October 7, 2022 Glasgow

October 7, 2022

Leaving the Highlands this morning, heading to Glasgow, which is the largest city in Scotland. Here are our driver, Neal (Left) and tour guide David at a stop.

We arrive in Glasgow as a storm is departing, but it will continue to lightly rain on and off.

Built on drumlins (small hills left by glaciers),  Glasgow has had many ups and downs. (Haha)  A guide named Alan joins us for commentary.  

  Founded as a monastery around 600 AD, it is connected to the coast by the River Clyde.   It processed a great deal of sugar and tobacco from the "colonies" in the 1600's. It thrived as a major ship-building center in the late 1700's and early 1800's, as well as railroad and many other industries.  Because of the industry it was hit hard during WWII and some areas not re-built. Today there is a little ship building and refurbishing, but it is more a hub for technology, particularly micro-satellites and is the main financial center for Scotland. It also is home to three universities. Population today is about 633,000, with a large well established ethnic population. Housing prices are about half of what they are in Edinburgh.

We visit the red-stoned Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum where we have tea- a light meal of lentil soup and an assortment of small sandwiches. Alan shows us some highlights of the museum including a huge organ, suits of armor and several paintings highlighting Scottish history.  We are using the whisper headphones, so it is nice to be able to hear his descriptions.

The above painting is about The Clearances, a sad time when thousands of Highlanders were evicted from their land in order that the owners could raise more sheep.  There were political reasons as well, as the British tried to destroy the clan system and those not loyal to England. This happened in the late 1700's and early 1800's.

We have some free time to explore further.  There is a natural history section of the museum with many mounted animals including red deer, mountain sheep, golden eagles and more.  Below is someone's humorous interpretation of a "haggis", an animal whose legs are shorter on one side so it can run around mountains.  (In actuality, haggis is a dish made from sheep innards.)

  Next we visit St. Mungo's Cathedral, now a Church of Scotland parish church. Originally Roman Catholic and consecrated in 1197, it is one of the few medieval cathedrals to survive the Reformation, when most Roman Catholic facilities were demolished. St. Mungo is the patron saint of Glasgow.

The stained glass is more modern.  The tomb of Saint Mungo is in the lower church.

Outside our guide jokingly shows us an ancient sundial.  At the moment it isn't of much use!

We have been seeing quite a few magpies.

Next stop is George Square with beautiful Victorian architecture and several monuments, including one dedicated to those lost in the Titanic.   'Twas also the sight of hangings in the past, with the last one in 1865.

Alan takes us inside the City Chamber of Commerce which has beautiful marble stairways and decor, of which he was obviously very proud.  

We passed a great photo op - Someone walking two dogs wearing yellow rain slickers!  

  Our hotel here is the Doubletree by Hilton and we finally have some heat in our room!  We are on our own for dinner and Greg and I end up at an Indian Restaurant called Masala Twist where we enjoy Chicken Korma and Railroad Lamb Curry with a huge piece of nan.  Very tasty!  We again hear that the national dish of the United Kingdom is now curry.