Glasgow - Ya Beauty!

View of the River Clyde

Glasgow, Scotland's largest city (though sadly not the capital. Thanks a lot, Edinburgh!). A population of just over 600,000 weird and wonderful people. A city that has so much going on, so much culture, happiness, and beauty. And for me, it's home.

This post is quite long and the first part focuses on my experience of living in Glasgow over the past 3 years. The second part discusses my top 3 favourite things about Glasgow, so if you want to skip the nostalgic and personal stuff then scroll about halfway down the post!

I moved to Glasgow in September 2014 for University, however, I grew up in Livingston which is under an hour away. So it wasn't a tremendous move, but far away enough from home that I could have my independence - and, of course, still close enough to home that I could visit my parents without trekking the country! Growing up, I had always viewed Glasgow as this strange, big, and scary city. It was certainly rougher than Edinburgh and Livingston and I always associated it with football matches (because Glasgow is the home to Celtic and Rangers football clubs) which, as a child, were loud, busy, and uncomfortable events. It wasn't until I moved to Glasgow that I began to appreciate the wonder and unique charm of the city and, now coming up to my fourth year in Glasgow, I am still discovering new and exciting things every day to see and do in the city and its surrounding areas. As I spend more time in Glasgow, I have realised that it is a beautiful and vibrant city and I can understand why it is viewed as one of the most welcoming and accepting cities in the UK and, perhaps, the world - particularly with its accepting views on LGBT culture.

Studying at The University of Glasgow has been a great experience too. To be surrounded by so much history and culture when you are studying is truly amazing. I have had a few jobs in the University too and am currently a tour guide as well, so I love sharing my experiences and the history of the University with the tourists who come to visit. Here are some photos I have taken of the University:

View of the Bell Tower

Me posing in the University prior to a wedding

Cloisters within the University

LGBT Flag raised at Glasgow University

I have lived in three different places during my time in Glasgow. During my first year, I lived in private student halls in Yorkhill, a quieter area in the West End. I thought I knew it all after a few months in Glasgow and loved to show off that I was in this big city being independent. The reality is that I knew next to nothing about Glasgow because I barely ventured into the city centre in my first year and spent most of my time in Yorkhill or on campus (a 15 minute walk away). I think it took me until the end of my first year to tell the difference between Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street - which now, I look back on with severe embarrassment!

For my second year, I moved a bit closer to campus and lived on Byres Road - which is the heart of the West End. This provided a bit of a busier life for me as there was always so much going on outside the flat - whether it be buskers singing and playing guitar, people playing the accordion, or, on one occasion, a very annoying Orange Walk which woke me up at 8am on a Sunday morning when I was very hungover! Living on Byres Road was extremely different to living in Yorkhill because basically nothing happens in Yorkhill. The flat was not in as good repair as my first year flat but the location totally made up for it - I was only a 2 minute walk from campus when I lived on Byres Road which was a godsend when I had a 9am lecture! The West End has so much to offer as well like the Botanic Gardens, and lots of bars and restaurants (Ashton Lane is a must see if you are visiting Glasgow!). The food in the West End is to die for with so many different types of cuisine. My favourite thing (which I have sadly only had once) is a Pizza Cone served at Crollas Gelateria opposite Hillhead Subway Station and, if I remember correctly, it wasn't too expensive.

Botanic Gardens

Ashton Lane

Last year, I moved out of the West End and to the South Side of the River Clyde with my boyfriend. Since we were not renting a student flat, we managed to get a lovely 2 bedroom flat in a great location - just below Glasgow Green, for about the same price I was paying in the West End for a smaller flat where there wasn't as much privacy. Initially, I was skeptical of moving to the South Side (particularly to the Gorbals area due to its past reputation) but it has proved to be an amazing location that is close to the city centre and convenient for both of us for work and study. We like it so much that we are extending the lease for another year - yay! Prior to moving out of the West End, I also always thought of Glasgow Green as this big scary park and was told many horror stories about it. Fortunately, these stories are most likely outdated and as long as you are not walking through the park by yourself late at night (which I may or may not have done on more than one occasion whilst *slightly* drunk to get home) then you should be fine. It actually is a beautiful park with so much going on throughout the year. For example, the TRNSMT festival was held, for the first time, last week in Glasgow Green and I managed to listen to it for free from our car park. Also, Pride is held in Glasgow Green so it is only a two minute walk for us to get there, ideal for predrinking! Glasgow Green is also a great location for dog walking and is big enough to get a good workout too! For beer lovers, WEST on the Green is based where the old Templeton Carpet Factory used to be and has a good beer garden for sunny days! They allow dogs in too so you can bring your canine companions!

