I’ve been here a mere six days, yet so much has happened that my seven hour flight seems like a lifetime ago. I know that, after a few more weeks, the glamour and novelty may wear off, and any judgements I make about the city will likely be more realistic. Yet I can’t help but feel that I’ve found a new home halfway across the world.
I’ve settled in comfortably, and I’d like to think that by now I can understand at least 60% of the average Glaswegian taxi driver’s thick accent.
Glasgow is old. I mean, hundreds of years old, and the University was established in the middle ages. Yet the city itself, spreading over and under the drumlins on the banks of the river Clyde, manages the most peculiar combination of old world charm and gritty modern city.
The patchy and uneven sidewalk, paved occasionally in brick and more often in black pavement, is eternally filled with puddles, and it seems that a number of small lakes have taken up residence in the middle of the streets. The perpetual rain should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows anything about the UK. Most of the older buildings are made of either the cream-colored sandstone quarried from just outside the city or darker greys and browns from Dumfries. All the buildings are many floors high, and the ground floor of the busiest areas of the west end are comprised of hundreds of small shops, restaurants, pubs and clubs. Saying there’s a pub on every corner is an understatement. Having only been here a short while, I haven’t had the chance to explore all of them, if that is even possible, but each one possesses a certain eternal warmth and sense of familiarity. Each offers a sort of refuge from the cold winter rains, and there’s nothing like a Scottish ale or good Scotch between friends.
Recently, I’ve been informed that there is something of a rivalry between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Glasgow is the larger of the two, boasting a population of nearly 600,000, while Edinburgh (which, by the way, is pronounced “Edin-burra” not “Edin-berg”) is the capital, and the Old and New towns of Edinburgh are classified as UNESCO world heritage sites.
Still, Glasgow has its fair share of beauty. Fortunately, I had the chance to visit Edinburgh on Friday to compare for myself.
I suspect that I was mainly in the touristy part of the city, though that doesn’t diminish its value in the slightest. The city was built in layers, and getting anywhere requires hiking endless mossy stone steps and navigating wynds and closes. These two terms probably require some explanation for those unfamiliar with the city. Broadly speaking, these are narrow alleyways, tucked between looming houses and leading from street to street, or to homes hidden in the heart of the city, hidden from view. Halfway down their steps you might duck into a restaurant or shop, if perhaps the climb is too much for you.
The Royal mile is bookended by Edinburgh castle, and the Palace of Holyrood house on the other. The castle is essentially a museum these days, but it was once a proper military fortification. If you’re looking for something more along the lines of luxurious royal residence, then the palace is what you’re looking for. Unfortunately, by the time we had reached the palace, it was closed, but the view from the outside was spectacular.
It’s true; I love Edinburgh, and will probably return before my semester is over, but let me be clear: I’m a Glaswegian at heart. Perhaps it’s premature to say so, since the city and I have only been acquainted a few days, but I’ve discovered that I’m less of a ‘stranger in a strange land’ and more of traveler returning home.