A street scene in Glasgow. Our first impression of the city was pretty unimpressive but we warmed up to it and started to appreciate the architecture after a while.
Fortunately, first impressions aren’t always accurate. We dropped off the rental car (Yippee!!) near the central train station in Glasgow and walked to our hotel. That view of the city was unimpressive. In fact, it reminded Mark of his experience some 33 years ago when he and his parents drove into the city, planning on spending the night. They looked around … and kept driving. We were similarly unimpressed at first.
Eventually, though, the city grew on us. It is, after all, the third largest city in the UK (after London and Birmingham) and in the Victorian era was known as the second city of the British Empire. And when you start looking around, maybe under a layer of tarnish, you start seeing the grandeur that once existed.
Here in the center of the city the buildings hint at the wealth that was once Glasgow
The stop in Glasgow was brief, though, just two nights, and much of it was spent on errands like going to the gym, doing laundry, and replacing some clothes that had misbehaved. With all that there was a little time for wandering, going to a museum, and eating.
This was it for Scotland and I have to say, it was everything I’d hoped for, very much its own unique place. Not sure if or when we’ll ever make it back, but I loved it here. Now it’s on down to the Lake District, another area I’ve long wanted to tour.
The University of Glasgow was stunning
Mark was mostly just wandering in Glasgow, wondering “What is that tower?” He walked towards it and discovered it was the University’s bell tower…
One highlight was Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, a somewhat jumbled but fun mix of great international art, local Scottish art, and natural history museum
Another highlight would have been the Cathedral but for some reason it was closed while we were in town
Behind the cathedral, though, was a beautiful necropolis, final resting place of prominent Glaswegians (that’s what they’re called!)
More Necropolis
And one more. Can you tell Mark loved the place?
Speaking of prominent Glaswegians, this is a statue of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a key architect and designer of the early 20th century. Strangely, this was not the only statue we saw that was capped by a traffic cone!
Among the less prominent Glaswegians, here’s Mark enjoying a great lunch at The Gannet, a small plates kind of place
At the train station getting ready to leave Glasgow. My raincoat is getting a lot of use on this trip…
My favorite picture: on the train heading to the Lake District. Reading my Kindle instead of stressed out behind the wheel of a car!