Alloway
The weather was warm today and my cold was 100% gone. We left Glasgow to travel to Alloway, the birthplace of the most famous Scot poet Robert (Robbie to the Scots) Burns. We are now in the Scottish Lowlands, which geographically only means that we are not in the Scottish Highlands. This the thatched–roof house where Robert Burns was born in 1759.
Alloway
Alloway
Robert Burn’s father was buried here in the courtyard of the ruins of the Alloway Kirk, built in 1516. This is also a scene in Burn’s poem “Tam O’Shanter” (1790). Tam witnesses a Satanic ritual inside the kirk. From the poem, “Kirk Alloway was drawing nigh where ghaists and houlets nightly cry.”
Alloway
Alloway
Close–up of his father’s (William Burns’) gravestone.
Alloway
Alloway
In the poem, Tam is chased by a witch named Nan. Nan grabbed onto Tam’s horse’s (Meg) tail. The only way to escape the witch is to cross over a stream. They do this over the Brig O’Doon, shown in this photo. From the poem: “Now do thy speedy utmost, Meg and win the keystane o’ the brig.”
Alloway
Alloway
Another view of the Brig O’ Doon.
Alloway
Alloway
The Burns Memorial.
Alloway
Alloway
Figure of Robert Burns in a gift shop in Alloway.
Alloway
Scottish Countryside
View of the beautiful Scottish countryside seen from the bus.
Scottish Countryside
Scottish Countryside
Another view.
Scottish Countryside
Scottish Countryside
Another view.
Scottish Countryside
Culzean Castle
Our next stop was Culzean Castle, which was the seat of the Kennedy’s (the Scottish Kennedys, not our Irish Kennedys) since the 15th century. It was remodeled in 1777. Entrance to the castle grounds.
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
View of Culzean Castle. In 1945, the Kennedy family donated the castle to the National Trust of Scotland. When doing this, the Kennedys requested that the top floor be given to General Eisenhower in gratitude for his services in World War II. You can stay overnight at one of the six bedrooms on the Eisenhower floor, including in the Eisenhower Suite: from 250 to 325 pounds per night for a double (breakfast included).
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Second gate into the castle grounds, seen from the castle side.
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Close–up of the statue on top of the gate.
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
View of the Atlantic Ocean from the castle.
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Interesting searchlight (?).
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Castle grounds.
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
Another view of the castle. We toured the inside of the castle, but, again, no photos were allowed. You can view the inside rooms on www.camelotintl.com/heritage/castles/scotland/culzen.
Culzean Castle
Culzean Castle
View of part of the beautiful county park in front of the castle. Yes, there are palm trees in Scotland.
Culzean Castle
Glasgow
From Culzean Castle, we traveled back to the city of Glasgow. Our afternoon was free to have lunch, shop (Glasgow is the main shopping city in Scotland), and sightsee. I went sightseeing. First, George Square, laid out in 1781. It is named after King George III, the unpopular king who lost the American colonies for Britain. The tall column has a statue of Sir Walter Scott (the famous Scottish author) on top of it. There is no statue of King George III in the square. The beautiful building is the City Chambers, built in 1882–90.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Close–up of Sir Walter Scott.
Glasgow
Glasgow
The white structure in front of the City Chambers is a memorial to the men of Glasgow who lost their lives in World War II.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Statues on the front of the City Chambers.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Closer–up view of the statues.
Glasgow
Glasgow
There are a number of statues in George Square of famous Scots and of people important to the Scots, almost all seen with seagulls on top of them. This one is of James Watt, who invented the rotative steam engine, which spurred the Industrial Revolution in Britain. The watt measurement is taken from his name.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Statue of Her Majesty, the Queen (Elizabeth).
Glasgow
Glasgow
A pedestrian shopping street near George Square.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Statue of the Duke of Wellington in front of the Gallery of Modern Art. That’s a traffic cone on his head––he is not popular with the people of Glasgow.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Close–up of the statue.
Glasgow
Glasgow
From George Square, I hopped on the hop–on hop–off bus and got off at the Glasgow Cathedral. This is one of only a few 13th–century churches that escaped destruction during the Scottish reformation––it became Protestant. Its crypt contains the tomb of St. Mungo, the patron saint of Glasgow.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Inside the cathedral.
Glasgow
Glasgow
There are many beautiful stained–glass windows inside Glasgow Cathedral.
Glasgow
Glasgow
More stained–glass windows.
Glasgow
Glasgow
More stained–glass windows.
Glasgow
Glasgow
More stained–glass windows.
Glasgow
Glasgow
More stained–glass windows.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Inside the Glasgow Cathedral.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Hotel near the cathedral.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Church across the street from the cathedral.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Police cappuccino kiosk near the cathedral.
Glasgow
Glasgow
I got back on the hop–on hop–off bus and took a tour of the city of Glasgow. Glasgow has an industrial city past and, on the whole, is not the most attractive city, but it still has many very beautiful buildings and interesting things to see. It also is an arts center with many museums and an opera house. This photo is of a fountain in front of the People’s Palace.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Closer–up view of the People’s Palace (I didn’t get off the bus). It was built in 1898 of Victorian sandstone as a people’s museum. It outlines the social history of Glasgow from the 12th to 20th century.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Interesting store front: City Gents Hairdressers Ltd.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow street.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow building.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Another interesting Glasgow building.
Glasgow
Glasgow
We viewed Glasgow University, a beautiful medieval campus.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow University. If time allows, a walk around this university should be very interesting.
Glasgow
Glasgow
One of main reasons that I got on the hop–on hop–off bus was to take this photo. There was a similar photo in one of my travel books. However, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, on the left, wasn’t under renovation in the book’s photo and the grounds weren’t blocked off. But it is somewhat close to the original photo of Glasgow University in the background and the museum in the foreground.
Glasgow
Glasgow
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, built at the turn of the 20th century.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Top of the museum.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Close–up of the statue on top of the museum.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Another part of the top of the museum.
Glasgow
Glasgow
I got back on the hop–on hop–off bus and saw this building from the bus.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Funky stores.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Front of a car on one of these stores.
Glasgow
Glasgow
Another pedestrian street. I hopped off the bus at George Square to walk back to the Radissan hotel. It was after four o’clock and I still hadn’t eaten lunch. I saw a McDonald’s and for some reason I really wanted a Big Mac for lunch. However, there were too many people inside it with the same idea, so I settled for a tuna sandwich from a small cafe down the street. I had to meet my tour group at the hotel at 5 p.m. to take an optional boat cruise on Loch Lomond with dinner afterward.
Glasgow
Loch Lomond
View of Loch Lomond from our sightseeing boat. Loch Lomond is the largest fresh water lake in the British Isles––22 miles long and 5 miles wide at its widest point. There are 30 islands in the lake.
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
One of the islands in Loch Lomond. It offers accommodations.
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Castle on the shores of Loch Lomond.
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Luxury hotel on Loch Lomond. We were told that our Governor Arnie has stayed there once.
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a recreational lake and there were many small boats anchored on the inlet that we used to reach the lake. But, surprisingly, a number of them were not in top shape, but make interesting photos.
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Another boat.
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Another boat. After our cruise, we ate a very good dinner––I had salmon––at a nearby restaurant. This was our last night in Scotland before returning to London tomorrow.
