Going Glasgow

I've spent the last few days with Meghan and Kelsey traveling around Scotland. After an overnight bus ride from London, we started our trip off in Glasgow. Unwilling to let lack of sleep get in our way (and unable to check in to our guesthouse), we set off on a self-guided walking tour of the West End.


Our tour took us to Kelvingrove Park and through some residential neighbourhoods, before coming out into the student district around the University of Glasgow. Most of the West End, or New Town, was built in the mid-19th century. There are rows and rows of old townhouses, many of which overlook the rest of Glasgow. 

West End townhouses

We spent some time walking around the university area and stopped in for a traditional Scottish lunch of pie, beans, and chips. We visited the Hunterian Art Gallery and had our first introduction to the Scottish Colourists, whose paintings were definitely influenced by the French Impressionism we've been studying this term. Our other cultural stop of the day was the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. We saw some paintings by French, Dutch, and Italian artists, as well as some more Scottish art. But the highlight at the Kelvingrove was definitely the Floating Heads installation. Suspended from the ceiling in the centre of the building are dozens of heads making a whole range of crazy expressions - very cool.

Sophy Cave's Floating Heads in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Apart from museums and townhouses, the West End has lots of cafes, pubs, and vintage shops. By the time we had explored this area, it was time to head back to the guesthouse to check in and take a nap. But before we could do that we had a CELEBRITY SIGHTING! Crispin Glover (creepy thin man in the Charlie's Angels remakes) asked us for directions. The conversation went more or less like this:

Crispin: Are you from here?

Kelsey: No... Are you Crispin Glover?

Crispin: Yes. I'm trying to get to the CCA. Do you know where that is?

Kelsey: We're going to Mclays Guesthouse!

Okay, I took some artistic license with the retelling, but that conveys the general gist. And then Crispin got a bit creeped out (despite the fact that he is pretty creepy himself) and power-walked away from us.

Side wall of a restaurant on Sauchiehall Street

Pub in the West End

Post-nap, we decided to check out the city centre. There are some nice pedestrian boulevards lined with shops and pubs. We wandered down the streets and stopped for dinner at a fish & chips shop called Chippy's Doon the Lane. It was just down the lane. 

Lights covering a street in Merchant City in the city centre

Overall, Glasgow is a great city. There are nice buildings all over the place, and a ton of great museums (most of which are free!). It's relatively small and easy to walk around, but there is definitely lots to do. I didn't really have any expectations before visiting the city and I was very pleasantly surprised. Every trip to Scotland should include a stop in Glasgow!