Discovering Glasgow

The city I saw from the plane is now coming to life as I explore and discover its wonders. I still cant grasp just how big it is! (compared to small-town Chester and Halifax) 

To get around I have been walking, which can be tiring, but it allows me to navigate (and see) the city a lot better than with public transportation (I know where I am, where I'm going, and where I came from!). 

The Clyde (and Kelvin) river is a central part to the city and is a great navigational aid. I have discovered a walking path that takes me from residence to the city, close to campus, in about an hour. It is a beautiful walk with sounds of the birds chirping and the river flowing alongside. 

The end point to the walk is the Botanic Gardens where many plants, trees, and flowers are kept and displayed from around the world. 

If you are looking for people the best place to go is the city center where the shops are! Whether its for food, clothes, gadgets, or just about anything else the streets always seem to be crowed with people shopping. 

Other common spaces are the museums, mostly along the Clyde. My first stop was the Tall Ship, Glenlee. A ship with a lot of history (survived 4 circumnavigations, many rough seas, wear-and-tear as a training vessel, and finally abandonment) has finally come to rest alongside the Riverside Museum of transport. 

With all of the sights in and around the city there are still lots of places to be discovered!  

Day Trip to the Highlands

With a half eaten breakfast, too many layers on, and a new friend I was off to the North of Scotland. Traveling through the highlands, around the lochs (lakes), and into small towns we occupied our time with many glorious sites. 

Loch Lomond

A beautiful lake situated among the highlands is a site viewed best through rain drops. My layers paid off here! 

Oban 

The "little bay" is a quaint town, reminded me a bit of Chester, and is the only way through to the islands. The fishing and tourist town contains many shops and restaurants as well as McCaig's Tower and remains of Donnulie Castle. The tower is the only completed section of the envisioned museum/memorial by John Stuart McCaig. This hilltop tower is best used now as a viewing point of the town and bay. 

The views from the castle, or what remains of it, was much the same. The castle was home to the MacDougal clan until the battle with Robert the Bruce. On the way from the castle ruins is the Dogstone (a conglomerate sea-stack! formed by volcanic activity), a mythical explanation for the grove at the base of the stone. 

Isle of Seil 

The Atlantic Bridge was our way to the island after a short drive from Oban. This bridge is very picturesque, situated over the Atlantic ocean and surrounded by highlands of the mainland and the island. A quick photo stop was in order to make our travels. 

It was on Isle of Seil that I was able to go in the Atlantic Ocean (hand only...too cold and stormy for a swim) on this side of the world. I also collected a few free souvenirs that are spectacular and show the complex geology of Scotland: metamorphosed sedimentary rocks containing pyrite crystals. (I also ended up getting soaked in a hail storm while on the beach).

Wow! This trip was amazing, so much to see, do and feel. We (members of the international student society) enjoyed many natural and historical sites that are renowned and/or significant in some way. 

Off to Berlin

Off the plane for university, but not allowed to study? 

I entered the UK through Dublin, Ireland and I'm in Glasgow as a general visitor. In order to become a student visitor I must leave the UK and re-enter. It seems strange and annoying, but I see it as a great way to get to see more of the world! 

Berlin, Germany is where I ended up for the weekend and there was so much to see and do. The fog blanketed high rise buildings are a great backdrop for a city adventure! My first stop was the Berliner Dom where I attended their evening song service (partly in English) along with a tour of the building. It was late at night, raining and cold so I ventured back to the hotel seeing many museums and shops along the way. 

On the first day I ended up, in all places, a natural history museum and on a boat tour. This seems quite fitting. The displays in the museum were wonderful, I could have spent days there! And the boat was nearly empty with perfect views of the sites along the river. 

I followed that by walking along the path of the Berlin Wall, which is for sale as small souvenirs. I journeyed up the Berliner Fernsehturm (tower) for a nighttime 360 view of the city.....no fog this time!  

I ended the weekend with a visit to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Jewish Museum and the Brandenburg Gate where history is kept alive in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the holocaust and the separation of East and West Germany (ie. Berlin Wall). 

I also managed to squeeze in a visit to the Musikinstrumenten-Museum (Musical Instrument Museum) and an orchestra concert at the Philharmonie. 


The entire weekend was spectacular and I was immersed in the culture of "New Berlin" as well as the wealth of history in the city. 

Day Trip to Edinburgh

I was fortunate to receive a ticket for the bus trip to Edinburgh on Friday and was greeted by a huge group of fellow international exchange/study abroad students. I found a window seat and prepared to see the country side of Scotland.

