EDINBURGH, FALKIRK & GLASGOW

Here we are sitting in Hua Hin, Thailand having recently escaped the monsoons and flash floods of Koh Chang Island (that, unfortunately, are having a second go at the island), a good time to catch up on the blog.  No time to write while on the canal boat.

In truth, we had scant time to appreciate all that either Edinburgh or Glasgow has to offer.  A couple of days in each city were on either end of our main event in the UK: a seven day Narrow Canal Boat trip with ABC Boat Hire.  They were also a prelude to winter in SE Asia, followed by a further onward journey.  Getting some vaccinations, applying for our Thai visa, doing some essential shopping, meeting up with a fellow traveller from our Morocco trip and getting to Falkirk to meet our friends who were joining us on the boat trip were priorities.

In Edinburgh, we stay in a campus room that was empty for the summer.  It's central enough to walk everywhere and there are inexpensive eateries in the neighbourhood.  My impression from the brief visit is that Edinburgh is like no other city we've seen before … lots of green space, glimpses of the sea from many places; row housing; magnificent old palaces; sharply defined cliffs; interesting graveyards speckled throughout the city with their vigilant watchtowers; wide sweeping streets; narrow cobbled alleyways and mixes of old and new.  There's haggis to taste and tailor shops on Prince's Street to visit to see the magic of kilt-making and the beauty of the various tartan colours and patterns.

Here we simply wander.  We hear there are many free museums and galleries but there is no time to explore them and frankly, the big attractions are too rich for our budget.  I guess I have the Munro roots from mom's side of the family on my mind and buy myself a small pinkie ring of a Scotch Thistle (AKA: the Munro Scotch Thistle) with a purple amethyst (her birthstone). 

It's impossible to ignore the many statues of a laughing boy sitting on an over-turned pail that are everywhere, these are but a few of them:

Artists from around the country painted these statues of Oor Willie who is one of Scotland's famous comic book characters, "a lovable scamp" who causes trouble in his hometown.  The goal is to raise money for children's hospital charities.

We spend some time in the New Calton Burial Ground (AKA: Tombs With a View).

Overlooking Holyrood Castle - the Queen's residence while in Scotland

Here we learned about the Watchtowers (then we see them in all graveyards we pass) to guard against body snatchers!  Up until 1931, this one was inhabited by a family of ten.

There is the mausoleum to the "Lighthouse Stevensons"  Here lies the grandfather of the writer Robert Louis Stevenson, a man who designed the famous Bell Rock Lighthouse.  Wikipedia tells me that as the oldest sea-washed lighthouse, it is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, built between 1807 and 1810 and surviving daily tides for over 200 years.

We find it so interesting that a person's profession or trade was listed on their tomb marker.

The famous marble monument, (known for its beauty) to Andrew Skene that shows the figure of Wisdom consoling Misfortune.

Random photos from the cemetery

Another cemetery in the middle of town

Wandering:

Just a couple of beautiful bespoke garments in a kilt-makers shop

Ever the sign-maker, these are just a few of the beauties Paul records

And then there's the whimsical

Beautiful little buildings everywhere:

We get to ride in one of these sweet cabs when its time to go to the airport

Ah, the skirl of the pipes

Wishing we had time to hike around Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat:

Arthur's Seat is an extinct volcano

Calton Hill with its many monuments and the city observatory is a great place to spend some time.

The government buildings sit at the foot of Calton Hill:

Monuments: Robert Burns (middle); Nelson's (far right); the City Observatory (left, middle); National Monument of Scotland (left, bottom)

View from the Hill

On to Edinburgh Castle sitting on top of Castle Rock

Random photos from Edinburgh:

Next: the train to Falkirk, midway between Edinburgh and Glasgow.  Getting there one night before we pick up the canal boat.

First on the agenda: Fish and Chips.  The take out has no seats but we are welcome to take them into the bar next door, Canal Inn (AKA: the War Room).  The owner sits and chats with us a while then gifts us with two of his treasured Canal Inn toques to keep us warm on the boat trip.  At the time we had no idea how much we would need them.

Falkirk has two unique attractions.  One is the Falkirk Wheel that we will write about in the Canal Boat post.  The other is the Kelpies in Helix Park.  The magnificent Kelpies stand 30 metres tall and are the world's largest equine sculptures.  They are a spectacular gateway to the entrance of the Forth & Clyde Canal.

