“There’s just no place like Scotland when the sun is out. I just love coming home.”

Ashley Jensen, actress

Glasgow, Scotland

Hurray! Hurrah! After our 2.5 hr. train ride from York, with a sunny coastal jaunt along the North Sea, we’ve arrived back in Scotland, one of our all-time favorite countries to visit. For the next 11-days, a rental car will allow us to explore the Highlands and the Lowlands of this beautiful, green nation.

The last time I saw Glasglow was over 20 years ago, and much has changed (for the better!). The city seems more modern, vibrant and incredibly young. Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city, and is rich in history, with its diverse culture and unique character. Its Gaelic name, Glaschu, aptly means “dear green place.” Edinburgh lies 40 miles east and just an hour’s drive from Glasgow.

Glasgow’s history dates to ancient times when it was founded as a small settlement by the River Clyde. It grew significantly during the Industrial Revolution, becoming a powerhouse of manufacturing, shipbuilding, and trade.

It’s early Sunday morning, and the early bird catches the best parking spot in the cultural center of the city. Good fortune and with the help of the parking gods, we found it – a mere half-block from the city’s major museum. Off to a good start, and hope to maintain our daily 10,000 step average in Scotland; with our Grand Art Tour of Europe in mind, I don’t doubt that.

The Huntarian Museum and The Mackintosh House

The Hunterian Museum sits on the main campus of the University of Glasgow (est. 1451), named after William Hunter, a renowned Scottish doctor, scientist, and collector. Hunter left his substantial collection of rare objects and historical curios to the university upon his death in 1783, with the stipulation that a museum be built to house it. The Hunterian Museum opened to the public in 1807, making it one of the oldest public museums in Scotland.

The museum houses a vast, diverse and eclectic collection of antiquities, including: dinosaurs and fossils, zoology, geology, archaeology studies, etc. Anyone with an interest in the sciences and human condition will find something to savor and enjoy within its unique and unusual displays.

The striking and atmospheric Cloisters at its entrance will beguile Harry Potter fans with its gothic revival architecture that seem to transport them to the hallways of Hogwarts. “Outlander,” fans, too, will be richly rewarded with Glasgow’s many locations used in filming; with the Cloisters making the cut.

The Mackintosh House, is found within the Huntarian, containing the reassembled interiors from the Glasgow home of famed Scottish architect, designer and artist, Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928), and his artist-designer wife, Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh (1864-1933). They lived in the home from 1906-1914.

The original house was demolished in the 1960s due to urban redevelopment, but the original fixtures were preserved and reassembled in the rebuilding; complete with the Mackintoshes’ contents.

Mackintosh is celebrated for his innovative and distinctive architectural style, with unusual geometric shapes, elegant lines, and meticulous attention to detail. The interiors were faithfully and painstakingly reconstructed; using original plans, photographs, and the surviving furnishings and fittings.

See for yourself the incredible wonders of the Macintoshes’ imaginations. You stand within the interior spaces and slowly take in their striking simplicity and overall beauty … it’s 1906 again!

Honestly, I was so attracted to the place, with plans spinning ‘round my head on how to move in, but not before modifying the house for A/C, for it was a sauna in there.

More incredible and memorable Mackintosh designs to follow later this afternoon.

Kelvingrove Museum

Grand Art Tour continues … the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is THE cultural institution in Glasgow. Situated in the West End of Glasgow, near the scenic Kelvingrove Park, the museum is housed in an impressive red sandstone building that’s a notable landmark in the city. And most wonderful, it’s free to enter for all.

The art galleries within Kelvingrove feature a remarkable and wide range of artworks spanning different periods, styles, and genres. There’s an exceptional European art collection; featuring masterworks of: Botticelli, Gauguin, Cezanne, Rembrandt’s “Man in Armour,” Monet, Renoir, and a portrait of Van Gogh.

Its Scottish art showcases the country’s rich artistic heritage, contributing to Glasgow’s reputation as a vibrant center for the arts.

There’s eclectic contemporary art to be found, too, with both established and emerging artists … see the “Floating Heads.” And, yes … Elvis is in the house!

