Via the newly reconstituted LNER, it takes only 4.5 hours to get from Newark to Glasgow, including a change at Edinburgh. So it's not only a very scenic journey but a reasonably fast one too.





As the photos suggest, the weather on the day we travelled was pretty awful across the board, and Glasgow was no exception. But even stumping along from the railway station to our hotel, assailed by a cold wind and spitting rain, you couldn't help but notice the grandeur of the buildings and the ubiquity of the bridges over the Clyde, which do indeed reflect the story of the city's development.


I'm somewhat ashamed to say I've visited Scotland only twice before (not sure why -- after all, the Isle of Man is as close to southern Scotland as it is to northern England, but the English destinations always won out over the Scottish ones). Glasgow was new to both of us, and we've very much taken to it.

We used Frommer's Walk No 1 as a strolling guide. Beware, though: they say this little sortie takes "about 1 to 2 hours"; it took us two half-days...

The walk, plus a number of trots along the river, threw up a few distinctive Glaswegian themes:

1.
Victoriana
It's everywhere. Glasgow, like Liverpool or Manchester or Melbourne or Kolkata, is awash with the grandiose edifices that marked the era of the woman known variously as the Empress of India and the Famine Queen... I can't help but admire the Victorians' mania for good, solid, soaring buildings. Nor, however, can I help but be disturbed by the subtext. The confidence and brashness -- the sheer egomania -- that inspired this heavy footprint also provided the impetus that projected the British out to oppress the rest of the globe even more efficiently than they had done previously...














2.
Stained glass and other joys in Glasgow Cathedral









3.
Those bridges





4.
Social history
A good place to start is the People's Palace. This fascinating museum covers the evils of drink, the overcrowding in the tenements, the citizens' recreational opportunities, the labour movement, and much more.






5.
Statues way up high...









6.
Murals




7. Food
It's all been good, and reasonably priced. Special mention to Spoon for Scottish tablet; The Wild Olive Tree, St Georges Tron, for delectable scones in a range of flavours; and The Social, Royal Exchange Square, for hearty sausages, mash, and onion gravy.


Glasgow has been described as "one of the best examples of urban regeneration in existence". Of course, there are still major challenges. But the vibe is good, the people are friendly, and there's clearly a lot to be proud of.

Here's to reinvention...