Scotland is worth a visit, an infinite wilderness full of history and tradition.
THE REASON
We travelled to Glasgow to attend the League Cup semi-final match between Aberdeen and Rangers at Hampden Park, the home ground of the Scottish national football team. Three days later, on Wednesday, Celtic Park was the venue for the 22nd round of the Scottish Premiership, pitting Celtic against St. Mirren.
We arrived by train early in the morning from Liverpool via Wigan. The four-hour journey from the Wigan transfer was pleasant, and we started a conversation with some Burnley fans who were on their way to their home in Motherwell. Football is the knot that forms the international community of fans from different clubs that motivates our travels.
After a shower and a hearty breakfast that Sunday, we were at the stadium by 2 pm. As the stands filled up, the atmosphere became livelier and livelier, creating an incomparable setting for the semi-finals.
First Match
The match was hard-fought and hard-fought. Aberdeen took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Bojan Miovski scored after a combination with Kennedy.
In the second half, the prediction was to be fulfilled. Ryan Jack's shot from outside the box ricocheted off a defender to score the first goal for "The Gers". Before the possible extra time with a 1-1 draw in the 93rd minute, Anthony Stewart, capital "The Red Army", was sent off with a straight red card for a horrific tackle on SaKala. Just before the start of extra time, Rofee scored to make it 2-1, and although Aberdeen gave their all for the rest of the game, they were weighed down by the fact that they were playing with ten men. Rangers again made it through to the final, which they would play against Celtic as usual. The rest of Sunday was spent resting in the hotel.
Edinburgh
The route
On Monday at 8.30 am we were in Edinburgh. On tour.
The imposing Castle overlooking the capital, Edinburgh, to the elegant Palace of Holyrood, is a walk, "The Golden Mile", as typical as it is frequented. We begin our tour by visiting the Castle, which opens at 9.30 am and it is advisable to start at that time as it has numerous points of interest such as:
The one o'clock cannon, a tradition perpetuated since 1861 and which, except on Sundays, at one o'clock at midday and fired by an artillery General, indicates the time. It is already a tourist attraction more than a time indicator for sailors and inhabitants of the city.
St Margaret's Chapel is a small chapel which, as a building, is the oldest in Edinburgh and the oldest part of the fortress.
The Honours of Scotland, one of the oldest in Christendom, is one of the oldest in the world. In the exhibition, we could see the "Stone of Destiny", a very valuable symbol for the country on which their kings were crowned.
The Scottish National War Memorial is a building erected in memory of those who lost their lives in the conflicts since the First World War.
Mons Meg, a huge 15th-century siege cannon, shows the firepower the imposing fortress possessed during the reign of James II of Scotland.
War Prisons, a recreation of the war prisons, shows us how the captured prisoners were crammed into the cellars of the Castle.
The tour took us around two hours, but it was well spent. To make the most of the time, it is highly recommended to buy tickets online as there are long queues at the ticket office.
Price: Adults: £18 , Children 5-15 years: £11 ,Over 60s: £14.50
As we had planned to visit other places, such as the Palace, we bought the Edinburgh City Pass beforehand, which gives free access to more than 20 attractions, including the Harry Potter tour and the entrance to the Walter Scott Memorial.
Cathedral
After the visit to the Castle, and leaving the Camera Obscura & World of Illusions behind us, we went to the Edinburgh Cathedral - St Giles' Cathedral - on weekdays it has opening hours from 10 am - 6 pm, varying on Saturdays and Sundays, so it is advisable to check the opening hours.
There is no charge for admission, but contributions from visitors help with maintenance, which is why we make the suggested donation of £5.
Built on the site of an ancient 9th-century sanctuary, the building has undergone continuous alterations, and today the remains of different periods can be seen. The most significant alterations were carried out after the church suffered a fire in 1385, after which it was rebuilt in the 15th century in the Gothic style.
The interior of Edinburgh Cathedral has a delightful appearance with the different colours and textures of the ceilings, which show that the church is made of scraps.
The beautiful stained glass windows, installed in the 19th century, cast a welcoming light over the church, making it a hospitable place.
The Thistle Chapel, one of the most important parts of the Cathedral, is located in a corner, away from the door, is The Thistle Chapel. Built under the orders of the Knights of the Order of the Thistle between 1909 and 1911.
The roof of Edinburgh Cathedral is surrounded by little angels playing various instruments, and, unsurprisingly for Edinburgh, one of them is shown playing the bagpipes.
