Glasgow was my first trip to Scotland. And I really enjoyed it. Actually, I was bummed that I didn't schedule another day there as I found out more and more things to do once I got settled. It is always such a tricky thing to decide how long is long enough in a place you've never visited before.
I was also confronted with some funny moments. I always think that a country's stereotypes (both good and bad) are blown out of proportion by those of us who are foreigners. Example one: haggis. I expected it to be around, but I honestly was shocked at how prevalent it was! My first night there, I ate at the restaurant across from my guesthouse, and they had at least two haggis dishes on the menu...not to mention this sign out front:
Example two: bagpipers. I know they exist and are probably more common in Scotland, but I was surprised when I could hear bagpipe music as I walked down the street. The bagpipers in the photo below were practicing in Kelvingrove Park, and I was pleasantly surprised to find them. They sounded amazing!
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| (bagpipers in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow) |
Example three: you can't understand what people are saying. For the most part, people in the service industry are fine, but I really had to pay attention to my bus tour guide. Don't get me wrong: I thought the accent was fantastic! But there were definitely times when I didn't get what he was saying at first. However, it did make it easier to understand some of my cousins in N. Ireland!
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| (Glasgow Bus Tour: The Grand Old Lady) |
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| (Myself on the bus tour) |
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| (steep stairs to my room in the guesthouse) |
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| (Kelvingrove art gallery and museum) |
All in all, I really want to go back to Glasgow. People told me it was dirty and gross and not to be surprised if I saw sewage in the streets. But I enjoyed myself (and didn't see any sewage, thank God!).
