Hop on – Hop off, Glasgow

There is a very good double decker (top half covered) tour bus that can take you to most of the important sites to see around the city.  28 stops in all.  £13 of one day & £15 for two with a £ off for old geezers like me. (FYI if you have a US Mac, you create the £ symbol by holding down the Option key while pressing 3) It was a dreck, rainy, gloomy day so a bus to a museum, view/photograph & repeat seemed to me the best way to see what could without drowning. The 27th stop was just a couple of blocks downhill from my hotel and begins two stops further at George Square. Named after King George III, the center doric column was to be topped with the king’s likeness but the city Tobacco Lords (being 20 days closer to Virginia than any English port, Glasgow became Europe’s biggest importer to tobacco) unhappy with the results of the American War for Independence, topped it with the first ever statue of Sir Walter Scott.

As I mentioned the day wasn’t conducive to picture taking but I did my best not knowing the next time I’d be in Glasgow when it wasn’t a similar day.  Here are a few more:

Prince Albert above & Queen Victoria below

No that Thomas Graham is not a relative.

In front of the City Council building or city hall, dedicated by Queen Victoria in 1888, is a Cenotaph commemorating those who died in WWI.

Recalling my pleasant surprise in Belfast at their city hall, I tucked in to see what was up. Whilst no tour available, one is welcome to take pictures in the entrance area.

I was startled to find a bust of Madiba in the lobby.

It turns out that Glasgow was the first city to honor Nelson Mandela in 1981, nine years prior to his release from prison, with the Freedom of the City award.  He thrilled the city when he came in 1993 by dancing onstage in George Square.

Typical of British cities, there are a number of classic, victorian buildings and some seriously impressive churches.

So back on the bus.