We head back out to High St. to head for the Royal Mile, but it is the Scottish Mile for its length. The area is divided into six sectors, all of which have alleyways and courtyards. Of these, Castlehill and Castle Esplanade are worth mentioning as they are the oldest and the origin of the city. Lawnmarket is full of shops, High Street with the aforementioned St Giles' Cathedral and Tron Church, Canongate the wall that divided Edinburgh and Canongate, which was two independent cities until the end of the 19th century, housing the Scottish Parliament building. Abbey Strand is the small stretch that leads to the Palace of Holyroodhouse or Palace of Holyrood, still today the official residence of the Monarchy of England in Scotland. We could not visit it as it was closed for an institutional act, but its exterior is an admirable combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles.
Food
We stopped for lunch at "The Guilford Arms", Address: 1 W Register St, Edinburgh EH2 2AA.
- Soup of the Day and a succulent "Dark Island Ale and Aberdeen Angus Steak Pie" for £13.70, a pint of Staropramen Lager for £5.20, and we finished, on the advice of the waiter, with a Kingsbarns Dream to Dram £4.10, total £23 per head at today's exchange rate approximately 25.76 Euros.
City tour and monuments:
Renewed vitality in "The Guilford", we took Princes St. to get in less than 5 minutes in front of the biggest monument dedicated to the romantic poet, novelist and publisher, Sir Walter Scott "Scott Monument". We used our Edinburgh Card to gain access. The "Museum Room" with four magnificent stained glass windows framing the knowledge of his literary work, sound points make it easy to hear the most substantial of his writings and of his eventful life. We no longer dared to spend the energy to climb to the top floor, almost three hundred steps. We were informed there was still a lot to see, mainly St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral.
Price: Adults: £8 (approx. €9), Children and students: 6 £ (approx. 7 €).
We walk past countless monuments until we reach "St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral". Here are the most significant ones:
- Adam Black Monument, publisher and politician who edited the Encyclopaedia Britannica and worked by Walter Scott.
-The Royal Scots Greys Monument, an equestrian statue in homage to all the men of the Regiment of the Grey Dragoons, who, since their creation at the end of the 17th century, including World War II, have fought in all the conflicts in which the British Monarchy has participated.
- Scottish American Memorial, erected to honour the Scottish soldiers who fought in WWI.
- Statue of Sir James Young Simpson, discoverer of chloroform.
We arrived at St Mary's just as the sun was beginning to set. A local gothic-style church built in the 19th century, it is the seat of the Bishop of Edinburgh, unlike St Giles' Cathedral, which does not have a Bishop and should not be considered a Cathedral according to the canons.
It is when you stand there that the monumentality of its four towers becomes apparent, and why they are visible from practically all of Edinburgh, measuring 91 metres, despite the Cathedral being built in the bowels of the "West End".
It is now dark, and we take a leisurely stroll to the station to catch the train back to Glasgow. We decide to walk down through the old town, its streets illuminated by the reflection in the rainwater of the street lamps and shop windows, making the city even more beautiful.
GLASGOW
The Route
What can we visit in Glasgow?
The day begins in front of the Glasgow Science Centre, located on the south bank of the River Clyde in the Clyde Waterfront regeneration area. An excellent entertainment venue for visitors of all ages, it's especially attractive if you're travelling with children, for adults going back to childhood. Its attractions and activities entertain but immerse the visitor in a world of interactive exhibits; live science shows, such as the Science Show Theatre, are full of whizzes, bangs, and dazzles.
We cross the river leaving the Scottish Event Campus on our left. A few hundred metres away, the VO Hydro is defined as a cross between the Colosseum in Rome and Victorian theatre.
We head towards Finnieston, an emerging area in the Glasgow nightlife scene with a hipster atmosphere of alternative music venues, to reach St Vincent Street, one of the main arteries of the city, born at the end of the 17th century as a commemoration of the victory of the Royal Navy over the Spanish fleet that was going round Cape St Vincent in Portugal to join Napoleon's French fleet. We arrive at Sauchiehall Street, with high-quality shops, galleries, and bars and its extension in Argyle St., where the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum have been since 1901. It is monumental and free, a space where art is mixed with expressions of popular culture, human and natural sciences, and a beautiful museum.
