UK Tour Blog 6, Glasgow!

Today was a day off for Front Country, and we got to spend it in Glasgow! Gerry picked us up at our hotel and drove us into town, dropping us right in front of the stunning Kelvingrove Art Museum. Before the museum, we darted into a cafe for breakfast. Most of us have taken to drinking tea over here (when in Rome!) and I was shocked by the jolt delivered by my americano! It was more than enough to propel me through to lunch. After a quick bite we walked across the street to the museum. Kelvingrove has a great collection of art and historical artifacts, hosts a daily organ recital at 1, and is free to the public with a suggested donation. The collection is heavy on Scottish artists, but does have a portrait by Van Gogh and the powerful Dali painting Christ of Saint John of the Cross, which is the jewel of the entire collection. It’s one of those works that demands attention and will speak to you if you know how to let it. It’s smaller that I expected it to be; for some reason I was expecting it to be as big as some of the Rothko’s I’ve seen. Nonetheless, it’s impact is big.

We sent a couple of hours in the museum before heading out to lunch. A fan in Saltburn told us that we had to visit the Mother India curry house for the best curry in Glasgow. We did and it was all it had been made out to be and more. The curries were served tapas-style so we split several. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better Indian meal; I’m going to be dreaming of the Chicken Korma for a long time! Fed and warmed up, we strolled around town in the rain for a while until we found the Ben Nevis, a whisky bar that Gerry had mentioned to us specifically. It was nearly empty but still snug as could be, the Scott’s are perhaps more adept than the English at making cozy places. Beers and whiskys were had, then it was back out into the rain. A tea and a train ride later and we were once again in Paisley, not far from our hotel. We walked around a little more (still raining) and found a place to dart in for a pint. Restored, it was time for food and a taxi. It was just Jacob and I at that point; Jacob ordered takeaway to bring back to the hotel while I successfully located a steak pie, doused with salt and vinegar, which I ate while walking in the rain. It seemed like the most appropriate thing I could do at the time.

Now, we’re back at the hotel, looking forward to doing laundry tomorrow and a sold-out show in Kilbarchan with Vasen tomorrow night. Tickets are still available for upcoming shows on this tour, including Wednesday at Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline and the Birnam Arts Center in Perthshire on Thursday. More tour dates can be found on our Tour Page.

Now, it’s time to dry off and get some rest. There are a few pictures from today below; take a look.

Thanks for reading