shylustig

The Week Ahead – Hey, COP26 is in Glasgow

Still recovering from a recent hospitalisation, but will still try to put some things here.

I will continue to look at things around Glasgow; show some old trips (haven’t travelled too much the last few weeks); and look at some TV I’ve seen, etc.

But to say again, the COP26 conference is here in Glasgow for the next few weeks. I don’t do politics, government, etc on this blog, but will put some photos and try to critique – some of the design. For example:

They’ve definitely chose a green / blue look for their banners. Makes sense, as presumably it shows their care for the blue sky / oceans and green for the plants on this planet.

And if that is not your bag; there are also various protests one can take part in; particularly in the university area:

_{Various Posters inviting / highlighting Protests}

Hey, take your pick! Will write more about this over the next few weeks.

More Glasgow street life; rain and floods –

I do a lot of walking about Glasgow; one of the perks of being self-employed and having the time, and often forcing myself to get outside from behind my desk.

Floods this week in Byres Road, Glasgow, Scotland!

I love it, no problem at all, but the weather has started to change. It’s not only colder but very wet. Look at these statistics for the rainfall we have in Glasgow, Scotland! It’s a large quantity and but an even longer duration of the stuff we receive here, and owing that we are on the west side of Scotland, it’s more considerable than on the eastern part of Scotland.

Just this past week, we have been inundated with rain for several days, which resulted (along with the leaves blocking the street drains) in many areas that were under water. It is now past but still amazes me that this occurs.

The Thornwood Bar, Glasgow – Worth a Shout

I remember this place, The Thornwood, from a LONG time ago; a story involving a friend, who having been desperate for a pint, was “accidentally” shoved (and presumably lost much of his beer!) by a local inside here, who apparently didn’t take to any “outsiders” drinking in his local.

Lovely late Lunch – A vegan Falafel Burger

My, times have changed, as much has in this area of Thornwood, located on the extreme west of Glasgow’s West End.

This area over the past few years has now become an area filled with more and more cafes, pizza places, bicycle shops, etc – for the ever expanding West End, and for the continuing development southerly, on the River Clyde.

I tried the vegan burger, made from Falafel – brilliant; does what it says on the tin, along with a breakfast tea.

5/5

The Week Ahead (I was hospitalised last week) / More Glasgow Street Art –

It seems that with the last 18 months now, there is more and more political expression, or at least more time to express yourself!

I caught this on Great Western Road in the West End of Glasgow, and thought that for many, it sums up what some are thinking (Ed; Naturally we never do politics here!).

Street Art in Glasgow

And if that doesn’t get you off, we now have ice cream for dogs! At good ole Tinderbox in Byres Road.

Do they actually sell this?

More life, travels and various this week, whilst I recover from surgery.

Week Ahead – UK’s use of Cafe’s & another new Cafe in Glasgow’s West End

Just when you thought it was not possible for more cafe’s to open in Glasgow, they do!

Please go to this link, where the brilliant Statista gives some very pertinent information about the incessant increase in the use of cafe’s in the UK.

As you can tell, with the exception of 2020 (for some reason!), the people who used cafe’s for both drinking and eating increased almost yearly from 2015 to 2019.

Saying that, a new place has opened up here, to satisfy this demand. Bauhaus, took over a place, Siempre, that years ago was a bike repair / cafe’ combination – it was very useful for myself.

Now, they not only have a substantial back beer garden, but also a very practical and stunning brunch menu (from 10 – 14).

Various shots inside Bauhaus, Partick, West End, Glasgow

Please try the 2x buns (black) for £8.50; stunning.

Another small trip – St Andrews, Scotland and Golf –

Golf; they play that here in Scotland and in particular at the “Home of Golf” at St Andrews; where every October (for some reason!), the pros play the Dunhill Cup, along with many celebrities.

The last time I was here, I remember seeing Hugh Grant shank one (hit badly!) horribly, in front of a very packed gallery. Though I always think how I would do, with hundreds peering down at me.

