Scotland: Glasgow Part II

Our full day in Glasgow was a Sunday and we were up with our fast broken a good hour or so before anywhere opened. We had planned to start the day taking the subway to Kelvingrove Museum, but a quick google maps consultation suggested we should be able to walk out to it taking in a few more sights along the way- so comfy shoes on we set off. We headed along Sauchiehall Street (Sock-e-hall) past the remains of the Glasgow School of Art. Sadly the air around it still smelt burnt and it was largely cordoned off. I would love to have seen it whole as it looked like a beautiful building. We were amazed how many impressive buildings and churches we saw just on our stroll out and the striking difference between the tenements of Glasgow and the little terraces of Manchester.

We got to Kelvingrove just as the drizzle started so were pleased to take cover inside. Lots of the reviews I had read said it was worth visiting just for the building itself and they weren't wrong. The exterior is pure victorian gothic with towers and sweeping entrance stairs while main hall that you come into was beautiful and imposing. The main hall was similar to the National History Museum in London, but with no dinosaurs in the way so you could really appreciate its size and design.

However not only did the museum look good, but it contained a wide variety of displays, varying from natural history, weaponry and local history through to modern art. Their most famous exhibit (apart from Sir Roger the stuffed elephant) is a Salvador Dali of Christ on the Cross. It is a beautiful painting and also quite eerie.

After Kelvingrove we explored the center of Glasgow further until eventually the rain really started and we had to take refuge in the many bars and pubs. We started in the Butterfly and Pig on Bath St. This was the sister bar from the night before, though we were disappointed to find it didn't stock the same wide range of ales and beer. It had a nice atmosphere however and was a welcome escape from the rain in their large comfy sofas. We then carried on down to Vespbar. This bar was spread out over several levels and had a very retro fifties diner feel to it. The emormous pizzas that we saw going past looked amazing as well, definitely one I would come back to.

Having lined our stomachs with a quick burrito at Juan Chihuahuas we finished up at the Pot Still for a wee dram. This bar boasts over 600 whiskies and requires very agile bar staff to fish them all down from the shelves. I loved that all the pubs in Scotland had a little water tap on the bars so you can water your whisky to your own taste. I had a Singleton which was very tasty though nothing remarkable (my memory here might not be entirely reliable so apologies to any Singleton fans) and Mr Owl had a Dalmore which was very tasty. It was the perfect end to a great day in Glasgow, I just wish we had more time there, but the coast was beckoning.