As luck would have it, our Sunday museum visit coincided with the daily afternoon organ recital. The organ at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a prized possession, prominently housed in the magnificent central hall, known as the Main Hall.

The massive organ was originally built by the Scottish organ builder Lewis & Co. in 1901 for the Glasgow International Exhibition. Afterwards, it was installed in the Kelvingrove when it opened to the public later that year, and has been pleasing music lovers ever since.

For all you organ lovers, here’s the scoop – it’s one of the largest pipe organs in the world, boasting over 7,000 pipes and a wide range of stops and ranks. Its impressive size and versatility allows it to produce a rich and diverse range of sounds, making it suitable for performing a range of styles of music, from classical to contemporary.

Again, being the early birds that we are, we scored front row seats. And as we excitedly awaited the 3:00 performance to start, David was chatted up by a very friendly Glaswegian fellow. If the concert had been delayed by a few seconds, we would have been sharing a pint at the local pub and tall tales. Glaswegians are known for their warmth, friendliness, sense of humor and heavy accents!  The city’s motto is, after all, “People make Glasgow.”

Promptly at 3pm, the Main Hall comes to life and the classical organ recital begins with the arrival of the organist, Will Briant, sitting way above us in the rafters. The program guide listed music from one of David’s favorite classical composers, Jean Sibelius, as the finale. The powerful organ’s first notes filled the air and bounced about the walls, immediately wrapping us in a joyous, sonic surround-sound; enveloping the enthralled listeners. WOW!

Added bonus: two video screens allowed us to watch the pedal footwork closeup and the expert hands of our superb organist as they glide across the keyboards. I got so wrapped up into it, excitedly thinking of our next stop, which could have been set to music.

The Willow Tea Rooms

The Willow Tea Rooms are extraordinary! They’re famous for its association with the aforementioned Scottish architect and designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It’s an eclectic dining venue chockablock with incredible architectural gems found throughout its rooms; all original from the period, circa 1903.

The Willow Tea Rooms were originally commissioned by Miss Kate Cranston, a forward-thinking businesswoman in Glasgow, who wanted to create elegant and stylish venues for socializing and dining. She hired Charles Rennie Mackintosh to design the interiors of several of her tea rooms, including the Willow Tea Rooms.

Everywhere you look are iconic elements – the famous black, high-back chairs, decorative, hand-painted paneling, and intricate stained glass windows; all designed by Mackintosh and his wife, Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh. David would roam the rooms – upstairs and down, snapping away at the amazing detailed work. Gorgeous!

What better place to partake of my favorite meal, the Afternoon Tea, then dining amidst Mackintosh’s magnificent treasure chest of style and grace …with gorgeous geometric shapes, elegant lines, and attention to even the smallest of details. 100 plus years of sumptuous Afternoon Teas have transpired in this space.

This tea experience ranks way up high in the pantheons of Afternoon Teadom!

Mar Hall

Our Glasgow hotel, the historic Mar Hall, is located a few miles outside of the city centre. It sits amidst 200 acres of the Earl of Mar Estate. Its main feature is Erskine Mansion, a 19^th century manor house that offers sumptuous accommodations and fine dining. The estate offers bucolic views of the River Clyde and the Old Kilpatrick Hills just beyond.

There’s a long, ancient Scottish history attached to the property, starting with the Erskines. They were one of the most prominent and influential families in Scotland.

The mansion was built between 1828 and 1845 by Sir Robert Smirke, who also designed the British Museum in London.

It was during World War I that the property was used as a military hospital. In World War II, it served as a recovery hospital for soldiers. The mansion fell into disrepair and was only fairly recently made over into a hotel/resort. They sure did know how to make a proper poached egg!

There exists a classic city rivalry between Glasgow and Edinburgh … such as NY-LA, or SF-LA. Glasgow exudes youthfulness and growth, and since we’ve been to Edinburgh previously, it’s not easy to compare the two. Edinburgh reeks of elegance and gorgeous architecture. Glasgow seems rough around the edges, but you can sense a grand revival happening, too.