Hidden Glasgow 2. Culture Capital

Art, artifacts, architecture and design: maybe not the first thoughts that come to mind when you think Glasgow. In fact, there is a plethora of museums and galleries (almost all free) as well as stunning architecture (eg Charles Rennie Mackintosh art deco beauties). So I'd like to share a couple of interesting and unusual museums in the city centre that we've enjoyed.

St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art is one of my all time favourite museums. It's located on the Eastern edge of the city, in the same complex as the Glasgow Cathedral and the Glasgow Necropolis, which are both stunning to see.
Inside you'll find a truly amazing array of religious artifacts from stained glass windows, to brass Hindu deities. My favourite thing is the way they deal with context in this museum. Everything was sensitively displayed, and the information went deep into the meanings and reasons for use, belying an attempt at objectivity that seemed at the core of the museum. Kids are encouraged to look at, draw and trace religious iconography from all different religions, they can touch bits of Muslim prayer rugs, menorahs, crosses and chalices. There are books toys and props to help kids de-mystify faiths that are not their own. They explore the Catholic/ Protestant divide (or as it plays out in Glasgow, the Celtic/ Rangers football team divide)We saw an amazing exhibit on rituals, featuring videos, clothing and equipment for many different times and faiths. This museum feels like a sacred space, but liberated from the heavy dogmatic oppression you experience in a building dedicated to one faith. Having a background of working in a Museum, I have to say this is a well presented, interesting museum on a fascinating subject. As an atheist, I wasn't sure that I would be so impressed by this one, so it was a great surprise for me.
My next hidden gem is the Gallery of Modern Art (goma to the locals) is located right in the heart of Glasgow City. It's just a minute's stroll from Buchanan Street Mall, the main shopping strip. The building was originally built by one of the tobacco lords whose wealth relied on the fact that Glasgow was a wee bit closer to the Southern states of America by boat than London. This old building is now beautifully juxtaposed with its contents, a radical modern art gallery. Every Saturday, they run free kids workshops where children engage with an exhibition piece then create their own piece of art. The resources are fantastic and the staff are friendly and helpful. The exhibits are provocative and fresh. Although this museum is another small space, it's packed. Downstairs is yet another surprise, as the basement is a public library. Oh and the fellow at the front (statue of the Duke of Wellington) loves to wear his hat, especially on a Saturday or Sunday morning. I assume it's a Glaswegian rite of passage to fulfill the dare to add his traffic cone.

The last museum I've loved is the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. OK, so it's not really a secret - it's huge! This time it's in the groovy North West corner of the city, close to Glasgow University. What I love about this site is the way it's designed. One half of the building is a natural /ancient history museum, with dinosaurs and mummies, the other is an art gallery. You can see examples of the Glasgow boys and (although I've just seen it's on loan) the Dali Christ of St John of the Cross has pride of place. A marvelous experience all around.

The rosy red sandstone that makes up so many buildings in Glasgow suburbs immediately seperates it from the creamy white Edinburgh. Our whole street shares this material. I love the look and think it adds to the city's character. Apparently the stone in the city ( a mix of creamy and rosy sandstone primarily) used to be black, thanks to pollution! However the cleaned up stones are a metaphor for the reinvention of Glasgow. A city full of culture, beautifully designed and passionately displayed.

Hidden Glasgow 1. The Green City

Yay my very first Hidden Glasgow post!

One of the first things I noticed when we moved here is the amount of green space in and around the city centre, it's quite amazing really. So that's my first surprise.

Even though a lot of people live in tenements (now usually quite posh, large and very expensive) they have access to free, sprawling green areas. Pollok Park (photo ^Highland Cattle at Pollok Park Chris Upson and > Moo n Coo) is only about 10 minutes drive from the city centre, yet is home to a herd of Highlan' Coos, some gorgeous draught horses, an old mill, a stunning contemporary museum and art gallery, an historic home, seemingly endless walking paths, forests, mountain biking trails... well let's just say this isn't a park but a P.A.R.K.

