procession, an annual parade performed each year by the students of the university's Kate Kennedy Club as well as a few townspeople. The KKC as it's known, was formed in 1926 although it's traditions and existence supposedly date to the 1400s. Historically the club only admits men and I'll say politely that it's one of the more posh, wealthier, and selective of the St. Andrews societies. Upon her arrival in 2009, Principal/Vice-Chancellor Louise Richardson disowned the club from being affiliated with the University on the grounds of sexism. Richardson stated that the club "was completely at odds" with St. Andrews and that she could not endorse a club "from which so many of our students are excluded at birth". The parade has continued in the years since through the town despite the club not being formally recognized by the University. Then, in March of last year, the club held some type of emergency press conference (which sort of makes me laugh...) to announce the admittance of first-year women in the fall of 2012. A few women are now apart of the club and I believe this was the first parade to include female students. The climax of the parade is the end with the flower-decorated horse-drawn carriage that brings Kate Kennedy through the streets of St. Andrews. Remembered vaguely by history as the beautiful niece of the University's founder, Bishop Kennedy, the role of Kate Kennedy is traditionally played by a male first-year student, kept secret from everyone except from the club's nine male first-year students.
The majority of the parade though, depicts the history of the University and town beginning with Saint Andrew (whose relics were supposedly brought to the East Coast of Fife (modern-day St. Andrews) in the first century) and progressing through prominent academics, leaders, royalty, townspeople and golfers until modern-history. I wouldn't say quite present-day...but certainly mid-to-late nineteenth century. Any prominent individual really who has had some connection to the town or the University is included in the procession. I found that extended to Scottish history as well. Mary Queen of Scots didn't attend the University, but was known to have visited the town and she was included. I imagine someday too, Prince (or perhaps King, then...) William and Kate Middleton will be incorporated into the parade of characters. And, for the photos:
Saint Andrew! And a few of the University's seals held by students wearing the traditional red gowns of the University.
Surprisingly the two dozens bagpipers who began the parade were not as loud as one might fear...or expect.
He was one of my favorite characters! I believe he's Pope Benedict XIII who authorized the founding of the University. He was shouting various phrases in Latin about the founding of a University and was so entertaining.
I believe King James I of Scotland, the son of Mary Queen of Scots. (In addition to being King of Scotland, he later became King James VI of England following the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, the last of the Tudors. England and Scotland would engage in many wars in the coming centuries but the reign of James initially united the two nations).
The two most prominent Reformation martyrs, Patrick Hamilton and George Wishart. Both were burned at the stake in St. Andrews in 1524 and 1546 for bringing the teachings of Luther and Calvin respectively, to the town.
Most of these I can't quite remember...this character though reminded me than (and now) of Peter Pan's Captain Hook...(as a side note, the creator of Peter Pan was in the procession as he was known to visit the town despite being educated at Universities in both Glasgow and Edinburgh.
...Another religious figure I believe...
And then a horse and carriage arrived.
I thought it was a bit strange right before the procession began to see three male students dressed in historic clothing wielding swords take their place among the parade's onlookers. Right as this carriage arrived and was announced (as each character was introduced over a loudspeaker by a man with a heavy Scottish accent) the students with swords ran from the crowd, attacked the carriage and pulled out this man who seemed to be the Scottish version of France's King Louis XVI.
And then, perhaps my favorite part! The influence of the American revolution in St. Andrews. Tri-cornered hats. So great. I believe this character was later a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Two of the signers (in addition to Benjamin Franklin) were educated at the University (in the case of Franklin, he received an honorary degree).
And then a character wearing some serious tartan arrived.
Such a hilarious character. Another Declaration of Independence signer shouting and waving a scroll to the crowd, "America is more than an idea! America is liberty! America NEEDS independence!"
Ooooh not the best picture...but, John Honey, another favorite! A student in the spring of 1800, Honey swam out five times off the St. Andrews pier to rescue sailors after a shipwreck. He died years later from injuries he sustained in the rescue. I particularly liked the rope and velvet top hat the character wore. :)
...Yet another King.
Sweet cane.
A prominent St. Andrews fisherwoman!
A doctor who treated St. Andrews patients in the nineteenth century plague! (...which previously I had never heard of occurring...yikes.)
An explorer!
Then a jester appeared shouting about the arrival of Kate Kennedy and this horn was blown.
As a side note, this poor horse was not having a grand time. The woman leading him or her continued to circle him around as the crowd's attention turned to Kate Kennedy and the speech given by the mayor of St. Andrews...although it was drowned out by the horse whinnying.
And from there, the procession ended. It was a warm day and Becky Janet and I headed to Janetta's ice cream parlour. I had ate ice cream from Janetta's twice in the fall, and I felt at the time it just didn't measure up to New England ice cream. However, this Janetta's ice cream was delicious! I ordered a scoop of both wild cherry and chocolate brownie and they both were so so good.
We waited in line for the ice cream outside and the procession went by once again. This was a funny moment.
Enjoying our ice creams, we walked along the shore and the pier. It was a beautiful afternoon!
Myself on the pier.
I'm headed out early tomorrow morning with my study abroad program for the Isle of Skye in northwestern Scotland, should be exciting. :) I'll give a wave to New England (or somewhere between Newfoundland/southern Greenland if I'm shooting straight across...) from across the Atlantic.
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