Glasgow: A Scottish Detour
GLASGOW
A Scottish Detour
June 07, 2024
After saying goodbye to the rest of the group, Akash and I headed to the airport to catch a flight to Glasgow for the next leg of our trip.
Glasgow, in western Scotland, is a vibrant, culturally rich city known for its architecture, music scene and friendly locals. Once a major industrial hub, it now thrives on arts, education and commerce. Having never been to the city before, I did my best to explore as much as possible – especially given that we’d only have half a day there.
As such, Akash and I set forth on a whirlwind tour. First up was Glasgow Cathedral – a striking medieval church near the city centre, notable for its Gothic architecture, stonework and stained-glass windows. It’s one of the few Scottish cathedrals to have survived the Reformation largely intact and houses the tomb of St Mungo, the city’s patron saint.
The cathedral sits beside the Necropolis, a Victorian cemetery with impressive monuments and panoramic city views. Strolling through the cemetery was eerily peaceful and tranquil – as if we had just gone for a walk in the park.
Botany and Bridges
With Akash wanting to go for a rest, I figured I might as well make the most of the little time I had left wandering around the city.
I decided to pay a visit to the Glasgow Botanic Gardens – a lush green space in the West End, famous for the Kibble Palace – a stunning Victorian glasshouse filled with beautiful plant collections and elegant ironwork. With thousands of plants spread across the gardens and glasshouses, I had a field day wandering around – with the Palace making me feel like I was back in the Amazon.
After that, I made my way to the Glasgow waterfront along the River Clyde. Here, I had one main goal: to lay my eyes on the Clyde Arc – a modern road bridge crossing the river. Its distinctive curved design and striking steel arch make it an iconic piece of contemporary architecture, connecting Finnieston with the Pacific Quay and Govan side of the river, and symbolising the city’s modern regeneration. Though it might not be the most grandiose structure on Earth, I had seen a picture of it ages before and had been wanting to visit ever since – and finally, I got to!
Meeting back up with Akash, we then had dinner and headed back to our hotel – or rather, our hybrid hotel, The Social Hub. I don’t usually go around advertising where I stay, but I have to admit, this was one of the coolest places I’d ever stayed at. The coworking area kinda reminded me of the Selina hotel franchise back in Latin America, which I used to love so much!