Day 7: Explore Orkney

Remember when I went to Scotland? And then I was blogging about it? Yeah, it's okay if you don't. It's been awhile!

You guysssss, Orkney is AMAZING! Before going on the trip, I did a little bit of research about the sites we would see on our Megaliths and Mysteries tour by Explore Orkney but was not prepared for how cool it is to see things that are thousands of years old.

We started out pretty early and met up with our tour, which was just us, one other guy, and our guide, who was a native Orcadian.

Our first stop was not far away and I readied my camera as we drove down the muddy driveway of a working farm and parked next to a fenced in area.

Rennibister Earth House



Rennibister is believed to have been built around 1000 BC, but wasn't discovered until the 1920s when a threshing machine fell through the roof. It was a neat thing to see, but I was shocked when our tour guide said that we were going to climb down into it! WHAT?! It just seemed unreal!



But we did it! And it was tiny down there! And short.



I just couldn't get over how this amazing archaeological thing was just...chillin' in the middle of a farm.



Next we drove just up the street to get a good view of the Bay of Firth where it is believed that ancient stone sculptures are. We didn't see any, but it's a great view.



And, from this spot, we got a great view of an upcoming destination, the Standing Stones of Stenness.



But first, Maeshowe! One of the coolest things I've ever seen.



They think Maeshowe was built 2800 BC, which is incredible because it is made out of large rock squares and is impressively well designed. There were two features that were most notable to me. First, to enter the tomb, one must lean down and walk along the very short entryway. (My sister had a great picture of us emerging from the tomb, but this photo kind of shows someone scooting out.)



Our guide explained that it was likely that this design was to force visitors into a kneel of respect upon entering. The other feature that is so insanely cool is that the structure is designed on a specific slope and position so that on the winter solstice each year, the light shines perfectly against the far wall on the interior.

Our guide was AWESOME and told such fun stories about Maeshowe and the people who built it and the people who later found it-The Vikings!

This is a photograph of our guide demonstrating the age of Maeshowe:



"The pyramids? Meh...Stonehenge? BOOO! And wayyyyy back here, Maeshowe."

Yes, Maeshowe is older than Stonehenge.





As you can kind of see in that photo above, there is tons of Viking graffiti on the walls inside the tomb. Our guide explained that it was ~3,000 years later when Norseman (Eric?) found the tomb and probably used it as shelter. I loved the stories of what the graffiti says because while in such a majestic and old tomb, one would expect there to be profound words carved into the walls. But, no, mostly the walls say things like, "So and so, the son of so and so was here." And "This chick is hot."

Maeshowe has the largest collection of runic inscription that survives outside of Scandinavia.

We LOVED Maeshowe:



And how do you follow up Maeshowe? Well, with this:



The Ring of Brodgar



The Ring of Brodgar is a true circle of large stones with evidence of a trench around it and is believed to be from between 2500 and 2000 BC. It's not known what is in the center of the circle so, if you're a millionaire, be sure to donate to the excavation!



Following the Ring, we saw the Standing Stones of Stennes, which, like the Ring of Brodgar, is impressive and just really effing cool. These stones are actually larger than the Ring's, but there are fewer of them and they date to about 3100 BC making them one of the earliest stone circles in Britain.





Our guide told us that in more recent years (like, the 18th century), the stones seen above were used or engagements, where the couple would hold hands and walk between the stones or something. It's also interesting to note that you can see Maeshowe between those stones!

Next up: Skara Brae!



(And no, 5000 BC is not a typo.)

Skara Brae is right by the coast and is basically an entire little village underground. It's insane.



Owning the nickname "Scottish Pompei" because of it's preservation, Skara Brae is a collection of eight houses built into the dirt, most likely to protect against the winter weather.





Last for this most incredible tour was the Broch of Gurness.



We learned that whomever built this structure, made a perfectly round building...with no instruments to aid them.



The Broch is practically a baby, though, built between 200 and 100 BC.



And so concludes or tour of Orkney! Truly an amazing day. With a VERY early morning upon us, we had a good dinner of fish and chips and some brews at a bar by the water and turned in as early as we could. I was definitely sad to say goodbye to Orkney. It's a very special part of the world.

Pretty Little Liars Intel: The Jenna Thing

Just to review, clues (or what could be clues) are all in bullet points. Do you have any theories? Tell me in the comments or on twitter! 

