Glasgow, Scotland

            Wednesday, 19 Aug 2015 – After our late night, we both slept very late – and regretfully, missed the closing time for breakfast; we settled for an early lunch.  Sally had decided to cancel both the Belfast and Glasgow excursions because neither seemed to offer enough of interest for a couple becoming exhausted from ship-sponsored excursions every day.  However, Jesse didn’t want to miss seeing things and threatened to go out on his own; if he did that, Sally might never see him again, so she agreed to do something “short and easy” with very little walking.  (If we got lost, at least we would be lost together.)

Although we had been successful in our Belfast adventure (being short and “easy,” Glasgow was definitely much different!  During our entire time in the British Isles, the weather has seemed extremely unpredictable.  Today was supposed to be cloudy, but that prediction was changed only hours earlier.  People who knew the correct weather forecast left the ship early and returned before it started raining.  However, we left late (about 2:00 PM), just when the raindrops started falling – and it soon became a very rainy day.  Besides, our ship docked in Greenock, about a 40-minute train ride from Glasgow.  Instead of taking a free Princess shuttle to Glasgow, first we had to walk about 20 minutes to the train station.  During our walk, we had difficulty following the map and had to ask for directions a couple of times.  (Later, we realized that we had been trying to follow the Glasgow map, not the one for Greenock!)

Once at the Greenock train station, we soon boarded an almost-empty train to Glasgow (at the cost of £13.80 for both of us, including the return trip).  For most of the time, the train followed the river Clyde.  When we arrived at the Glasgow train station, we looked for the public toilets.  After finding out that they cost 40p each to use, we stood by the change machine trying to figure out how to obtain change.  However, when the young man who was directing “traffic” into the toilet lines realized that we were stupid Americans, he opened up the gates and let us in for free!

From there, we walked for 15 minutes in the rain under our umbrella to the beginning point for the Hop-On/Hop-Off bus.  Immediately upon our arrival (now about 4:00 PM), we boarded an awaiting bus.  Although the regular cost was £15.00 each, we received £3.00 senior (over 60) discounts and £1.00 “loyalty discounts” with our Hop-on/Hop-Off tickets from Belfast.  Therefore, our total cost for the Hop-On/Hop-Off bus for the two of us was £22.00.
 

Selfie on Tour Bus in Glasgow

The best seats for taking photos were the open-air seats in the rear of the upper deck; however, due to the rain, we sat under the covered section in the front of the upper deck.  Of course, our photos were taken through rain-speckled windows.  Since it was already late in the day and also raining, we had no intention of “hopping off” the bus.  This sight-seeing bus tour was scheduled for two hours, not just one hour (as in Belfast) – and with 28 stops.

            Sad to say, most of the places that the bus passed had no familiar sound to us (or probably to most Americans).  A few were very old, such as Glasgow Green (the oldest of the city's parks gifted by Bishop Turnbull in 1450).  The world-famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is the most visited museum in the U.K. outside of London.  It features ever-changing contemporary exhibits as well as dinosaurs, suits of armor, weaponry and treasures from around the world.  Another stop was for a view of the 12th-century Glasgow Cathedral, the only cathedral in Scotland to have survived the Reformation intact. Provand's Lordship was the only house to survive from the medieval city, dating from 1471.

The bus arrived back at its starting point at about 6:10 PM; then we walked back in the rain to the train station.  Upon arrival, the “restroom attendant” allowed us to use the pay toilets again, for free.  (Although we obtained change from the machine this time, we were having difficulty reading the value of the various coins!  The print is too small!)  We then boarded the waiting return train back to Greenock at 6:25 PM.  This time, the train was full, but a couple from South Africa, who were also on our cruise, made room for us.  We conversed with them for the 40-minute train ride and then followed them back to the ship.  (In fact, most of the train passengers seemed to be heading back to the ship.)

After returning to our cabin, we rested for a while – and Sally decided that, this time, a ship’s excursion probably would have been more relaxing and drier! 

By the time we made it to the dining room for dinner, it was 8:30 PM.  Although we sat at a table for two, we conversed with the couples seated not far away on either side of us.  A fairly young couple from Seattle sat on one side of us; we didn’t ask their names, but he is a college football referee and stays in great shape chasing the ball up and down the football field.  Lynn and Paul, from central England, sat on our other side.  We discussed some Irish, English, and American history, and we learned some interesting facts previously unknown to us.  For one, Paul told us that many Irish had immigrated to England (as well as to America) during the Potato Famine.  We also learned that only trains travel through the tunnel under the English Channel.  There are three tunnels; one for each direction and a third tunnel for service vehicles.  In order to travel through the tunnel, a car must be loaded onto a railcar.  In addition, Paul and Lynn have a very close friend who works for Pratt & Whitney and has lived on and off, in Glastonbury, Connecticut.  They have visited their friend and his family there, and love the town as their friends do.  It was amazing for Sally to hear of little Glastonbury on a cruise ship near Scotland!  Of course, Sally told about having lived there for 7 years, teaching there for 3 years, etc., during the 1960’s.  After dinner, we didn’t dance – Sally was too tired from all of the walking.