Most cities would love to have one amazing park like this in their midst, but for Glasgow it's just the beginning! Glasgow Green is over at the Southeast border of the city centre. It has a monument commemorating the years that locals strung up their washing on the green, as many people lived in one small room (I heard a story from some Glasgow friends of their happy, contented little friend, he and his nine brothers and sisters, along with their parents shared a room. And not just to sleep, that was it! He literally slept in a drawer, which sounds funny but it's so harrowing, it's hard to imagine). Glasgow Green also contains the 'People's Palace', complete with a Victorian Glass house, just stunning on a chilly morning. The rest of the building contains a social history museum, including child-sized laundry just in case you didn't believe how harsh life must have been in 19-20th C Glasgow. A little unsavoury now, the green is bordered by the mighty Clyde river, and is a great spot for cycling, picnicing, and avoiding freaks.

Far more pleasant is Rouken Glen Park (photos) which is up the road from us! That's Southside for those who aren't familiar. A huge pleasure lake complete with swans and ducks is a favourite with the kids. Keep exploring and you'll find a truly stunning waterfall, which I'm told is spectacular when it freezes in Winter. Gently rolling hills contain alternating grassy fields and woody wildernesses, perfect for hide and seek. I do wish I could convey the scale of these parks, they go for blocks and blocks. And winter just changes the landscape to a sea of white - overwhelming for Sydneysiders who have never had to live in snow (the girls had never even seen it).

Keep going South, about 15 mins past our house, (about 30 mins from the city) you are in The Country. It's quite remarkable just how soon the houses give way to cows, fields and slopes. Keep heading this way and you'll hit Calderglen Country Park. Don't let their publicty turn you off: Formerly part of the Calderglen and Torrance Country Estates, the park extends along a scenic wooded glen forged out by the Rotten Calder River, a tributary of the River Clyde. Don't worry, Rotten Calder River is just a name... it's not really a river. This park includes a wee zoo (complete with Aussie animal section, the sound of the kookaburra's laughing was good for the soul) and plenty of woodland walks.

These are just a few of my favourites. Glasgow is a city full of open public green (orange or white, depending on the time of year!) spaces, which is a pretty good way to live, in my book. The kids are out there on sledges in the snow, kagouls & wellies (raincoats & gumboots) in the rain. No hats in the Summer, but hey, you can't have it all. And it doesn't happen THAT often, after all!

Our last 6 months in Glasgow

So, how odd that I'm writing this having made shepherd's pie last night too! Over a year since my first, I'm now a pro, at my, what, third maybe!? Anyway, I really want to remember our experiences here so I thought I'd restart my blog.

We are moving home! For so many reasons, most importantly my MIL is very ill with a progressive disease and we really miss our family.

Today I cried watching stupid Border Security, imagining walking into Sydney airport, being home! It had never really occured to me what this might be like.

"It was one of these mysterious fairy calls from out of the void that suddenly reached Mole in the darkness, making him tingle through and through with its very familiar appeal, even while as yet he could not clearly remember what it was...Home! That was what they meant, those caressing appeals, those soft touches wafted through the air, those invisible little hands pulling and tugging, all one way!" The Wind in the Willows.

I often think of little Mole yearning for his home when I feel homesick. It's a sensation difficult to describe (not if you're Kenneth Grahame obviously) but it really is almost painful at times. Like the pit of stomach drops and tears prick my eyes if I suddenly see a picture of Syndey Harbour. The majesty of the Opera House, gleaming, gleaming against the crystal laughing waves. OK, hyperbole maybe, but it's so true. It gave me a rush to lay eyes on it even when I lived in the city, but now oh it's like a magical land to me, the Emerald Palace, Oz truly.

Of course I don't imagine my halcyon view of Sydney is entirely accurate, there will be problems and vexations wherever you live. I've never been one to believe in running from problems, they always find you and then you're just far away from those who might have helped.

OK, so after a brief moment in my homesickness, on to the topic. Glasgow.