Also, this is a super fun project and I am already really enjoying it, but work leaves me exhausted most days and the one thing I just can't do is take photos without the "pause" icon on there...so, just deal with it for now, okay? I kind of like seeing the minute marker for the show, though. Makes it all more official.

Okay, let's dig into the second episode of season one: The Jenna Thing!



We pick up right after Ali's funeral from the pilot with the girls all at the Grille discussing Ali, their texts from "A", and Jenna. Why was Jenna at the funeral!? The girls totally realize that their friendships with Ali were a little one-sided. She seemed to know everything about them, while they knew very little about her.

• "Ali know all of our secrets."

But Spencer fesses up that she "knew some" of Ali's and reveals that Ali was seeing an older guy that summer she went missing!

• Emily is a lil upset about this. It should be clear now, and no spoiler, that Emily is a lesbian and (surprise!) was totally in love with Ali. 

Side note- Pretty Little Liars uses the same set that Gilmore Girls did for Stars Hollow. (Oh, hey! Are you a Gilmore Girls fan? Go listen to my podcast I do with Serena!) Is the Grille the building that is Luke's Diner on GG? Very interesting!



Remember how during the first episode I commented that I always check the time on clocks in the background? Well, it's the next morning and 5:45am at the Marin house! WHAT? At first I thought it was that evening, but they're getting ready for school and work so the timing only works for it to be the morning. I mean, I had to get up super early for high school, too, but they're damn chipper for it being early and it's super bright in there. Plus, none of them have bags under their eyes and if it's truly 5:45am, then I hate them for that.

Anyway, on the TV, Detective Wilden is giving a press conference about the newly reopened case and reveal how Ali died:

• "blunt force head trauma" with "suffocation" being the official cause of death.
• This might be nothing, but Hanna's mom, after turning off the TV, remarks on Hanna's lipgloss, which is "Amber Rose". 

I guess it's wicked early at the Montgomery house, too, and Byron mentions he has a late night, which is super awkward. Aria makes a pointed remark about it, which makes the mom suspicious. I really can't blame her, though. It's definitely established that Aria has kept her dad's secret and the mom has no idea that he cheated on her.

I love the interaction between Maya (with way better hair than in the pilot) and Emily over at her house. Emily offers her some tea and Maya says "Can I have a sip? I'd rather share yours." HAHAHHA! It's just such a cheesy come on. It's also hilarious when Pam Fields comes home and is SO straight-laced and all "Uhhh, is everything okay?" when she sees them hugging on the front porch. But then she invites Maya to stay over for a few days in Emily's bed, which is kinda weird because it's not like they're 10. Maya accepts (duh) and she and Emily skip off to go get coffee, stopping at Spencer's house first to invite her. Maya totally puts her foot in her mouth in regards to "the dead girl", but I loved the Brad Pitt reference.

• Maya says that Ali "is everywhere" when referring to living in the DeLaurentis' house, but maybe it means more.
• Spencer is practicing for field hockey. This is a cheat clue because I already know that the blunt-force trauma is caused possibly by a field hockey stick.

Finally someone is actually at school: Aria has gone there to ask Mr. Fitz to sign her form so she can transfer out of his class. She says how she just can't stand to call him Mr. Fitz when he is Ezra to her. This is cute since they made out once. Humph.

• Ezra is right-handed.
• His classroom is Room 108

All four girls get paged to the office where Det. Wilden is waiting for them. On the way, they get a text from A:



It's totally shady that he questions them at school. He says it's just a "routine follow up". He comments that their answers sound rehearsed.

• "Why did you all fall asleep?"

And check out these outfits. 



Still not the best, but each girl is starting to have her own style. Emily is the sporty jock. She rarely wears things that are super trendy. Spencer almost always looks like she could be in a handbook for how to be preppy. If she's not wearing something buttoned up then she has a tie or oxfords or something to make up for it. Aria usually looks the craziest. I'm not sure she understands the concept of matching, but she usually looks good. I like it when she wears weird patterns especially. Hanna has amazing outfits and in regards to shapes and fits, she is the most daring. She also loves heels.

