My First Traveling Experience: Scotland!
Experiences
My first major travel experience was in April of 2009, my freshman year of High School. One of my main draws to Scotland wasthe accent and someone I had met online and a few of his friends. Nowadays, my reasons for traveling are more mature – the history about the country, interesting architecture, interesting culture – but when I was younger, who could blame me? Scottish boys with accents are pretty draw-worthy!
I must say, even if you believe your reason for travel is trivial, just as mine was, it doesn’t mean that your overall trip will end up being trivial at all. Going to Scotland might have been one of the most eye opening trips I’ve taken. Before then, I had only gone “traveling” to visit family in Spain, something I had been doing since the age of one. To set foot in a country and actually explore was something new for me. To set foot in a country and meet the country’s people was something new for me. I wasn’t in a “comfortable” surrounding, per say. I’m not saying the hotel was not up to standards – it was a pretty awesome building actually! An old 19th century building in the Merchant City area was gutted so that the exterior still had its architectural finesse while the inside could accommodate visitors. But I wasn’t in familiar surroundings as I would be in during family visits.
Glasgow Attractions
Glasgow is such a modern city, yet it has architectural beauty. During the Industrial Revolution, the city of Glasgow became heavily industrialized and with that came the separation of the rich, poor, and middle classes. Glasgow was dirty, polluted, and filled with poverty and sickness. The Glasgow of today shows no such horror, and as one walks down its streets, one is only reminded of the beauty of its old, Victorian style buildings. But the history of Glasgow and its people is important and should not be forgotten – hence the People’s Palace Museum. The museum reflects upon the history of the Glaswegian people and their accomplishments and really makes the visitor feel as if they are part of the history.
For those looking for attractions a little more “off the beaten path,” I would recommend the Sharmanka Kinetic Museum. At first I was scared to go because its entrance looks like a door to an upper level “skeezy” apartment. Don’t be fooled! When one enters the kinetic museum, they enter a realm of whimsical contraptions – some charming and others a little disturbing. Nonetheless, the visit to the museum is an exciting one and really makes one feel “artsy.” And I know how that’s a popular desire these days – too feel “artsy.” The kinetic pieces are the artwork of a Russian artist Eduard Bersudsky and have been in Glasgow since 1996. It’s also nice because not many people know about it so the crowd isn’t too large. Exhibit times are posted on the door as the pieces are not moving all the times – it’s almost like a show!
For those who like a little break from the cultural and need something a little more commercial, Buchanan Street is PERFECT for you. A pedestrian-only street, there are times when it’s teaming with people! There are a variety of stores, from tourist shops to UK brand clothing stores. Also on this street is Princes Square, an art-nouveau building with tiny restaurants inside and a large indoor mosaic patio that children run around on. Another thing Glasgow is famous for is the architect/artist Charles Mackintosh. His art-deco style is prevalent in much of Glasgow’s architecture and style, and there is even a design school named after him there. The Willow Tea Room, a high end eatery, is also a must see. Designed by Mackintosh, the architecture is flawless and streamline – a big contrast with the older Victorian architecture elsewhere in Glasgow.
For those with a more morbid personality, the Necropolis is a must see sight! Influenced by the Necropolis in France, this cemetery is filled with large and often toppling tombstones. It’s a great place for a brisk walk in the cool Scottish air, or for some scenic pictures. It is adjacent to the Glasgow Cathedral, which houses beautiful stained glass windows – one featuring a nude Adam and Eve.
Being from New York, and being Jewish, I felt it was important to go visit the first synagogue ever built in Scotland – the Garnethill Synagogue. Unfortunately at the time, the heating was not working so services were held in the multi-purpose room, but afterwards I was shown the beautiful main sanctuary. The synagogue was renovated 10 years earlier, but has a very small congregation and is struggling to stay afloat as the main congregants are all old – the youngest member being 21 and a college student who doesn’t visit often.
Many people in New York know of the tenements on the Lower East Side, and many have even visited to see the poor living conditions that many immigrants had to survive in back at the turn of the century. Glasgow, also being an industrial city, had its fair share of tenements as well. The Tenement House Museum in Glasgow is not an example of the worst living conditions of the day, but does have some interesting history. At the time of my visit, during Easter break, the museum had an Easter Egg hunt for the little kids… and for me! It’s a nice, quiet outing.
Reader, you must be getting tired with my lists of what to do in Glasgow! Well, don’t you fret, because this is my last highlight! The Lighthouse – Scotland’s Center of Architecture and Design, is a really interesting museum with an interesting architecture of its own! Built by Mackintosh to look very similar to a light house, its stairs are spiraled and one can venture up to the top to see a view of Glasgow City.
Venturing Out…
As much as there is to do in Glasgow, because Scotland is such a compact country (though the Highlands are difficult to navigate – I have yet to trek up there!), one should definitely make an effort to see what else the land has in store! An even bigger city is just next door – an hour and a half train ride away! Visiting Edinburgh is a must when in Scotland. My suggestion, if you’re only spending one day there, is to look into the Hop On-Hop Off bus, available in many touristy areas. It allows the visitor to see all of the important sights while permitting time for deeper exploration if desired. My favorite site in this city, which happens to be the capital of Scotland may I add, has to be the Palace of Holyroodhouse. More impressive, in my opinion, than Edinburgh Castle (which houses the Crown Jewels, which I must say is pretty impressive), the Palace of Holyroodhouse is actually used occasionally by Queen Elizabeth the II! The Palace also has an old burned down Abbey on its grounds which is extremely picturesque. Entrance to the Palace is highly recommended. For those more adventurous than I, looking into a hike along Edinburgh’s tall mountains to “Arthur’s Seat” might be an interesting and different take on the happening city.
One coincidence in traveling to Scotland was that one of my favorite castles in my Castles of the World book happened to be located there too! I visited Glamis Castle, most known for being the setting of Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Macbeth. The castle is located in Angus, Scotland, quite a ways away from anything major. To get there from Glasgow requires a train up to Dundee, a much longer trip than going to Edinburgh. From Dundee a bus is needed to get near the castle, but during my visit, the bus wouldn’t arrive for several hours and the station was 10 minutes walk from the train. April weather in Scotland is NOT warm, so I didn’t plan on walking and waiting. A cab driver was nice enough to give us a deal – 40 pounds round trip and he’d wait for us as we walked around. The castle is very varied, with rooms dating to the Victorian era and others dating to the medieval era! The tour is around 50 minutes long and on a nice day, I would recommend visiting the expanse of gardens but I never got to.
Final thoughts
All in all, I would definitely recommend an excursion to Scotland, even if it’s for only a couple of days. To see the main sights, I would highly recommend the Hop On-Hop Off Tour Bus wherever you go – whether Scotland or another destination. It allows the visitor to see everything, and is great during the first couple of days to get one acclimated to the area – especially during jet lag.