View from our flat block

Glasgow Green - Changing Seasons

Glasgow Green in the Winter

So that is a brief(ish) history of my 3 years in Glasgow so far but now I want to look at the top three things that I really love about this city!

1. The People

There is a reason that the slogan for Glasgow is "People Make Glasgow" and that is because without the diverse group of people in the city, it would be a very boring place to live. Everyday you come across new people, with some providing light amusement. The people in Glasgow are definitely nicer and more courteous than those in other places (like Edinburgh). Although some people may be a little "rougher around the edges", they are mostly friendly and wouldn't harm you - certainly better people to be around rather than snooty people who don't give anyone a second look and have a face like a baboons bottom.

The people in Glasgow are funny, eccentric, and friendly. Their sense of humour provides a good laugh for those who get it. If you don't have good banter, don't come to Glasgow. Trivial things like putting a traffic cone on the Duke Of Wellington Statue's head has become a staple of the city and a notorious landmark. The city engages in politics in its own unique way with its beautiful slang or "patter".

"Theresa May is a baw bag" sign outside someone's window

Glaswegian slang has even impacted American artists like Lady Gaga! I went to Lady Gaga's artRave tour in 2014 and the crowd were chanting the usual Scottish "Here we, here we, here we f*cking go!" that gets us Scots all riled up and excited for any event. Lady Gaga found this funny and even joined in on the chanting which was very exciting for the crowd and brought a great, friendly, and pumped up atmosphere to the arena.

The humour is, perhaps, looked down on by some, but I find it hilarious and it keeps you upbeat. Nothing beats Scottish humour, and the best Scottish humour is Glaswegian humour.

Even Glaswegian muggers are friendly! I remember in my first year, I had this friend who told me that someone came up to him in the city centre and tried to mug him. (Un?)fortunately, my friend had lost his wallet already and was just trying to find a way back to his flat. The mugger apologised and wished him good luck in getting home. I would have been terrified to tell a mugger I don't have anything but it seems this mugger was a nice mugger - if that is a thing! He probably went on to steal someone else's money but that's not the point.

2. Architecture

Glasgow has a lot to offer on the architectural side of things. There are many old buildings still standing in the city and surrounding areas. For example, The University of Glasgow's main building dates back to 1870 and is built in a neo-gothic style. The city centre has seen a lot of new buildings rise up but these are equally impressive to look at and make for terrific photographs. The East End of the city features the Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis which is a very fun area to explore and is rich in history. Near the Cathedral is also Glasgow's oldest building which still stands. The Clydeside has very picturesque buildings too like The SSE Hydro and The Scottish Auditorium (commonly known as the Armadillo) which are where concerts are performed. The Science Centre, BBC Studios, and Riverside Museum are all dotted along the River Clyde too which are good to visit. Close to my flat is Peoples Palace in Glasgow Green which is a free museum and looks at the history of Glasgow. The city provides a good mixture of old and new architecture with many new developments on the way.

3. A Busy City

When you are in Glasgow, there is never a shortage of things to do. Even when there are no big events or festivals on, there is so much to explore from dining and drinking, to shopping and sightseeing. Some of the main events throughout the year include Pride, West End Festival, Ashton Lane Street Party on Hogmanay (New Years Eve), TRNSMT, and many many many more food, music, art, and film festivals/events too. Glasgow also hosts many concerts for big artists, there is a comic-con as well, smaller comedy gigs and cabaret shows are on nightly, and in winter the Christmas Market comes to St. Enoch Square. In everyday life, you will come across new things all the time. Small fairs pop up from time to time, street performers along Buchanan Street provide good entertainment when shopping, and the Glasgow Subway allows you to travel all around the city on a circular line in less than 30 minutes. All throughout the year there are special events on so living in the city never gets boring.

So that's all I will say about Glasgow for now. There is so much more to discuss and talk about but I would be here all day if I were to write about everything. Glasgow is a city that I have fallen in love with and a city where I met my current boyfriend of two years. It is a vibrant city full of exciting cultures, experiences, people, art, and many more things - totally incomparable to any other city in the world. There is always a funny site to see, good banter, people are always up for a laugh, good food, good nightlife, and it is just a great place to be! Glasgow is like the heart that keeps Scotland alive, it is a city that reminds me to never take life too seriously but that I can also reach my dreams and be successful if I work hard. I have gained a lot of experience, friends, family, and precious memories in Glasgow and I am so happy that I chose to move here.