After the impromptu and very inappropriate interrogation, the girls are at lunch discussing "the Jenna thing", which is still a mystery to us, the viewers. Of course, as soon as they mention Jenna, she turns up and Aria invites her to sit with them. It's terrible awkward, but we get a couple of clues:

• Ali visited Jenna in the hospital. 
• Jenna says, "I knew exactly who she was."
• Jenna has been, until recently, at a school for the blind in Philly.

Finally we find out what "the Jenna thing" is! In a flashback we see the four girls and Ali hanging out, trying on clothes when all of a sudden Ali yells, "I can see you!"

•  It's the 4th of July.
• No one else sees anything outside the window so who knows if she really did or not.

Ali says Toby was in the tree (ha!) spying on them so, because this makes total sense, they throw a smoke bomb into the barn where Toby supposedly is, but it ends up exploding!

• Spencer is the one who had the lighter.

Back to current time, 12:40pm, to be exact. (Is this clock-noticing thing going to be annoying?? Let me know. I enjoy it, myself.) And the girls all get another text!



I love many things about this screenshot. First, Spencer has a way better phone than Aria and second, look at how huge that wrap is!

So anyway, back to class. English class! The one one Aria tried to transfer out of, but was DENIED! Boom! It's a good thing because they're discussing To Kill a Mockingbird.



Now, I've read that book twice and hated it both times so you'll have to tell me if you can think of any connections between the plot and themes and this show. But you can't deny the obvious placement of the word "innocent" and Ezra's head!



Remember when Ashley banged Wilden and then she told Hanna it was all over? Well, it's not and while Hanna and her prude, minister-son boyfriend Sean is over not-making out, Wilden shows up with takeout and Hanna looks like she wants to die. Wilden is SO creepy. Later that day, at the mall, he tells Hanna he thinks they know what happened to Ali.

Over at Lukes the Grille, Aria runs into Spencer, who is there with her family and Aria has amazing hair, which is basically a theme of this show:



There is a lot of subtle flirting between Wren and Spencer at dinner and later that night he stops by her bedroom (why is he upstairs at their house? He and Melissa live in the barn loft! This totally reminds me of Tom and the schoolteacher on Downton Abbey. OMG Maybe A is Thomas! I would totally believe that theory!!!) Anyway, Spencer and Wren have amazing chemistry despite her room being extremely distracting. It's interesting because I don't think this corner of the room has ever been shown again:



But, it doesn't stop them from totally kissing! And it's super steamy!



The kissing direction on this show is incredible. They linger on the Almost Kiss for soooooooo long. In real life, the Almost Kiss moment is practically non-existent, but it's super romantic and steamy on film.

• Melissa totally sees the kiss! In the mirror reflection. MIRROR! Hmmm.

And the next morning, Wren is moving out. Goodbye (for now), Wren!

Meanwhile, over at the Fields' house, Maya and Emily are busy spooning in her tiny tiny bed, but before Emily can have some steamy dreams, her phone beeps with a NEW TEXT (lolz):



It's kind of mean to rub it in that they did not, in fact, kiss. The closest they got was Maya with her weird flirting. "Alison was always in the middle [of the bed]." "I sleep in the middle."

All the flirting freaks Emily out, though, and the next morning she practically attacks her boyfriend, Ben, in the car, which is hilarious. She also has a flashback of when Ali gave them all their name bracelets.

The end of the episode belongs to Aria, who is caught in the rain without an umbrella, but with some heavy duty waterproof mascara. And guess who drives by...*swoon*...Ezra Fitz who stops up ahead and opens his door for Aria.

• License plate: CHV-3269

Everyone knows that kissing in the rain is super hot, but kissing after being soaked in the rain proves to be just as steamy:



I tried so many times to capture the perfect shot of their kiss that I started to feel like I was editing a p0rn. Go watch the episode yourself. Ezra is so hot. Sooo yeah, I guess he and Aria are a thing now?

Someone knows, though, because she receives this when she gets home:



Frankly, I'm surprised anyone kissed her dressed in this monstrosity:



There is so much going on with this outfit that I wouldn't even know where to start with describing it, much less critiquing it.

• The text Aria receives is interesting since we find out that Byron cheated on Ella with a student at Hollis College. Oh, and she works there now! Ugh, gross. 

There really aren't many clues in this episode, but we do find out a little bit more about Jenna and we got some solid flashbacks to Ali stuff. This biggest moment is probably the last, because it's when Spencer sees Jenna texting! OMG, is Jenna A!?