Monday September 7, 2009 (Glasgow), Sept 12, 13
Today, we decide to check out downtown Glasgow. We are on Buchanan street, the shopping haven of Glasgow. I couldn’t resist getting a few scottish CDs. Check out Dougie Maclean’s site and Caledonia song.
While we’re speaking of music, here are more of my scottish/celtic favourites. Bodega (i think I mentioned them before), Peatbog faeries, Salsa Celtica, Julie Fowlis, Dàimh.
Back in Glasgow, I went to the Gallery of Modern Art. I was already impressed just by the architecture before I even stepped inside. I think I need more than a day to do a proper tour of this gallery.
On my many walks and sightseeing I found this great artstore across from the gallery. I felt like a child in a candy store.
Another thing I have to mention, the hostel I am staying at has wayyy too many stairs. Try lugging a suitcase or two around, it reminds me of the stairs you see at Hogwarts, going in all directions, but narrower. The stairs were not actually moving but they might as well have, it made my head spin. So, I decided to leave my big suitcase in a locker and just grab what I need for the night.
Check out the Youth Hostel. Other than the stairs, the staff and everything here was great and also cheaper than in Edinburgh. I stayed in Glasgow for 2 nights, and also while my cousin was settling into her new apartment. (Again, how lucky is she!)
I am heading out for a few days on my own (surprise!) then back in Glasgow on sept 12, where I continue to be enchanted by this city. Ok, not the same “enchanted” as I felt in the Highlands, but there’s so much Art here that I want to stay much longer! (I could really get used to living here as well).
We visited the Glasgow School of Art and did the tour as it was the only way to visit the inside. It is amazing to see the designs of Macintosh all around, even every tiny intricate details have a story behind it. I could spend days in this school and finding something new everytime. No photos were allowed inside though But you can check out this site for more photos. And, by the way, our tour guide was american. Decidedly not too many Scottish encounters on this vacation. hum!
We are in the west end, on University street and on a mission to find this restaurant for Tapas, where we can’t remember the name, well Cath can’t remember as I have no idea. Its not much help to ask people around either for a restaurant with no name and no street.
We walk on Byres road and Ashton Lane. Handsome folks are looking at us, we notice. We look at each other and laugh, we must look like a bunch of tired, lost foreign travelers, speaking french, who have no idea where we are or going. Yes, for once it is true. That’s what we are indeed and proud of it, and I think we are getting quite delirious with hunger too, which doesn’t help our cause. Boys will have to wait.
So, we finally decide that we may never find this place and our hunger could be heard blocks away so we settle for some chinese food. During our meal, this group arrived and Cath is also getting very annoyed with them. It is also beginning to bother me too. There is someone or rather a few people with extremely loud voices who can’t stop talking, laughing and shouting. This is a restaurant, not a bachelor party/bar. We can’t even hear our food, I mean, our own conversation!
Oh and the restaurant we were looking for was less than a block away from where we were (typical!). a little place called “Cafe Andaluz“. Next time we’ll go there.
We also stop at the Botanic Gardens where Cath is showing me the carnivorous plants. She is really into them, and they do look quite strange but really neat.
On my last day in Glasgow, we stopped at this nice café called “Offshore” mainly because our hostel guide is a also a photographer and mentioned some of his photographs are in the café’s basement gallery. Now that sounds just like my artsy kind of place.
Glasgow is a very cultural, artsy, funky city, much like Montreal. I loved it! and the people here are genuinely charming. Several times, people going about their day would stop just to say hello and ask how your day was. Very nice folks. (well, that’s if I understood the Glaswegian accent correctly?!)
Here’s a fun map of Glasgow.
Here are the Glasgow photos
