Sat 27 - Sun 28 August
Glasgow is a beautiful city. Once an industrial city on the banks of the River Clyde, its streets are lined with sandstone Georgian terraces built in the early 1800's, and its people are friendly (the friendliest people in Scotland, I overheard one local say).
On Saturday, myself, Nerida and Nat (another Australian friend and ex-Voiceworks person) spent the day wandering around the city while Bec & Bob went off to the wedding rehearsal: Nat has been here before so she took us to an excellent record store called Monorail Music (12 Kings Court, King Street: www.monorailmusic.com) which is also a bar, cafe and performance space as well; I have to go back before I leave and stock up on obscure local bands...
We walked through the countless malls, up a steep hill, and ended the day at NICENSLEAZY (421 Sauchiehall Street) , a fantastic bar & live music venue where Bob works. I was restrained, and only stayed for a few hours, although I could have stayed all night: friendly bar staff and the best jukebox in the world. If you're ever in Glasgow you have to go there! www.nicensleazy.com
On the way back to Minerva Street got cheerfully distracted by some amazing architecture, so climbed another hill to check it out. Then I encountered an Australian who works at a nearby backpackers, and who warned me not to walk through a local park at night: apparently its full of rentboys and queer-bashing neds. Okay, I'm more than happy not to get bashed while I'm in town!
Trying to squeeze as many things into my day as possible I then decided to check out one of Glasgow's gay bars, The Polo Lounge. It was - hmmm - ok I guess. Three venues in one - a dance club in the basement, a very trendy bar upstairs, and another fancy bar then felt like, well, a polo club I guess: chesterfield sofas and chairs, that sort of thing. I struck up a conversation with a very cute lad in a Ramones t-shirt who naturally enough turned out to be straight and visiting the club with a gay mate, but he invited me to join them for drinks anyway, and a pleasent hour or two was had by all. I got to bed about 3am, as I recall...
On Sunday, the day of the wedding, I woke up early, and as I had a few hours to kill before I had to put my kilt on (and yes, I will endeavour to get photos!) I went for a long walk through the city to the Glasgow Necropolis, an amazingly beautiful cemetery based on the famous Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris (where I'll be going in a few weeks to sit beside Oscar Wilde's grave and drink champagne or absinthe in his honour). Absolutely stunning views from the necropolis' central hill, overlooking the cathedral precinct and the city proper. Sunday morning was an appropriately windy, rainy day, and I felt very much in my element: Glasgow goths must love the place! See the photo above for an impression of its funeral beauty, and go here: http://www.headstones.fsnet.co.uk/gnecrop.htm or here: http://www.suzielda.co.uk/netcemy/cemy/glas/glas.htm for a little more information/images about the place...
I'm not going to write about the wedding now, I'll save that for my next post, but as I walked back through Glasgow central listening to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on my iPod, I encountered yet more stunning architecture, a huge bicycle race through the streets of the city, and a ubiquitous Borders bookshop that reminded me I have to pick up some contemporary Scottish short stories to read on the train to London.
I am having a fantastic time here, and I could easily stay in Scotland for weeks. I wish I had more than a month's holiday. *sigh* Anyway, I have to go help set up for the BBQ now - I believe someone said something about making salads...
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