So, off onto the streets of Glasgae.
We decided to stay in the Kelvingrove area - there was easily enough to see locally and after all the reason we booked a hotel this side of town was to be close to the SECC where the pantomime was.
The pavements, the pavements. Four words.
I have another three. Sheet Fucking Ice.
I have never come across anything as slippery apart from an actual ice rink.
I have not been physically brave since I was about 12 years old.
I suffered enormously (now raise a large AWWWWWWWW! like a good panto audience).
I am not used to mincing about, holding onto things and being rigid with fear for every step I take in case I slip and impale my cheek on the very railings I have to hold onto in order not to be horizontal.
Of course I'm exaggerating. Well, I mean I was exaggerating the consequences as I walked around, my fear and my shuffling were the real consequences. Dana and Limey were far more pragmatic, but even they were slow and cautious.
We tried to go to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, but it was still closed! despite what felt like a late start to us, it was still Off Limits On A Sunday o'clock. So more mincing over pavements of doom, more fear and pulling faces from me (at this point I was ready to go back to the room and ply the girls with coffee and the red wine left over from the night before and it was only 10.30!) Wiser and more adventurous minds prevailed and we ended up walking through the University grounds.
We could walk on the grass there, and as my fear of falling abated I really began to appreciate the architecture, the still cold air, and the feeling of being up while lazy sluggards were sleeping (I pretended not to see the joggers, as light on their feet as elves, sprinting past on frozen pavements).
When we left the grounds we were on a road which had been at least partially gritted/ cleared - mostly by the owners of the shops, bars and restaurants along that stretch. The second picture below is an advertising taxi for an American style diner/ coffeeshop. The girls were keen to go in and get their fix, but Dana needed to find a cashpoint, so we walked further along. When we came back on the other side of the road we found the
Big Mouth Coffee Company, which fitted the bill just as well. I had a milkshake
Dana and Limey were having a personal and profound conversation about death and families. I zoned out because I was wondering whether the description "moo-rvelous" on the advert behind me could be considered incorrect given that the British spelling should have to ll's. Can you misspell a made up word?
Pics: Kelvingrove Museum as before (glimpsed through trees from the hotel in previous pic) and the taxi.