I began the day at that memorable Scottish store, TJ Maxx. Ok, maybe not so much but, since my High Sierra rolling duffle had both wheels damaged and gashes & scraps in the bottom, I feared it would fail in some remote point of my peregrination. So I picked up a 4 wheel hard case suitcase that can be returned if need be in the States.
Dropped the bag off at the hotel and headed out for my final ‘must see’ of this visit to Glasgow. Pollok Gardens & The Burrell Collection. Hopped off the train and immediately took a wrong turn to Burrell that brought me to Pollok. Along the way I saw what appears to be a different, more jagged-leaf Gunnera along the bank of a small bern.
If I’m right these leaves will be 4 feet wide on 6 foot stems by July.
At the stable house my mistake was pointed out. All I had to do was replace an 800 meter walk with a two mile one! No worries as it wasn’t raining.
I always thought that the iconic Highland Cattle, the Harry Coo, were all brown but these corrected my error.
And showed how to tackle a stubborn itch
The bare patch on the tree shows this wasn’t the first time a coo employed this trick.
Suddenly around a corner I see Pollok house.
Often referred to as Scotland’s Downton Abby highlighting upstairs/downstairs if the 1930’s. As Burrell was my ultimate goal, I passed on entering Pollok.
I’ll let them explain
Unfortunately the roof leaks and this collection will temporarily close at year’s end and the pieces will either be sent on tour or stored until the building is ready again. The cost for repair will exceed the original cost of the building.
Inside you see a range of pieces including:
Rowan’s Shame of Eve
and his ‘Thinker’
Ramsesses II
The Charity of a Beggar by Courbet
And Chinese porcelain
Whole rooms like this
Or this
Exhausted from the walk and mind reeling from all I had observed I collapsed in one of these chairs
with leather over 1/4″ thick I was informed they cost over £2000 each! Great to rest up in but the devil to get out of.
Only a few more months before the collection is closed for a few years but if you’re lucky parts will turn up in a museum near you.
Tomorrow I take the West Highland Line to Oban to catch the morning ferry to Uist.
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