Then, it was lovely, sunny and warm (yes it is like that in Scotland at times in October!), but for the event two weeks ago, the weather was dreadful, hence after a few hours on the course (it was free to enter), we decided to go to the horribly named pub “One Under Bar”, for our lunch. Where on the outside, there was a rather charming weather forecasting tool – brilliant!

Will do again, but please bring us some good weather.

English Trip – Leamington Spa – Interesting and Posh

After a recent trip to Warwick in England, I decided to go to the nearby town of Leamington Spa, another town in this region that appears to be not too short of dosh, as we say.

I was only there for over a day, but decided to go for a quick walk mainly in the middle of the town, near the Spa (though I am not sure if they actually have any water in it) and through their delightful riverside gardens.

I was impressed!

It always seems to me, that the English have a certain flair for this type of thing – a garden, water, benches, et al.

Whilst there, decided to take a tea & cake in one of these types of old Victorian / Edwardian tea rooms, that in this case has been restored.

Whilst there, I’d a conversation with the barista, and found out that I may have know his mother, as she also had gone to yooni in Glasgow – Wow!

We left back to our car, via a bridge over the river, with a late 70s(?) café that had both a good view, but may have still have been closed due to the lockdown

The Week Ahead / Final part of my England trip – Oakham, and the resting place of Ruddles beer

The week ahead, I’ll show some fotos of a recent St Andrews trip, along with more from Glasgow and some of the culture & highlights here in Scotland; but first . . .

Years ago living in England, as a connoisseur of Real Ale, my personal favourites ranged from Youngers No. 3 (Scottish), to a fine English bitter,

ESB (Fullers Brewery, London) and finally, Ruddles County.

Interesting that nowadays, only ESB is still being brewed, but wait, a surprise!

On my recent Warwick trip, as I usually do, I decided to go “off grid” (away from the Motorways), and headed on a rural short cut, that went from the Midlands, around Kettering, though Corby, through Uppingham and then, to the delightful village / town of Oakham.

Why? Because about an hour before hand, I had wondered what ever happened to Ruddles (kid you not!) and discovered, that the last head brewer there, was now practicing his trade at a new brewery in Oakham, The Grainstore Brewery. And that one of the beers was a startling resemblance to Ruddles County!

Que sorpresa! I had to go there and buy a couple of gallons of the “10 50“; presumably a reference to the specific gravity of the beer.

Beg, borrow and steal, to find this stuff; it’s lovely!

Café Swiss – another café in Glasgow, and one to be avoided . . .

Sorry, but does there or will there, ever be an end to the café madness that has swept around the UK and Scotland the last few years?

If it does end, may Café Swiss be the first casualty.

Excuse me, but to charge £16 for a tea, one piece of Spelt toast with Avocado (or Avo or smashed Avo – I forget?) and a miniature size mini-cheesecake is simply out of order. I did leave a quid tip, as the service was excellent – fast, friendly, and no rush; though at times, I was the only poor soul here.

Which is not surprising with these prices.

Not recommended, though I did sit outside a few weeks ago in the Sun; though at the time, I didn’t really fathom why it was just so easy to find a spare seat, now I know.

The Week Ahead – Various and Bagel Mania on Byres Road, West End, Glasgow

Another week, and the weather here in Scotland has started to be less rainy and colder; only 3 degrees (high 30s Fahrenheit) last night.

And a question was put to me this week at work, where are the decent places to get a sandwich? A good one! If you wish to go to Marks, or Tesco – fine, but what about the old school sandwich shops, where they made them up whilst you waited.

I suggested Bagel Mania, on Byres road, that while is not technically a sandwich shop, does do custom made bagels, with a variety of differing flavours. The queue is always there, out on the pavement, and my own Breakfast Bagel (eggs and brown sauce) was made incredibly quick, and tasted as it should.