It's about time I get to day two of this honeymoon blogging since it's also acting as our journal for the trip. I'm sitting here in a cushy white chair in Fort William at the Treetops B&B overlooking Ben Nevis. It's hard being me today!
So, back to Sunday. If it wasn't quite explained in the previous post, our take off from San Diego was on a Saturday, but we landed in Glasgow on a Sunday. Bright and early, Sunday morning mind you. Though not quite as early as we'd planned. While sitting sipping our complimentary mimosa's in first class in real glassware on the tarmac at the Philadelphia airport we were told that a piece of equipment used in bad weather was on the fritz and we were waiting to have it repaired. As luck would have it, the weather throughout the flight was good since the crew and maintenance gang were unable to repair it. What did I care? I was drinking mimosa's with traces of Dramamine in my system. So rather than landing at 7am Glaswegian time (that'd be 11pm San Diego time) we landed at 8am. No big deal.
Oh good, I've just been handed a glass of whisky. I can now continue the story in complete comfort! Hee hee...
By 8:30 we were through security, bags in hand and all, and were let loose on the world. We weren't going to be able to check in or drop our bags off at the first B&B until 10am (and my bag was HEAVY!) so we decided to head upstairs, still at the airport, for a cup of coffee and to determine our plan of attack. The coffee was delightful if not more reminiscent of a cappuccino than the average American coffee. It was thick and so dark, even with a heavy dose of cream (or milk, being as it wasn't labelled). But we sat up in this little deli area for an hour or so and checked email, our maps, and then eventually called Craigpark Manor to confirm we could still arrive at 10am.
I don't know why but this wall cracks me up!
Aww... Isn't Hubband adorable?
After we checked in at Craigpark Manor (that little orange blob is me) we walked the mile or so it is into downtown. We walked down Duke Street which runs straight into the downtown core of Glasgow. Once nearer to downtown it becomes George Street and leads straight into George's Square which is pretty much the hub for all activity in Glasgow. Its huge! Our pictures won't do it justice. You definitely need to look this up to see it.
We found an information stop and were able to get directions to some shops where I might find a raincoat as I don't own one in San Diego. We ended up finding one for £30 at a store called TK Maxx. It's identical to TJ Maxx. Alan asked whether TJ Maxx came first because J comes before K in the alphabet. Aww Hubband... so quick with wit!
While at TK Maxx it started to pour despite our drive from the airport to the Manor and the walk into town thus far having been dry. It was quite lucky I found a coat at that point or I'd have been soaked. We found ourselves a bit unsteady on our feet which we attributed to a shortness of sleep so we stopped at Prince's Square, which is a little collection of shops and bistro's reminiscent of New York. Alan had another very rich coffee and I did the "proper" thing and had tea. It was heaven given how damp and tired we were. we also ordered some soup: I had Cock-a-leekie soup and Hubband had Cullen Skink. He's a brave soul! As a side note, there were no prunes in my Cock-a-leekie soup... I wasn't even offered them - something I'm given to believe my mother had in her Cock-a-leekie soup as a child though I cant say I'm disappointed. I'd likely have skipped the prunes anyway. I tried the Cullen Skink and it was quite good despite the description that is found online. It reminded me very much of a clam chowder in both taste and appearance. We did know it was a haddock dish (a fish neither of us are familiar with) and I can tell you with confidence that the menu made no mention of skin or hough.
By the time we finished lunch it was only just 1pm. We decided to take a city bus tour since we have set aside the least amount of time in Glasgow while here. On the way, though, we saw this advertisement. It cracked Hubband up so we had to take a picture. Then we found the public toilets and they cracked ME up so i felt obliged to share that with you too!
Alright, enough potty humor... Onwards and upwards!
The tour bus tour made twenty four "stops" which pretty much meant they drove PAST twenty four points of interest, rather than actually stopping. We were able to take a few pictures as we flew by all these monuments but many of the pictures won't do justice to what we saw. We did, however, make a special side trip on our way back to the Manor at the Glasgow Cathedral which is a Protestant church which survived mostly in tact from the early 1500's and before. It was gorgeous! I'm not sure if you'll be able to find it on a map but if I recall correctly if you find the intersection of John Knox Street and Duke/George Street and go west you should find it. It's immediately adjacent to the St. Mungo museum.
This is where St. Mungo is buried...
These images aren't even close to representing the beauty of the space but I find myself somewhat hampered by the app I'm using to upload the images to the blog. I've got plenty to share on Facebook when I land back in San Diego.
By the time we got back to the Manor I believe it was around 4pm local time but it may have been a bit earlier. We each took a much-needed shower and hopped into bed for some shut-eye. We slept until 4:30 the next morning at which point our adventures began anew...
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