This city is not kind to strangers, with its harsh, cold reputation. The Glasgow kiss (a headbutt). The Glasgow smile (slitting someone's mouth ala the Joker). Dirty, poor, freezing, bitter. And that's just the people! The indecipherable language is a real barrier to visitors too, I cried after talking to Bruce's new boss on the phone the night before we left Sydney. I couldn't make out a word. Was this to be my life? Left for dead in a frozen gutter with a deep fried haggis in one hand?

Luckily Glasgow is so much more than any of this. It is a city that rewards your decision to give it a chance like a cat who stops trying to bite and instead rolls over exposing a warm soft underbelly.

So I'm going to blog on things that have surprised me about Glasgow. Things you probably didn't know. Bruce and I visited Glasgow briefly in our camper-van-around-the-UK trip many years before we imagined having kids, let alone living here. We rated every city in Europe we visited. Glasgow came last. I said I never wanted to return, as far as I was concerned, the city centre's winding one way system criss-crossing hills interspersed with suspicious looking hoodlums was more than enough to turn me off for life. But living here is different (THANK GOODNESS!!) and that's what I'd like to share.

Serial Cereal Killer!

Well if any further proof was needed to push me into the 'insanity' camp, it was delivered today with the realisation that I'd bought 7 boxes of cereal at the shops! Gawd, I can only plead that kids make it hard to concentrate, the cereal is in 2 seperate aisles, one type was a '2 for cheap' offer, and I really do like cereal! Also I was quite hungry. None of this rules out the first diagnosis.

Worse we did still have 5 half eaten boxes at home.

Sigh.

The shepherd's pie was eaten by all but me - although I must have the only kids who prefer the mince to the potato! Neither would even eat a bite of potato, but chowed down the mince/ vegie mix. I couldn't eat it, too meaty. If I made it again, I'd use beef mince, the lamb was disgusting, I drained it well but still really fatty blergh.

So I made felafels the next night, from an Asda packet, which were delicious - mmmm. And then vegetarian sushi (which made both girls cry last night, refusing to try it).

Tonight it's roasted vegies with chicken breast.

Zucchini (sorry, courgette), baby leeks, parboiled pumpkin, basil, olive oil, garlic, onion roasted and served with pasta. Yuummmmy!

Shepherds pie

Today I'm going to attempt my first ever Shepherd's pie! I'm a little nervous, but the recipe looks good so hopefully it will taste nice. I'm not much of a fan of lamb mince, too 'meaty' but hopefully this will be OK. In fact lamb is hard to get here, I suppose that Australia's old slogan of 'riding on the sheep's back' is still partly true.

We've also realised that the Woolies slogan "Australians are fresh food people" is actually true - who knew it wasn't just a marketing gimmick! Really miss the variety and lack of over packaging we found in Australia. Even rice is in the 'foreign' section of the supermarket.

A calming trip to Ikea

The girls and I decided to go somewhere nice and safe - Ikea! We had loads of fun. Genevieve went to Smaland while Madeleine and I went and looked at all the toys. Then we grabbed baby trolleys - so cute - really got shopping.

Of course, on the way Madeleine tipped a sippy cup of water over her (thanks to me there was a change of clothes in the boot!) and I nearly caused a huge accident, about to go through an orange light, then stopping short - good test for the brakes, I think! Well we were all fine, I was a bit shaken, but very impressed with the brakes which was a pleasant surprise.

Then I made more bread - brown with linseeds today! YUM.

We've been planning our family holiday in Australia, it's going to be tonnes of fun (I hope!) It seems so strange to be a 'foreigner' coming to Australia.

Screamy kids

So today I think I've finally figured it all out. Hang the washing on the line when it's raining. Seriously. If you think I'm wrong, chances are you don't live in Scotland. My mistake has been waiting till it's sunny, meaning the next rain shower is simply closer. I wonder how this paradox could help with the rest of my life as an expat? Hmm will have to think about that.

I'm trying another slow cooker recipe today, recommended by a friend. I think I could really get used to cooking that way! So simple. Well let's see how it turns out before judging.

Apart from that we've had a quiet day (well obviously not QUIET with 2 kids) but haven't done much.