EDINBURGH!! When first walking through a historic city, one of the things that first catches my artist's eye are the doors and gates. I was drawn to the red and blue doors of the cathedrals, and the ironwork of a thistle design and the symbolism of the stag and cross over the gates of Holyrood Palace. The stage and cross represent the legend of the "Miracle of the Stag", which happened during the Feast of the Cross. In 1127 King David of Scotland was hunting in the forest when he was thrown by his frightened horse when a wild stag appeared. The stag attempted to kill the king, the king grabbed the stags horns in an effort to save himself, when he saw a brilliant light in the shape of a cross appear between the stag's horns. The stag turned and ran away. In thanksgiving, King David declared that an abbey should be built in that very spot. In 1128, the abbey was build and named Holyrood which means Holy Cross. Now a palace, it still retains the name today.