Hi from Glasgow!
My first few weeks here have been a blur filled with travel, sightseeing, and getting to know Glasgow. Since our PVGs (the Scottish police checks) have taken a little longer than anticipated, I have had lots of free time to see Scotland and its neighbours.
Getting around Scotland and Glasgow is pretty easy—there’s buses, trains, and planes all from semi-reasonable prices. Within Glasgow, public transit consists of buses, the subway (for within the city), and ScotRail (for outside the city). You have to pay for each public transit system separately which took some getting used. As our Vrbo is located near the city centre, we’ve mostly been using the train, which you can book in advance online or in-person at the train station. Plane tickets are also easy to book on short notice. So far, I’ve taken advantage by going to Ireland and Majorca.
I purchased a Historic Scotland pass for 40 pounds, which gets me entry to most of the castles here. So far, I’ve been to the Edinburgh, Stirling, and Doune castles. They’ve all been stunning, but Doune castle is a must-see. Entry comes with a free audio-guide and it’s surrounded by beautiful scenery. Edinburgh and Stirling are stunning in their own right and there’s tons to see besides the castles.
There’s always something going on in Glasgow. I love walking down the main streets, which are filled with buskers, restaurants, and people at all hours of the day. Glasgow also has the most green spaces of any European city so there’s also a ton of places to go walking—my favourite way to see the city. During one of my walks, I stumbled across a free museum with tombstones from the middle ages. There’s always something to do and see here.
Our partner university, the University of Strathclyde, has invited us over a couple of times. It’s nice to explore the campus and get back to university life. The university also has some affordable and delicious food too!
As we wait for our PVGs, I look forward to exploring the city a bit more!
Until then,
Bella