Going up Byres Road, the West End of the city is the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful spaces in the city. It was created at the beginning of the 19th century, recently 200 years ago, with a minor extension to the current one, on the initiative of Thomas Hopkirk, a botanist born in Glasgow, who agreed with the university to use its plants for experiments in the teaching of medicine and botany.
With its colourful lanes, Glasgow's West End district is a riot of colour created by the wonderful bars, restaurants and vintage shops near the populous Byres Lane. Visit Ashton Lane (famous for its bars and pubs) and Hidden Lane, an overdose of colour. In the latter, as well as doing the most alternative shopping in the city, we continue along Great George Lane or Cresswell Lane.
We left along Church St and continued walking along University Avenue, arriving at the University of Glasgow, founded in 1451, the year in which King James II of Scotland persuaded Pope Nicholas V to issue a bull that would allow Bishop Turnbull of Glasgow to establish a university modelled on the University of Bologna. We caught the train from Platform 3 and ½ to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Near the University of Glasgow, campus is Kelvingrove Park, built by the gardener Joseph Paxton, who was also responsible for designing the Glass House in London. Victorian in style, crossed by the River Kelvin, it was used for everything from hanging out the washing to letting the sheep graze in its gardens, it was also used for sport and political rallies for a century, and for us, it served as a picnic area. My friend had brought jamón serrano from Spain; we had bought bread beforehand. We had sandwiches and a beer.
We resumed our walk, crossing Park Circus to end up at 518 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow G2 3LW, the address where The Royal Highland Fusiliers is located. Once in this area, we decided to visit the monuments of the area:
-The Mitchell Library. An extensive public library and centre of Glasgow City Council's public library system, the building was extended in 1980 and incorporated the current Mitchell Theatre.
-The Tenement House is a gateway to a house depicting early 20th-century Glasgow life.
-The Singl-end-Garnethill, where you are met with delicious cakes to accompany a hot coffee to replenish the body from the cold Glasgow January.
Refuelled, it was already 10:00 p.m., it was hard, and we decided to save energy to finish the visit to Glasgow the following day.
Accommodation
Our hotel was the Ibis Budget Glasgow, at 2A Springfield Quay, Glasgow G5 8NP, a good choice, economical for the everyday adventurer, where we shared for 53 euros a night, breakfast included, a double room of 20 square metres, facing the garden, with two single beds, a comfortable bathroom with shower.
Second Day
We start the day catching the bus, which stops was near the hotel. We get off at West Regent Street and walk less than 10 minutes to the Glasgow School of Art, one of the first schools promoted by the government and focused on creativity and design to support the country's industry.
As we leave the building, we turn right into Hill St to reach the Theatre Royal, Glasgow's oldest theatre; it opened in 1867 and has survived three fires. In 2012, building work began on a spectacular extension that incorporated new theatre facilities but retained the original design of the auditorium.
Continuing along Killermont St, in the square leading to the Buchanan, there is a charming sculpture of a leg, which looks like it's about to give a paw, topped by a clock. On the Opposite side, Buchanan Galleries, in them Benugo where we had sandwiches and a coffee, to go down to George Square, which owes its name to King George III.
Sir Walter Scott crowns the square at the top of his 24-metre column in George Square, considered by many as the creator of the modern historical novel. Among all the statues are statues of illustrious figures associated with Scottish history and culture, such as Robert Burns, James Watt, and Sir Robert Peel.
The Victorian-style Town Hall was completed in 1888 and inaugurated by Queen Victoria. Its external and internal elegance reflects the city's economic splendour in the 1880s. The exterior is very striking, and it is possible to visit the interior of the building. Admission is free, and you can only enter on days when no town hall events occur. It is very worthwhile because, as we mentioned, the interior is a splendid example of the luxury of those days.
Other buildings next to the Town Hall are: the General Post Office, opened in 1878, was built to address the constant complaints about the inadequate facilities for postal services in Glasgow, reflecting the growing commercial status of the city, or Queen Street Station, undergoing redevelopment to make the train shed visible and prominent, re-establishing its Victorian structure as the heart of the station. About 200 metres down Queen St before the Royal Exchange Square gates stand the equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington, whose head crowned with a traffic cone has become an emblem of this iconoclastic city. The custom of adorning the duke's head originated in the 1980s and almost always occurred at night outside nightclubs. It is a rite of rebellious spirit with which the people of Glasgow want to turn their backs on this representation of British military power. Despite the traffic cone, the duke, without lowering his aristocratic fumes, turns his gaze towards Ingram Street, the elegant avenue that leads into Merchant City.