I met my travel buddy, Elise, on the bus ride who is from Vancouver, studying in North Carolina and in Glasgow for the term. We commented on the landscape and the herds of sheep gathered on the hillsides. It was picturesque and difficult to take your eyes off in hopes that you wouldn't miss anything. 

It took just under an hour to arrive in Edinburgh where we met our friendly tour guide. We were shown around the city and told some of the tales and history. After the tour we were set off to see the city!

Elise and I chose to get lunch at the Elephant Café, where you might recognize as the  writing place of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I can understand the mindset of Rowling and why she chose this cafe after I steeped foot inside. The quaint café,  located in the new city, was scattered with elephant figurines and had a great view of the castle. 

The next stop was the National Museum of Scotland where we spent a few hours seeing the history of Scotland and the rich cultural heritage. The history went all the way back to the beginning...the geology. This was perfect! I was shocked to see the history going this far back, including the ice age, but was glad to see their knowledge and understanding of the land they live on.

Many displays were intriguing as well as the building its self. This included the tools of hunter-gathers and swords of soldiers to the skeleton of a whale and Dolly the first cloned sheep. Other attractions include fossils, geodes, animal displays, ancient art, and artifacts from many world cultures.

Our day ended as we walked the city and climbed onto Calton Hill where we had the perfect view of Arthurs Seat and the city of Edinburgh. This hill is home to the Nelson Monument dedicated to the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. 

Arthurs seat is the result of a volcano and is quite a hike...possibly for another day. The view of Edinburgh was perfected by the lights that appeared as the sun set and the night sky appeared. 

The day didn't end there as we headed back to campus, being entertained by song and dance of many cultures. I enjoyed supper that night with a new friend in residence then headed off to catch up on much needed sleep.

Landed and On the Go

I arrived safely in Glasgow on Thursday evening and made it to the residence by taxi. The city was well lit in the dark of night and traffic was high as people rushed home at the days end. I was glad to be on the ground again, but didn't know where I really was or what the city looked like. 

My day Friday was packed as I headed to campus for a bus tour to Edinburgh. This tour was wonderful and I was amazed at how vast the landscape is, fitting every thought you may have of what Scotland is like. The following post will delve into a bit more of Edinburgh and the sights.

Upon returning I had supper with new friends and enjoyed the quiet time to rest and talk to family. After a good nights sleep and a hot breakfast in the cafeteria I set out to see the city. There are so many places to see, but I chose to go straight to campus. The best way for me to describe the campus to to compare it to a Harry Potter school in age, style, and feel. However some buildings are modern and more spread about the city. 

I had hoped to go a bit further in to the city center but didn't quite make it that far. I stopped at the library for a quick rest, picked up a few snacks, then headed back to residence for supper.

 

The instant responses I have been receiving over iMessage, Facebook and FaceTime are incredible and I have fascinated my father with the use of technology. I am thankful for that and for the support/encouraging messages I have received over the past few days. 

Sunday was quiet and I certainly needed the rest before classes start. I spent the morning with Leo, she showed me the local area around the residence and some facilities I have access to, including a lovely walking trail/park along a river. I finished the day by sorting out my class, resting, and unpacking to prepare for the first week of classes. 

Where in the World...

If you were to go anywhere in the world where would it be? 

I was offered a single term exchange to the University of Glasgow and took it! What a bright way to start off the new year....emails and web searches, forms and more forms, long line ups and huge luggage bags. And that's only the grunt work before I go. 

Traveling is never difficult, some people just end up with unfortunate flight combinations and end up running between terminals in huge airports only to find out .... its delayed. If you cant relate turn on the news during a blizzard in December/January or spring break. 

I am ready (I think) and I pray that all goes well from Halifax to Philadelphia to Dublin to Glasgow.

Up, Up, and Away!

Who ever thought that the sun would rise and set and someone would be able to watch it from above the clouds. Many have already done this, perhaps sleeping right on through, but others take flight to a whole new level: the best view for the wonders for the world. I experienced this on the 8th/9th of January on my way across the Atlantic Ocean, heading to Dublin, Ireland from Philadelphia, US. 

The ocean is so vast, the clouds so puffy, the sky so dark, and the lights....well they stick out a bit to much. I'm not sure if we improved the physical earth with all of our fancy buildings, but it makes for a great light show on an evening/overnight flight! and I cant wait to see it from the ground.

I had a few connecting flights to make in the midst of the winter season....aka not so happy fellow (delayed) travelers. I certainly made the most of my time both in the air and on the ground as I rested, read a few chapters of a good book, and caught up on some emails. A few friendly travelers mentioned a few places for me to check out and we wished each other well on our ways. 

My next stop is the University of Glasgow, where I'll be staying in Wolfson Hall for the term.