KELVINGROVE

   A highlight of Glasgow is the magnificent Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in the West End on the banks of the Kelvin River and bounded by a beautiful park.

   My friend Frank, a frequent visitor, said not to miss it, if only because of the architecture. 

      It is built of red sandstone from Locharbriggs Scotland.

  It was built from 1888 to 1901 and is near the University of Glasgow. 

   The center piece of the Centre Hall is the concert pipe organ. 

   The building reverberates when the organ master is at the keyboard.

   The Kelvingrove is an apt mixture of art, artifacts, taxidermy and oddities. 

     When viewing the battle ribbons it struck me how frequently and how far flung brave Scots were sent to battle by the King or Queen of England.

   A fine cafe afforded an ideal place for a cup of tea, a snack and place to watch the verdant green, get greener. 

    Admission to this Art Gallery and Museum is free, as are most museums in Scotland. 

   Ireland is on the horizon. Stay tuned.

   See you down the trail. 

OLD AND NEW WITH SWAGER

    The visit to Glasgow begins and ends at the Museum of Modern art. 
     The art prank on the statue to the Duke of Wellington is in keeping with the mood of Scotland's largest city.

    New and old reflect each other in Glasgow.

      The juxtaposition is an affect of the heavy bombing Glasgow suffered during WWII. The port and industry were targets of the German Nazis.

 Thomas Carlyle is fittingly recalled. He was a towering thinker, writer, mathematician, philosopher and Victorian era commentator. 

    Glasgow is long on contrast and irony.

  There is a rich architectural heritage. 

  Many in Glasgow speak with a dialect or accent that is unique among the Scots. One needs to listen carefully, and even then it can be a challenge, though a delight to hear. 

        It is a cultural and artistic center. It feels and looks larger than its population of some 600 thousand. 

   On the itinerary, the Kelvingrove, and then a place where you can not believe your eyes and onto the magnificent Irish Republic.

   See you down the travel.