Glasgow, Scotland
 January 18, 2004 - January 25, 2004
 , aargh lassies and laddies!

So I was ready to go to NYC and meet my ride to Florida, when he called to say he had to go to the dentist for an emergency. That same day my mom shows up from New Hampshire on her way to Scotland for the Celtic Connections folk music festival. Well, I went to meet her and hang out for a few hours before she got on her flight, but before I had even pulled away from her arrival terminal, I got this wacky idea that, hey - I could go WITH her to Scotland for a week while I waited for my ride to heal. So before even leaving the airport, I pulled into the international terminal and bought a super cheap ticket. Well, that was the beginning of this trip to Glasgow with my mom.

Take a look at the pictures and then read the Glasgow Journal entry.

The first Celtic Connections show was the amazing Celtic-rock group Shooglenifty:


Grand Central train station:




Museum of Modern Art:


Inside the City Parliament building:




Glasgow has a reputation for being the roughest city in Scotland with hardened people.  This ain't no lie.  The history of Glasgow is one that bred poor communities and thus, desperate, sometimes violent, always proud people.  Only 7 years before this visit I was here and found it to be a rough as all the rumors said it was.  Boy what a difference 7 years can make though!  Glaswegians are now known for their smiles, and friendly demeanor more than anything else.  

This waterfront scene looked to me like a leftover of the old Glasgow:


Shipbank Lane - Doubt this is in ANY tour guide. This unpleasant, dangerous-looking lane was filled with thieves the day we walked through. You might expect this to be on the "Avoid" list, but it's no mistake that you see it on the "Surprise" list. As far as we could guess we were looking at items for sale that were pick-pocketed and robbed from peoples houses, and in stick-ups. All we saw were makeshift tables with a few used items such as 3 cell phones, 8 watches, a few wallets, some mis-matched earrings and other crap jewelry, and 15 pairs of shoes. As we walked through the crowd we were offered a beaten-up bicycle by a desperate drug addict: "Bicycle? 500 for 30." ...as in 500 pound bike for 30 pounds. Not likely, as this looked like a 10 year old Huffy. The people pretty much all looked very desperate, with various scars, and black eyes, and ripped clothes. When you go, obviously watch your pockets, or you may see YOUR cell phone on a table. A true Glasgow experience you'll NEVER find in a tour guide:


Possibly my favorite museum, the Peoples Palace offers a fantastic history of Glasgow:




Glasgow Cathedral:








The small loop-system SPT subway:


Celtic Connections folk music festival has to coincide with Robert Burnes birthday of course:


Highland Coooooo:




Burnes Night at Uisge Beatha: