Churches – Curious Bystander

Glasgow Doors Open Day 2025- Inside St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge

A Hidden Gem on Glasgow’s Dumbarton Road –

Interesting as always, Glasgow hosts a Doors Open Day every September. We’ve done so many things through this event over the years, so I thought—why not try something just around the corner from us? That’s how we ended up at St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge.

First thing that I thought, was that this was not an Orange Lodge that most people know. This is the Freemasons. I’ll admit, I brought all my usual bigotries with me … and wow, was I wrong.

I’ve never met people more open, more friendly, and more diverse in appearance and background. Everyone seemed genuinely interested in sharing and learning. It was incredibly hospitable.

First of all, the name caught me: St. Mary’s. I always thought, “If they’re Protestant, why do they believe in saints?” But they’re not Protestant—they’re Freemasons.

Second, our guide wasn’t even British. He was Spanish, I believe, and was wonderfully inclusive in how he explained the beauty—at least from his perspective—of the Lodge. He spoke about their charitable work, their visitors, and their humility. When someone asked what they actually contribute (financially) to, he said that wasn’t the point. The people who receive help know who the Masons are, and it’s not for anyone else to know.

As the photos show, the main hall looks almost like a church—or even a synagogue. It was plainly decorated, and not overdone. Very tasteful, very open. The building spans three floors, and each space had its own character—never barren, never gaudy.

The top hall? That’s where they have a bar and a small tea room—well, “restaurant” might be pushing it. Still, there was free food for visitors, and the walls were lined with paintings and photographs of Glasgow past and present.

What struck me most was something I’d never noticed before, even after walking past this building countless times: the windows. They’re designed to blend into the tenement style while still standing out. The stairs—the “closes,” as we say in Glasgow—lead only to one thing: the Lodge itself.

I’m glad I finally saw it and is something I hope they continue to share with the public in the future.

Edinburgh what a beautiful city – many different parts but for this trip I was in the West End– Part 1

It’s interesting because I have been to Edinburgh countless times in my life, normally as a day trip, but this time my partner had to attend a conference, so I went along, especially since it coincided with the Edinburgh Festival, the largest arts festival in the world.

It’s different because normally when I go to the festival, I just visit for the day and then come back. However, this is the second time in two years that I chose to stay overnight. The previous time, the prices were simply outrageous—nearly £300 for one night at a tiny hotel room the size of a broom cupboard. It’s disgraceful and explains why certain people are no longer attending the festival.

At the same time, I can understand why some of the hotels wish to make as much as possible; and many people are more than willing to pay it. In addition, it’s not just me who thinks this must be a problem, but for the performers, it must be nearly impossible to find affordable accommodation for their one, two, or even three-week runs.

Naturally, we decided to stay as cheaply as possible, and for some reason, our Travelodge was located in the West End, just out of the more expensive parts of Edinburgh, yet it was still a spectacular area to visit.

You only need to take a walk anywhere in Edinburgh, particularly in the town centre, to see the magnificent Victorian architecture. In this case, avoiding like the plaque anywhere near to the tourist areas. But even here in the West End of Edinburgh the buildings are spectacular.

The architecture is quite different from that of Glasgow, as it tends to be almost entirely white sandstone, as opposed to the red stone that we have in various parts of Glasgow, albeit, with plenty of white sandstone as well.

Naturally, on my first night there, we decided to go to the Edinburgh Festival, in this case to see a magician, Tim Licata. He was just fine, and of an Italian-American heritage. It also was not too crowded as well. Not sure why, though the show inside was close to a sell-out.

On the way back our walk we went through this area in the West End, that showed us a wee gem of a wine bar, Le Di-Van.

What a beauty! One could hardly believe being here, that I wasn’t on the continent or in France itself.

And it’s definitely one that I’ll be frequenting the next time I’m in Edinburgh.

Doors Open Day Part 2: Exploring St. Bride’s Church: A Hidden Gem in Glasgow, Scotland

St Brides Episcopal Church, Glasgow, Scotland

The day before my visit to the Tenement House, I decided to wander around the West End of Glasgow. This tree-lined, leafy area is very middle-class, with many Chinese students near the university and various hospitals. It is probably the most desirable place to live in Glasgow, perhaps even in Scotland.

Doors Open Day is a celebration that occurs every September in Glasgow, showcasing many different buildings, with churches being one of the highlights.

Like many other churches in Glasgow, St. Bride’s Church is not only old but also grand and elegant. It appears to be well-maintained, showcasing the care taken by its community. According to my research, it is a member church of the Scottish Episcopal Church, which is part of the global Anglican Communion, with the Archbishop of Canterbury serving as its head.

The church exudes a warm and welcoming atmosphere, evident from the numerous bulletins, brochures, and various “churchy” materials I observed. These resources indicate that St. Bride’s is a hive of activity, hosting many services and a plethora of music concerts.

During my visit, I noticed a Bach or Baroque group rehearsing inside, presumably preparing for an upcoming concert either at the church or elsewhere in Glasgow.

With the added charm of delicious cakes, tea, and coffee, I left St. Bride’s Church with a positive impression.

I already have a “Church of the Month” category on my blog that I haven’t utilized enough. Perhaps I can make it a point to explore more of these hidden gems in the future.

Modern European Holidays – Time for a Change?

Isn’t it amusing these days (btw I’m in Germany)? It seems like everyone’s perpetually jet-setting off on holidays. But does anyone truly enjoy it anymore? Or is it just too crowded, too pricey, too overrated to actually like them these days? I’ve heard so many people recently tell me, that they’re glad the holiday is over, as they can now finally relax!

Everywhere you go, tourist spots are packed, and even the less-travelled paths are swarming with people. What could the future of vacations possibly look like?

Consider the above photo, for instance. They’re both completely happy in posing for this photo, a pose they’d never dream of indulging in back home or in front of their friends! Yet, here they are, unabashedly racing down this Rodelbahn on holiday. It makes you wonder just how insane people become when they’re on vacation. Haven’t we all done something on a trip that, upon reflection through holiday photos or Facebook posts, makes you cringe and question, “What possessed me to do that?” – I have.

I vaguely recall an article that was written pre-COVID, about the summer vacation scene in Europe; it was in either by the Wall Street Journal or The Economist, and spoke about the sheer numbers of people that would descend upon Europe each summer; and the number of businesses banking on this.

Equally, the attached photo that was at the start of this particular article exemplified this: it featured two young ladies, probably between 20 and 25, in inflatable balloons you could walk in. And that is exactly what they were doing. In this case (if I remember correctly), casually in front of the largest church in Venice, St Marks Basilica.

The audacity! The churches must be rolling in their architectural graves.

Now, talking about the future of vacationing or, rather the need for modification, cities are finally waking up to the chaos and are implementing new rules & taxes to regulate the overwhelming influx of tourists. And Venice itself has decided to do this, undoubtedly intended to either finance tourist-friendly improvements or maybe just to spite them! Perhaps the city believes it provides either too much or too little for tourists, but nothing for its own citizens . . . an intriguing idea indeed. In this case, everyone over 14 will have to shell out 5 euros a day, just to enter the beloved city.

I blogged about a similar scenario last year when I travelled to Brussels, back in January, thinking I’d have the city to myself. How wrong I was! The old city during those three days was like a mass evacuation drill. Thousands of tourists running amok, yelling, screaming, and bumping into each other while simultaneously trying to take selfies. It was absolute chaos. The same story also unfolded to me about five years ago in Amsterdam during March, expecting a respite from the summer crowd. Wrong again. It was bursting at the seams.

