Glasgow - And Other Things Scottish

George II Square

Merchant City- Tolbooth Steeple

Rick Steve's book of Great Britain proved handy once again as it included a self-guided tour of Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. After dining on Scottish oatmeal for breakfast, they left their mansion-sized bed and breakfast with iPad in hand, and walked to Glasgow's old town centre. At first glance, the town wasn't what they considered as overly stately or particularly attractive. The shops looked average and it seemed like quite a few were closed down. They were perplexed at first because their friend Moira, a native Glaswegian, had mentioned that Glasgow was more beautiful than Edinburgh especially when it came to architecture.

Buildings with
External Detail

"Oh. Look up." Beth said. If you ignore the modern storefronts 

that cover the bottom level of the buildings and look up at the original facades, Glasgow's true beauty comes through. Their guidebook helped them to further focus on specific aspects of the architecture.

Glasgow is noted for one architecture in particular - Charles Rennie MacIntosh who was prominent in the early 1900's and is renowned for his Art Nouveau style. As they toured the city centre they visited Macintosh's "Lighthouse building", "Hatrack" building built with engineering similar to Antoni Gaudi's buildings in Barcelona, and his Willow Tea Rooms.

MacIntosh's tea room

When touring the tea rooms Macintosh's attention to detail was apparent. Although primarily an architect, for the teas rooms he designed everything from the stained glass windows, furniture, lighting, carpeting, and even the cutlery. The overall effect is awe-inspiring and made them feel like they were walking into a work of art.

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"You HAVEN’T tried sticky pudding?" asked Moira aghast after they finished their meal together. Rob and Beth had met Moira while travelling in western Canada eight years prior and had kept in touch with the help of Facebook. They had been looking forward to meeting with her on Scottish soil. "We'll order that and bread and butter pudding."

Veggie haggis,
neeps, and tadies

That was just the beginning of Rob and Beth's education on Scottish foods. Moira was an enthusiastic tour guide as she 

identified traditional Scottish foods on menus and encouraged them to try them all.

“Oh my dad would laugh when I tell him you had the mince and mash Rob”, Moira remarked on Rob’s menu choice in the roadside pub on their drive back from the day’s hike. “That’s his favourite.”

Over the next few days they ate:

Haggis, neeps, and tadies: ground guts, lungs heart, and other unmentionables, with sides of mashed turnips and mashed potatoes (Beth had the vegetarian version)

Cullen skink: A clowder made with smoked haddock.

Mince and mash: Mildly seasoned ground beef and veggies with mash potatoes on the side

Marmite: Some kind of brown spread with subtle hints of awful.

Crana-gone

Hampton pie: A Scottish ground meat pie.

Fish, chips, and mushy peas: needs no explanation

Curry chips: Curry gravy on Fries

Cranachan: tasty pudding with berries honey and whisky…yesss!

Moira enjoy bread
butter pudding

Clootie dumpling (or cootie dumpling as Rob says): another pudding dessert made with cream, bread crumbs and dried fruit

Sticky toffee pudding: self described

Bread and butter pudding: Old bread with butter made into tasty pudding with custard

Tablet: A highly rich sugar treat much like Canadian maple fudge.

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The room

Before reaching their hiking destination, Moira, Rob and Beth stopped in the small town of Stirling to view its castle and have lunch.

"I could use a coffee." said Beth spotting a coffee shop after their very filling Scottish meal which left her somewhat groggy.

Walking by Sterling's Graveyard

"I know just the place and it's near the hiking spot. In fact, it’s a tea house actually owned by my relatives."

They hopped in the car and the three drove, following Moira's

directions for 30 minutes. The cafe was busy and had people browsing the natural foods shop attached to the tearoom. Beth looked out the window beyond the field of grazing sheep wondering how much light would be left by the time they got out for their hike. However, she was the one who requested coffee.

When they were finally settled in a booth and menus in hand Moira asked what everyone was ordering.

Did someone say
more dessert?

"Just a coffee, I think." responded Beth. "We just finished lunch."

As it turned out they all ordered coffee or tea and a dessert. A

 scone with clotted cream and jam each for Moira and Beth, and an apple pastry for Rob. Moira was very disappointed that the meringues were finished for the day.

"They are my favourite." and she went on to explain that meringues were a typical Scottish dessert that were light and fluffy, and particularly large at this cafe. "Although they don't make them as good as my mom's they are a pretty close second."

An hour after arriving at the cafe, they were once again heading for the day’s goal. A hike.

"I cannot believe we stopped to eat again. I'm stuffed!", announced Beth.

"You're the one who wanted a coffee", laughed Moira.

"A coffee... not tea and cake! I was thinking of grabbing a quick espresso to go."

Moria and Beth plan their
next coffee break.

"Oh. When someone says 'going for a coffee' it always means sitting down for tea, dessert and chatting."

"You must have thought I was crazy as we just ate!... And, I thought it was just part of your plot to keep us from hiking"