Journey to Scotland

Part II: Glasgow
Around and About Sautchiehall

a travelzine by Diann

tdiann@ct2.nai.net

(Copyright 1996. Please do not reprint without permission.)

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Webpage highlights:
Glasgow -

August 15, evening:

My luggage had preceded me to the airport by Glasgow -- which fact I had to hunt out. I watched the carousel spin around with the same old abandoned luggage for quite some time. When I went to put in a baggage claim, we found it hidden away in some other room. It seems it had gotten mailed up to Glasgow quite early in the day, and simply was placed in hibernation.

Eventually, though, the luggage and I got to the Stakis City hotel. Small place, 93 rooms, but convenient and brand new. First thing I did was strip out of my well-worn travel clothing, and SLEEP!

The hotel is located on a back street not far from Sauchiehall Street, which has oodles of upscale shopping. Rooms are smallish, but quite adequate, and the service was good. The price for the room was reasonable, in part because of its newness, as they needed to attract a clientele. I'd stay here again.

August 16:

Awoke surprisingly early the morning of the 16th, and made my way downstairs for the buffet breakfast. Finally a place which makes toast that actually tastes good; not like a wonderbread reject! I also liked the mushrooms which had been sauteed in butter. However, for the hefty price (around 8 pounds), this buffet lacks something. The other breakfast items were not very appealing -- sausage that tasted like greasy bread with an undercurrent of something vile, a flat black disk with inclusions that the waitress named "black puddin'" (probably blood pudding), slices of fruit soaking up sugar water, and watery scrambled eggs. I resolved to eat any future breakfasts elsewhere. Besides, I don't want to travel and eat at the same place every day.

Wandered the local streets a bit, seeing what was available. I walked over to the Information Centre, and got maps, schedules, and other useful material for figuring out the parts of my trip which had yet to be decided. I wrote post cards. I stopped in the nearby McClellan Museum. It was one of those really "modern" museums which claim to stimulate the imagination, but are quickly forgotten. An inventive moment or two did exist, mainly where the artists decided to investigate the realm of the fantastic. However, if most of the exhibiting artists felt it necessary to post long tracts explaining the purpose of their art, methinks such art fails -- because art with a goal of making one think should spawn such activity pretty much intrinsically. I am indeed aware that not everyone sees everything in the same fashion -- but if some miss your point, it may be worthwhile to write a comment or two, but it is not wise to talk down to the rest.

Had afternoon tea (tea and a smoked salmon sandwich) at the Willow Tea House for reasonable. Saw the movie Ermo at the local art film house. A Chinese woman directed this film about a Chinese peasant woman's life (the title character). On one level the film is about her competition with a neighbor who owns the first village TV -- she promises her young son one, the biggest one, and feverishly works to earn it. (Her husband says, the TV is an egg. A house is the chicken. It is better to have the chicken than the egg.) It was well-done and I settled into subtitles easily. I'd like to view this again.

Afterwards, I ate at the Porter Bar, one of those places that succeeds in resembling one of those British Pubs which pop up all over the American landscape, but nevertheless managed to retain its own unique flavor -- ate lamb pot and "chips", as well as a smattering of my two "favorite" vegetables -- carrots and brussels sprouts. The lamb pot was quite excellent.

On the way home, I passed a local park -- a very restful and pleasant place where I contemplated for awhile. In one section there was a rough-hewn log and branch construction which served as an enticing jungle gym. Alas, for my miss-spent youth! It was a park created for and about imagination, and could have given some of the exhibitors at the McClellan Museum something to think about.

This remained a laid-back day, in order to rest up from the trip over the day before, but such was necessary, as I thought of many places I might want to visit.

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Last Updated: Friday, March 29, 1996