A long walk along the canal get us to Helix Park.

The Kelpies represent the heavy horses that did the work of pulling wagons, ploughs, barges and coal ships along the towpaths beside the canals.  The name refers to mythological transforming, shape-shifting beasts with the strength and endurance of ten horses.

Before and after sunset on the canal

NARROW CANAL BOAT TRIP IN SEPARATE POST

On the train to visit Glasgow, on the River Clyde, in the Scottish lowlands.  We have a bit of a hard time getting to our hotel.  Many streets are blocked off as there is a marathon going on.  We detour around, then after checking in, its time for another walk.  Suddenly the air is rent with screaming police siren after screaming police siren.  We count about 20 police vans with 5 to 6 officers each, lights flashing and sirens wailing.  There's a police helicopter hovering above creating more uncomfortable noise and a group of officers charge past, their steeds at a gallop.  We learn later that there is an IRA march going on.  There was another last weekend and violence erupted, so no chances are being taken this weekend.  Such a startling introduction to the city. 

Glasgow is lovely to walk.  There are footpaths all along the river and in the university area.  We get a lovely vibe here.  There's youthful energy and it just seems more alive than Edinburgh.

There's so much unusual architecture here that it's hard to not take a few photos:

Our main goal today is to see the transportation museum, recommended by Judy & Dick.  What an incredible place.  Anything that did or does get people from one place to another is represented here, from shoes to baby carriages, rocking horses, skateboards, bicycles, horses, motorcycles, cars, trolleys, trains, trams, subways airplanes, boats and more.  The focus is on Glasgow transportation.  One of our favourite parts is a section made up like an old town in Glasgow with all the shops, such as the saddle/harness maker, post office, photographer, shoemaker etc.  Outside the museum is a tall ship for touring.  Like all museums in Glasgow, this one is free.  Kids have a blast here as they are welcome to climb aboard to turn knobs and push levers.

Trolleys & Trams

Subways with beautiful wood and hand-painted interiors

From trains of the past to trains of the future.  The high-speed train will be ready in 2020

More bicycles, tricycles and unicycles than you can imagine; on the ground and in the air:

The bikes

Can't forget the sidecars

So many cars

The tall ship (the barque Glenlee) is owned by the Clyde Maritime Trust.  We were able to go aboard and tour her, school tours are taken in and maritime talks and events of all kinds are held on board; and she is available to rent for private weddings and parties.  The first deck below is gleaming hardwood and open the length and width of the ship and would make a marvellous dance floor.

We run out of time to cross the river to see the Govan Stones but manage to squeeze in a quick visit to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum where Linda McCartney currently has an exhibition.

Days would be needed to see this properly.  We manage to see the Makintosh and Glasgow Style gallery; the Glasgow Boys gallery and a gallery that has furniture and home decor from the art deco period and more.  The building is as gorgeous on the inside as it is on the outside.

We are off to the train station to meet Susi, a woman from Germany that we really enjoyed and who was one of our group of seven on the Morocco tour.  We look forward to seeing her.  She is quite the traveller and is coming from Edinburgh to have a day in Glasgow with us.  On her flight over she sat next to a man who gave her a big list of ideas of what to see and do in Glasgow.  The two that we decide on are to wander the grounds of Glasgow University and to get the tour of the Glasgow City Chambers.

We start with lunch, then off to the City Chambers overlooking George Square.  This building was completed in 1888 and was worth every minute to tour it.  We could not get into council chambers on this day as an awards ceremony was going on.  It, of course, is the most special of the rooms.  The vaulted ceilings and domes are decorated with over 1.5 million tiny mosaic tiles and are especially worth seeing.  There are leaded Venetian glass windows and the walls in two rooms are covered in an embossed metal that gleams like gold.  The white marble lion at the foot of the staircase is one of my favourite decorations.  It's no wonder that kings, queens and presidents have been entertained here.

So we just get started walking the university grounds and the man Susi sat next to on the plane is out jogging.  He recognizes her immediately.  Go figure.  After a brief chat, we all carry on.

Founded in 1451, this university is known for its medicine and veterinary medicine programs.  We have only time to wander the grounds.  There are the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery here which is one of the leading university museums in the world.  The buildings are grand and the grounds expansive.  Some random photos:

Thanks for the visit Susi - you made our day!

A few random photos from Glasgow

Next Post: Tales from the Canal