Cathedral
Glasgow Cathedral is a jewel of Scottish Gothic architecture dating from the 12th century and survived the Protestant Reformation thanks to its conversion to Protestantism during the 16th century Scottish Reformation. Although its title as a cathedral has been symbolic ever since its majestic architecture is evidence that it was the centre of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and the site of the founding of the University of Glasgow.
The cathedral's contemporary stained glass windows add colour to the austere, dark atmosphere. Highlights include Francis Apear's Creation, the wooden coffered ceiling, the Blackadder's Aisle and the tomb of St Mungo, who led the conversion of the area to Christianity in the 5th century. His legend is that he rests beneath the arches of the crypt, which is accessed by stairs, and his symbols are found on the city's coat of arms, as he is its patron saint.
Behind the cathedral, over the Bridge of Sighs, you can reach the hill of the Necropolis, where illustrious city citizens rest in mausoleums that are true jewels. In a privileged spot overlooking the city is the statue of John Knox, the 16th-century leader of Scottish Protestantism, who watches over Glasgow with his finger raised in moralistic warning.
Leaving the little hill behind, halfway up High Street, a modern depiction of St Mungo and his miracles is one of the many paintings on the Mural Route, one of the best places on the planet to see street art, with works by prestigious artists gracing the city walls.
End of the route
We arrive at The Barras flea market, where you can find everything from valuable antique items to products of uncertain provenance. The Calton area is being revitalised with openings such as Barras Art and Design, a centre for cultural events, and St Luke's, a former church turned pub. Both are good places to eat. Another option in the neighbourhood is West On the Green, a micro-brewery located in a former carpet factory on Glasgow Green with an impressive façade. In the centre of this sprawling park is a Victorian Orangery with an adjacent museum dedicated to Glasgow's history. After regaining our strength and visiting Mc Lennan Arch, we set off for a walk along the River Clyde leading to St Enoch Square, where the only original underground station (from the end of the 19th century) is located and from there back to the hotel, it was football night, and we had to rest.
THE MATCH
The journey from our accommodation to Celtic Park would take us about an hour, we would go by bus on the longer route, but in this way, we would avoid changing buses. It would allow us to see parts of the city we had been to. As we approached the stadium, we would experience the atmosphere on Celtic FC match day, which makes the city, already in itself one of the liveliest and most multicultural cities in Europe, one of the most special destinations for a football trip.
At Paisley Road West, 5 minutes from the hotel, we caught the 90 bus, which would take us to the Dechmont Street stop 200 metres from the iconic Celtic Park, also known as Paradise, ranked by France Football magazine as the fifth, out of 30 stadiums, with the best atmosphere. Once there, they deserve a higher place in that ranking.
With a capacity of 60,837, it has been the home of Celtic since 1892. The club was formed, during a first meeting held in St. Mary's church hall, in 1887 to ease the economic hardship and help the population against the famine endured by Irish immigrants living in the East End of Glasgow at the end of the 19th century. The church still stands today, although the hall was demolished, and is open on the first Wednesday of every month from 10 am to 3 pm. It was in 1888 that the old Celtic Park opened in the Parkhead area. Rising rents meant that in 1892 the club moved and built a new ground 200 metres away. The media said the new stadium was a "paradise" compared to the old one, as it was modern and could accommodate larger crowds.
The home of the "Bhoys" has changed a lot since its inception, but the team has retained its essence, alongside it erecting statues of legendary players such as:
Jock Stein, Jimmy Johnstone and Billy McNeill.
And particularly moving is the one erected in memory of Andrew Kerins, Brother Walfried Walfried, the Marist religious. Funded by popular demand from Celtic fans, which usually adorn it with green and white club scarves before matches, it is a fitting memorial to the man who had the vision to create a club whose purpose was to serve the less fortunate members of society.
Once on the pitch, the atmosphere is even more spectacular and electrifying. As for the match, there is little to report as the fixtures against St. Mirren generally have the same repeated ending; in the last 24 meetings with Celtic Glasgow playing at home, Celtic Glasgow has won 22 times and drawn once, while FC St. Mirren has won once. The goal difference is 71-7 in favour of Celtic Glasgow. With the match on 18 January 2023, that difference is 75-7, making it one more win for "The Bhoys" on this occasion by 4-0.
Commentaires