Dear ol' Glasgae toon

Feeling somewhat knackered - that is what being a tourist does to one. Came through to Glasgae yesterday afternoon and met up with Glenda. We then found and lost our way, a couple of times to the Youth Hostel in Park Terrace which is on the hill above the Kelvingrove Gardens.

Across the park is the University buildings and the Kelvingrove Museum.

The lovely receptionist in the YH showed us on the map where there was a pub which on Sun and Thurs has live Folk Music. The pub is called Uisge Beath (the water of life - ie whisky). So if any of you get to Glasgae toon this is the place to go on a Sunday night. It was PACKED.

Today Glenda and I hopped on the double decker tourist bus and took a tour of the city - including going down to where the docks used to be. The guy giving the commentary said that the popn of Glasgow used to be 1 & 1/2 million but is now down to 600,000 as the closing of the shipyards, and hence the steel mills and the mines which fired them all led to people moving away in an effort to find work and/or a better lifestyle.

Where the docks used to be is now being built on. There are still a few high rise housing estates rearing their heads above the sky scape. Evidently these building have a multitude of problems to do with air circulation (lack of) and condensation because of the moist air here. The councils have now declared that no buildings over 4 stories are to be built and as the new housing is built to replace the tower blocks, the people in the towers move out and they are demolished.

WELL, ACTUALLY THEY GET BLOWN UP! The same things is also happening in Edinburgh. Cousin Drew knows a guy who was the first person to move into his tower block and the last person to move out. This guy was given the 'honour' of pushing the button on the charges which then demolished the building by controlled explosion. Evidently these explosions have become something of a crowd puller - better entertainment than the last public hanging in Glasgow which attracted an 'audience' of 60,000 people. Doubt most of them would have seen anything anyway, but rather gruesome when you think about it......

So back to the bus ride. It was good, worth the £8 as we learned a lot more than what we would have wandering around on our own. Like about the new bridge across the Clyde, which about 3 months after it was opened, there was a loud bang and the metal supports had exploded. The bridge was then closed for a year and a half while all the Chinese steel was replaced with British steel. The Chinese steel was not sufficient quality to withstand the stresses. Luckily this happened late at night and no one was on the bridge at the time.

We got off the bus at the Kelvingrove Musuem and had a good look through - but not nearly long enough - however the museum closes at 5pm so there was not option.
There was an exhibition on a guy called ? Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret. Art Noveau Glasgow style. I recognised some of the work from books but had not connected it with anything in particular.

Glenda found the Dali but I was wandering about looking at other stuff and the close up came while I was tracking Glenda down. Close up consititutes staff walking through the galleries shepherding people out - bit like herding cats..

We also visited the 'Tenement House'. This is an 1890's tenement which although it had been modified through to the 1950's the original fabric of the place had not been altered. It was donated to the National trust and so has been preserved.

Last night (Sun) we went to the local Sainsbury's to get food to last us until tomorow. That was a laugh in itself as we tried to find some fresh, unadulterated, unprocesed food! Also had a real laugh when we asked the security guard why there was a security guard in a supermarket. Understandably he could not comprehend why we thought that it was so funny. He is there 'to keep the customers safe'. Rather like a Tui Ad - I really doubt this guy would be able to do much to keep the customers safe, but he was nice and friendly and also very helpful. Actually have to say that I have found the people here much more helpful and friendly than in Edinburgh. The whole city is more 'something'.

While I was waiting for Glenda's bus to get in I sat in a big concourse which is part of the Buchanan Galleries - which is nothing more than a giant shopping mall/complex - all pedestrian. There was a piper busking there. He was playing the Galacian pipes (in the key of C) and came from Portugal. He was really HOT too. His English was much easier to understand than the people born and or brought up here, I tell you. He didn't have any trouble understanding me either - something which cannot be said for some of the natives.

Forgot to mention in context, that after we left the Kelvingrove we walked back through the gardens and came across the most amazing skateboard park. It made all the ones I have sen in NZ pretty pathetic. It was just great sitting there and watching what ALL ages were getting upto on their bikes, skateboards and rollerblades. A real eyeopener. Some of the manouvres that were being down were amazing. Blooming camera batteries faded out so have no pics :(

Ok off to book some accommodation for tomorrow night up in Inverness. Catching the bus back to Drew's collect some stuff and then to catch the train north. Glenda and I have decided to do things in somewhat reverse order to what we had originally planned. So will be back in Edinburgh from Monday 15th which will give me 2 days to do family stuff and walk Glenda around Edinburgh.