Thursday, August 31, 2023

United Kingdom - Scotland - Glasgow

Glasgow is located along the banks of the River Clyde. The architecture is fascinating and it's easy to see how the city was selected to be "Gotham City" in Batman.



What did we do?

UCI World Cycling Championship: As luck would have it, it was going on the week we were there. And what is that? We didn't know either. It was the first ever world cycling championship. There was everything: road racing, mountain biking, BMX, para-cycling and more. The city streets were closed off everywhere making driving a challenge. (good thing we weren't driving!)


Men's Timed Tryouts





Para-Cycling Road






Women Elite Road Race




E, Chabbey had the lead for the longest time








Glenfinnan, Mallaig and Glencoe tour -- this was a bus tour. An 11 1/2 hour bus tour. And I am NOT a fan of bus tours! And to make it better, we were fashionably later than we should have been and got the very back seat of the bus. The back seat had five seats. Luckily the woman who got stuck with the center seat was very slender. Five rows in front of us, sat a man who suffered from motion sickness. And he puked on the bus and off the bus! Gross! And I almost hurled between that and the driver on windy roads. There were a lot of Harry Potter references on the tour.The Scottish countryside was beautiful! And overall, it was a good tour.



Loch Tulla Viewpoint





James Bond Skyfall Scene


We even got to watch Skyfall while in Scotland.


The Three Sister's are three peaks of the mountain Bidean nam Bian. Three Sisters are the most photographed landmark in Glencoe.






Dumbledore's Grave - OMG the bus driver was racing to be ahead of the Jacobite Steam Engine also known as Hogwarts Express 😳.  He finally pulled over where we could trudge in the bog to see the train and Dumbledore's Grave.

Loch Eilt
A bog is a freshwater
wetland of soft, spongy
ground consisting mainly
of partially decayed
plant matter called peat.

Jacobite Steam Engine


or Hogwarts Express


Island where Dumbledore's Grave is located 
Can you see that white speck?
I guess if you are a huge Harry
Potter fan it was worth seeing.

Silver Sands of Morar 


Maillag 
is a working fishing port located in Lochaber on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland.





Yes we were those tourists

A short video of Jacobite Steam Engine pulling into the station.


Sharon tried to check out Haggard Alley where Muggles are welcome but she could not get inside the little magic shop (too crowded).


Harbor




Glenfinnan Viewpoint


Glenfinnan Viaduct was made famous
by the Harry Potter movies.


Glenfinnan Monument - National Trust for Scotland



There were several artists 🎨
with easels setup painting

 


Short trail 👣 






Heading home

Yes I was the only person
drinking on the bus 🚌 

Clydeside Distillery -- took a tour of the Scotch whisky (note... no "e") distillery and enjoyed some tastings. They have three different whiskeys. One is produced in used bourbon barrels from the US which is the cheapest. The most expensive is matured in cherry wood casks. The third is a blend of the two different whiskys. All three were good! Production began in 2017 and was the first active distillery in Glasgow city centre for over 100 years.













Glasgow Cathedral -- hey look! Another cathedral! This Gothic cathedral boasts stunning stained glass windows, intricate stonework, and a serene atmosphere. Adjacent to the cathedral lies the Necropolis, a Victorian-era cemetery with panoramic views of the city.





For my Outlander fans the Cathedral Crypt was transformed into L'Hôpital des Agnes.





Necropolis - if you want to do something creepy 😳 for your wife's birthday take her to a cemetery. That's what I do.












William Wallace Memorial


Riverside Museum: If you have a love for transportation history, the Riverside Museum is a treat. The museum showcases a collection of vehicles, from vintage cars and bicycles to trams and locomotives.

Tesla Model S P85+ 
Glasgow owners personalized number
plate "Photons" - essential particles
of light.  Solar panels we're used to
recharge the car's battery.



Tramcar 672 was one of Glasgow's 
first electric trams



Cafe Booth
Glasgow Pub
No women or children allowed
No tables, no chairs, no lounging about
No fancy lagers or expensive wine
It's beer or whisky and that's about it.


Glasgow musicians record sleeves



The University of Glasgow:
We didn't actually go here but did walk past it. It is o
ne of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world.

Glasgow Green: This is the city's oldest public park. The park has walking paths, historic monuments, and ponds. We were much closer to Kelvingrove Park so 🤷 most of our walks were through this park.


Sharon's artistic view of 
Lake Kelvin 
Lake Kelvin




 

The Psalmist Sculpture

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum -- an eclectic collection of over 22,000 artworks and artifacts. From masterpieces by renowned artists like Rembrandt to exhibits on natural history, this museum took us on a journey through art, science, and history.


Stained glass circa 1910


Railing late 1800



Giant Irish Deer


Bather, 19th Century
Achilles 

Heads

The Happy Celaeno, 1902
Celaeno was half human half bird.
I'll just go with weird.

Buchanan Street -- Glasgow's premier shopping destination. This bustling pedestrian street is lined with high-end shops, department stores, and street performers.

Random pictures from around Glasgow. The architecture is amazing and we could have taken pictures of every building. Oh wait a minute! I think Sharon did. 🙃




The Mitchell Library 







What/where did we eat?

We enjoyed Don Ya Sushi so much we went twice. The sushi was good and the prices were reasonable.


Sake Sampler

Chicken Gyoza 


Kotobuki Set

Edamme 



Kotobuki Set


Taco Tuesday at The Locale. Yes, pretty empty so we can sit where we want right? Wrong. All the tables were reserved. Apparently it was also trivia night. The place was full when we left. Tacos were pretty good.



Baja Fish & Adobo Chicken Tacos 🌮 

Korean lunch


Someone was HANGRY

Kimchi 

Dol Sat Bibimbap 
Bokkeum Udon 

Please just let me eat my f#$&ing lunch

Shish Mahal (Indian cuisine) was chosen quite by accident. Our first restaurant choice did not serve alcohol and was very tiny. Hard pass. So we walked down the street and wallah this looked good. At first we felt underdressed as it was a fine dining environment but not an issue. The food was delicious 😋. And service outstanding!


Steaming hot 🔥Tandori Chicken with Raita



For Sharon's birthday dinner we chose Cafe Antipasti Restaurant. The service and the food was really good.
  
Pre dinner drinks
Flight of Whisky and Espresso Martini 

Scottish salmon Fillet with a tomato,
Chorizo and garden pea sauce,
Potato and leek gratin
Scottish salmon on Linguine with an
Asparagus and vodka cream sauce


George Mewes Cheese
shop


Hafod unpasteurized cheddar

Gruyere Suisse 
Epoisses Berthaut - cow's milk cheese

Where did we stay? An AirBnB, "The Art Flat", hosted by David. We never met David but he was a great host nonetheless. The place was comfortable and had a large separate living room/kitchen.





How we get here? By train. It took us three trains starting from Southport, England.


When did we visit: August 7 through August 14, 2023

Glasgow was our first stop in Scotland and we really enjoyed it! The city is very walkable and has no shortage of restaurants. 

"So Much World, So Little Time."

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