Glasgow

The official score is in, and Glasgow has won. I've been beaten.

First off, the weather here is just like Seattle. I hate Seattle weather. It's cold, wet and windy. Also like Seattle, despite a light rain all afternoon, I saw less than 10 umbrellas in all the loads of people walking.  Secondly, I can't understand a damn word anyone says. Compared to most Americans, I'm pretty good with accents, but the Glaswegians are too much for me. Whenever I'm asked a question, my reply is mostly based on a guess at what they might've said. I could be having a completely different conversation from the person speaking to me, and have no idea.

I started my day by sleeping in for the first time this trip, trying to get my cold in a manageable state before going out exploring the city. Knowing that I only had today, I made a plan to visit a few places, all within walking distance, per the map.

After about 4 hours on the town, my feet are blistered, my back is sore, I'm rather damp, my nose is clogged, and I'd be happy to go right back to bed. My first stop was meant to be Glasgow Green, a large park on the water, which is also home to People's Palace, a museum honoring the residents of this city. It looked as if it would be a straight shot down the road my hotel's on, but after walking nearly 3/4 of an hour, I hadn't seen anything except a Morrison's superstore and some rather sketchy areas of town. I gave up and came back to my room to reorient myself briefly, where I discovered that I'd carried on straight when I should've veered off. Frustrated, I revised my plan and went on to stop two: Glasgow Cathedral.

After a long walk uphill through the campuses of City College of Glasgow and Strathclyde University, I made it to the Cathedral. I looked around, took a few photos, and then went back down the hill to my third tourist attraction: George Square. After foregoing the ferris wheel in the square, I stopped for lunch, then decided to try again for Glasgow Green.

This time, I noticed a sign pointing the way, so I followed it. It ended up taking me to a dead end that was more like a car park than a public park. Still not content to give up, I turned back and took the street my map had indicated instead. After another several minutes, I still didn't seem any nearer Glasgow Green, but I did come across a rather large pack of hookers and junkies, and nearly got hit by a black cab while crossing against the light.

Since I had no idea which way to go, and it was nearing closing time for the park and museum, I gave up. I accepted defeat and went to Marks & Spencer instead, whose food hall features delicious scones and cheap wine. I stand by my choice.

Tomorrow it's time for a 2.5 hour train ride and an evening in York. I hope to fare better there, mostly because it's a former Viking outpost.