A couple of hours in Glasgow

One of these days I will sit down and plan a proper visit to a place instead of waiting until the last minute. I miss so much but have also seen far more than I ever dreamed I would get a chance at seeing.  Here are a few pics of the Glasgow drive-through.

Cute, eh? Check out the sporran on the front

Mix of the old, the not as old, and the new

Taking pics of the other tourists taking pics

Quite a sordid and bloody history if the Scottish man who stopped to translate for me is to be believed. Public hangings and floggings apparently

Sensing a theme? 

Glasgow Cathedral. Read more about it here and here.  I can't say enough nice things about the Historic Scotland staff, they were incredibly helpful and friendly and even took the time for a long chat (I learned quite a bit about the Glasgow-Edinburgh rivalry, lol)

Construction is ongoing but also as unobtrusive as possible

Even on a dreary overcast day the colors are gorgeous

Can you imagine this being your church?

They were very dapper and scholarly

Looking towards the Necropolis

The red car certainly stood out

Memorial of the Glasgow Necropolis bridge

Hopefully you can read this by enlarging the pic, if not go here

Looking back

I found the architecture of the memorials and graves quite fascinating

Looking at the cathedral, check out closeup of monument in next photo

Scottish Lyrics to "Wee Willie Winkie"

Wee Willie Winkie rins through the toun,

Up stairs and doon stairs in his nicht-goun,

Tirlin' at the window, cryin' at the lock,

"Are the a' the bairnies in their beds, it's noo past ten o'clock."

"Hey, Willie Winkie, are ye comin' ben?

The cat's singin' grey thrums to the sleepin' hen,

The dog's spelder'd on the floor, and disna gi'e a cheep,

But here's a waukrife laddie that winna fa' asleep!"

Onything but sleep, you rogue! glow'ring like the mune,

Rattlin' in an airn jug wi' an airn spune,

Rumblin', tumblin' round about, crawin' like a cock,

Skirlin' like a kenna-what, wauk'nin' sleepin' folk.

"Hey, Willie Winkie - the wean's in a creel!

Wambling aff a bodie's knee like a verra eel,

Ruggin' at the cat's lug, and ravelin' a' her thrums

Hey, Willie Winkie - see, there he comes!"

Wear it is the mither that has a stoorie wean,

A wee stumple stoussie, that canna rin his lane,

That has a battle aye wi' sleep before he'll close an ee

But a kiss frae aff his rosy lips gies strength anew to me.

Looking out over Glasgow

We have Mr. Tennant to thank for our bright whites, he patented bleaching powder

Loved this twisted tree

Yes, this really should have gone up at the start of the necropolis pics