Monday started out a bit iffy but turned into a beautiful day, although still a bit chilly. We headed by bus to Glasgow, about an hour trip. Once there, we walked to the 12th century cathedral dedicated to the town's patron saint, St. Mungo (made us remember the old Brooklyn Dodgers' pitcher Van Lingo Mungo!). Behind the church the cemetery with its massive vaults looms on a high hill, appearing like some bizarre apartment complex. Nextdoor is the Royal Infirmary, a building that looks like a castle. Also in the area is the Provand's Lordship, the oldest house in Glasgow, built in 1471. We then boarded a tour bus, a 'hop on, hop off' bus which would take us to all the sights. Our driver and guide were very amusing, doing songs and little dances and such.
Glasgow is a very industrialized city with many modern buildings. It's easy to miss the charm of the beautiful old brownstone buildings, with their intricate detail. But they are worth looking out for. The bus passed through the University district and Kelvingrove Park, with its tennis courts and bowling greens. We got off near the original Willow Tea Room, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928), Glasgow's most famous architect/artist/designer. His work reminded me of Frank Lloyd Wright. We had a nice lunch although we discovered this is the only one of the 4 tearooms that does not serve alcohol! David had haggis with neeps and taties (mashed potatoes and rutabagas); I had an English tea which was brought on a plateau - sandwiches of cucumber and cheese, salmon, ham, and egg salad on one layer, a scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam on another, and a rich chocolate layer cake on the final layer, all accompanied by a pot of tea.
Afterwards we 'hopped on' again, passing by the River Clyde where the old shipyards built the Queen Mary and many other famous ships. We went on to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, housed in a magnificent building of brownstone with turrets and much decoration. It's a stunning building, inside and out. We toured many of the rooms showing the art collection, including Monet's "A View of Ventimiglia" which reminded us of home. Then we jumped back on the tour bus to return to the bus station and our trip back to Edinburgh.