In the morning we catch a train to London. We are concluding the Scotland portion of our girls’ trip with an overnight stay in Glasgow. Most of the day was spent in the car, traveling south from Isle of Skye through the Highlands, arriving in the busy city mid afternoon. By the time we had lunch and headed out into the rain to sightsee, the day was fading.
No worries. We made the most of our time in Glasgow.
There was no time for the hop on/hop off bus. Instead we took a cab to the one site we all wanted to see…the Glasgow Cathedral and its gothic looking cemetery known as the Necropolis…the City of the Dead.
We barely made it in time for a quick tour of the cathedral. It is a beautiful Scottish gothic style structure, dedicated in 1136. There are catacombs beneath the upper cathedral that we walked through quietly. The kirk survived the medieval period intact and services are still held here.
Glasgow Cathedral.
The cathedral interior.
The catacombs in the lower chapel.
The Necropolis, established in 1832, rises up on a hill behind the cathedral. More than fifty thousand of Glasgow’s nobility and wealthy are buried in this Victorian cemetery, although there are only about 3500 monuments.
It was an amazing experience, walking through the Necropolis. The ancient structures, ranging in size from small headstones to huge majestic buildings and pillars, create a landscape that could be a scene from Phantom of the Opera or the Addams’ Family. The steady rain did not slow our exploration of this fascinating historical place, and we chose it as our group photo location.
We called another cab to take us to Buchanan Street, off of George Square, where we had a fun dinner and a drink to end our day and our stay in this beautiful country. And finally, we took a cab back to our hotel.
There was not time for more sightseeing or shopping. But what struck me today was how friendly the people of Glasgow are, and indeed, the people in all of Scotland. We asked our cab drivers what they liked about living in Glasgow…and they agreed that it is the people that make this bustling city what it is.
Our friendly and attentive waiter, Scott, slid into the booth with us for a few minutes, and shared his passion about his country and its people. We appreciated his remarks and his obvious love for Scotland, a love we share. The people here are good hearted and hard working, with cheerful dispositions. Some have a dry wit and some cracked us up with their amusing antics.
It was a wonderful way to end our stay in Scotland, being reminded that as gorgeous as the landscapes are in this country, it is the people who make this country such a joy to visit, play in and explore. Walking along Buchanan Street, I noticed the flags hanging on either side. I smiled in agreement. The people do make Glasgow. The people make Scotland.
