Now that exams are over

Yesterday I finished my second of two exams. Both were three hours long and involved three questions/essays. The professor in charge of the program told us that next year they'll have more papers and not an exam because it's a little silly to have exams for Masters level programs. As a break today, I walked to the castle where I could sit on benches overlooking the North Sea and read a non-International Relations book (Pride & Prejudice & Zombies). I probably spent more time taking photographs, though.

The Bishop's Castle of St Andrews was a palace,

workshop, prison, and fortress. The original one

was destroyed in the "Wars of Independence."

The buildings visible today date from 1400 - 1560.

The castle was at the forefront of the Reformation

in Scotland. The Protestant George Wishart was burned

at the stake just in front of the castle, and his captor,

Cardinal Beaton was later murdered.

There is now a "GW" in the street where Wishart

was martyred. Following Beaton's murder, the castle

was besieged in 1546 - 47 with Protestants trapped inside.

During the siege, the attackers tried to dig a mine

into the castle, but the Protestants dug a countermine

and broke into the attacking tunnel and stopped

the advance. Today visitors can go into this mine.

Castle Sands

In the distance is the iconic St Andrews pier.

Every Sunday after church services, students

will dress in traditional red graduation

gowns and walk along the pier.

The cathedral was destroyed

during the reformation, but it

was the largest cathedral in Scotland

and very important for the Catholic

influence here. Having a direct

connection to the Vatican allowed

Scotland to bypass England politically.