Then, we embarked on a biking tour, heading to Leiden, famous for Rembrandt. But guess what? It was just as mobbed. After a few days of this insanity, we tried Harlem, and it was also packed. Even securing a dinner reservation on a Saturday or Sunday night proved challenging. Clearly, something needs to change in the future.

Ideas? –

One, impose more tourist taxes, channelling these funds into better infrastructure for visitors. With this extra cash, a city might not even need that many tourists for certain areas to survive.

And two, why not consider a drastic idea? Given how airports are currently akin to cattle markets, maybe a one-time cut in flights, say 10%, with a corresponding rise in airfares, could be the answer.

I’d happily pay a little extra for some legroom, a more leisurely airport experience, or the luxury of booking half-empty rooms near the tourist hotspots, even if it did cost more.

This week, and amongst many things, a look at the “art” scene in Dunoon . . .

More blogging about my trips to Bavaria and Dunoon, more cafe reviews(!) and maybe something else.

But it was interesting to see that even in good, ole Dunoon, there is some form of an art scene. In this case, they had a film / presentation about 500 years of black culture in Scotland, and I will “review” it shortly for all to see!

In addition, the “art house” that housed it, had a brilliant café as well, and naturally I’ll review it also.

Also this week, I will start a series, of looking at just how good (or bad) supermarket cafe’s are! I’ll begin with Morrisons in Partick. If I survive the food, I’ll blog about it. . .

Dunoon – Part 2, the High Street, etc

Following on from the boat trip from Gourock, the High Street is short, sweet and with the sun almost idyllic. And thought, as the screen shot below from Google Maps shows, that there is a preponderance of Churches! With the above, Cowal Kirk – High Church, being the most impressive.

After this, we meandered down the High Street, or should say correctly, Argyll Street, where there was everything one would want on a short day trip; cafe’s, restaurants, sights (the Churches, Promenade), etc.

Argyll Street (the High Street)

And we found some “cute” things, such as mini-kilts for your wine or whiskey bottles, and some “designer” tea pots!

Equally, we also entered a “modern” type of tourist shop, which had an affinity for both Tunnock Tea Cakes and the Scottish artist JoLoMo.

Worth a visit.

And even though it’s April, found a Christmas shop, presumably open year round?!

Worth it.

Ludlow – Day 4 –

Final day, and we finally had a proper walk around Ludlow, and was amazed at the number of older buildings here; many of the timber frame type.

After this, we had a delightful visit to the main church in central Ludlow, at the very top of the hill, St Laurences C of E, where I met a VERY well informed lady in the gift shop. She told me that Ludlow has over 500 listed buildings! Yes, like a living museum, but that’s fine by me. Also interestingly, on the way out, I noticed a novel way of giving!

In addition, I enquired as to why Ludlow, at least to me, is a secret Shangra La. She stated that the nearest motorway was 45 minutes away, and there were no direct London connections by train (This proved COMPLETELY true on our Day 5, as it did indeed take me 50 minutes to find the nearest motorway.). Fine by me as well, though she did say that there was a “Ludlow Bounce” in the house prices, that explained the slightly higher, though still reasonable, house prices in this area of England.

We finished the day, by going for a partial hike up the nearest hill we could find, Titterstone Clee Hill, that had stunning, 360 degree views of the surrounding area.

I’ll be coming back in September, for their annual food festival, can’t wait.

Week Ahead / Ludlow – Day 3

For this third day, we decided to do one of the many walks that exist here, particularly one that is low level and does not consist of a hill walk.

We started in central Ludlow, and went via Whitbatch, then to the racetrack near the golf club, and finally to the local farm shop, the Ludlow Farm Shop, that had literally everything that a foodie would ever want. On the way back, we had a quick check out of the ancient church, St Mary the Virgin’s, on the other side of the A49, at Bromfield.

Ludlow Golf Club, speaking of which, is designed by none other than James Braid (who would have known!) and is an 18 hole stretch, located entirely inside the race track!

Next time, we’ll be playing it!