Welcome To Glasgow

It's been four days since my arrival and it's going pretty much as I imagined it would. I miss home, I miss Jarrett, but I talk to my friends and family every day. Last night Jarrett and I watched The Empire Strikes Back while messaging each other - as close as we can get to watching a movie together over the ocean. Besides trying to stay in touch, I've been going into the city every day.

Buchanan Square and Sauchiehall Street is pretty much what we've explored so far. It's beautiful and busy, with people and shops and street performers all day long.

Street piper on Sauchiehall street.

It gets even more beautiful at night when the shops are closed and the streets are lit up. The strip is all walkway - only interrupted by traffic every now and then, which most of the pedestrians seem to take on at their own risk. I'm learning the colloquial rules of streetcrossing: cross whenever you want, make sure there's nobody coming in a massive double decker bus to mow you down. The streets are busy all day long, so crowded you can barely move around but maintains a good traffic flow regardless. In the evening, shops all seems to close around 8pm and the people disappear, leaving a few bar crawlers, street musicians, grocery shoppers, and the homeless on the barren stone pathways. I had my first late-night venture to McDonald's with Holly last night, after we enjoyed some of the case of beer we split on. I can't seem to wrap my head around buying alcohol from the grocery store, much less find grocery store brand gin, vodka, etc. We were amazed to find a pack of 20 bottles of Stella for only £12 - about $19 CAD. Turns out, the McDonalds here is just as satisfying as back home.  

The view from Buchanan Square.

The shopping is great. Topshop, Forever21, HMV, H&M, NewLook, Boots, and of course places I have yet to discover. I came equipped with rainboots and a rain jacket but found the rain on a bit of a holiday this week. So I went to the biggest Forever21 I have ever seen - 3 stories - and bought a £15 leather quilted bomber jacket that has been my go-to since.

Taylor and I are hoping to go to Edinburgh to visit Brittany this weekend and plan our first real travel excursion. I really hope to go to Ireland, England, France, and of course explore Scotland while I'm here.