Day 14 - Glasgow

Peter, our Tour Leader, tells us that Glasgow means "dear green place" and we see such beautiful green scenery surrounding the city that we can understand the naming. Of course, the city has parkland areas too but we know it has been a huge industrial town in the past with smoking chimneys and an economically disadvantaged population locked into dirty factory jobs, so its reputation as a city environment has always been poor. I've recently read Jimmy Barnes autobiography of his childhood in Glasgow in the 1950's and 1960's and it was a very sad upbringing in a poor town. During our morning orientation tour we stop to view the magnificent George Square.

We have a quick trip to the Robert Burns Museum, not far out of Glasgow. Extensive gardens and bridges and green green lawns. Robert Burns is one of Scotland's most celebrated musicians.
Later we see the River Clyde, former heart of the shipbuilding industry. We visit Glasgow Cathedral with its two storeys because it's built on a hill. The architecture is amazing. But the scars are still there from the Reformation years - discoloured stone on the round columns where Catholic relics or statues had once been. These had just been hacked off and hauled away. Now it is a Presbyterian place of worship. We walk down the uneven steps to the lower church with its stained glass windows and large areas for choirs. There are different service areas so several services could be happening at the same time.

Later we visit the beautiful area of Glengoyne to find the whisky distillery. It takes a good hour of driving through scenic countryside and when we arrive we are greeted by staff wearing kilts. The temperature up here also is much cooler so we are happy to sample a wee dram. We buy one and a few smaller bottles for Mum.