The weather ( as this video shows ) has been awful. A thick sea fog has rolled in and seems to be in no hurry to leave :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIw6STH9ays
It's time to head over to the west coast where it's warm and sunny. Somehow, we manage to get bookings at a restaurant in Glasgow we've long wanted to try. It has an a la carte menu as an alternative to the tasting menu . This is a major positive. Who wants 14 courses that take for ever to serve ? Here the cooking was exceptional, the atmosphere refined and the service smooth and professional. We shall go again. 'The Font' considers this the best meal we've had since leaving France. They even have Gariguette strawberries.
The reservation was for a deeply unfashionable six thirty. By the time we leave it's still light. The local dog owners are gathering for a walk in the park.
We stroll back to the hotel stopping off at the tennis club for a restorative drink on our way.
Glasgow has some lovely houses although most have long ago been converted into flats. We'd never noticed that the window frames of many of them are painted black. This gives them a stern grandeur and was presumably refreshed - daily - with soot black in Victorian days.
Graduation nearing for all Scots universities. In a magazine the fashion correspondent suggests male undergraduates go to the decidedly Scottish firm of MacGregor MacDuff on the Dumbarton Road for their ' big occasion '.
In a late opening art gallery we find this picture of two dogs and two Glaswegian drinkers. I don't like the picture but like the sentiment behind it.
The trendy new hotel we were going to try phones up as we're on our way to the station to tell us they have 'technical issues'. They go on to tell us that 'We've got a room for you but it may not be up to our usual standards '. Alarm bells ring. We re-book into Devonshire Gardens.
There was a time when we used to stay here a lot but it must be thirty years ago when we last visited. The rooms are large and are furnished 'eclectically '. On the landing outside a stained glass window is a feature. Having tried the options we shall go back to staying here on future trips. A group of students tell us that a restaurant called Crabshakk is the new place to try.
5 comments:
The escape to Glasgow clearly a big success. How comforting to know that an old favourite hotel is still delivering the goods.
After reading the 'a bargain' link, I am now reconsidering my decision on purchase of a new computer to replace my 11 year old MacBook!
Cheers, Gail.
Appalling weather clearly not dampening the spirits of the young.
The old favourite hotel looks homely and comfortable - a much better choice than somewhere new and trendy with "technical issues".
Meeting up with other dog walkers en masse is something I miss here, so it's good to see all those dogs waiting patiently for their walk.
Looks to me to be an outdoor obedience class. Cheers.
Chiesa di Santa Maria Immacolata in Italy's spire reminds me of the shape of your cathedral in St. Andrews. I really enjoyed seeing the "brutalist" churches. The trip to Glasgow seemed to be a fun success. There are some advantages to leading a dog-free life. Though not many!
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