Oh Glasglow!

The view outside my window, you can see the Castle!

I don't get why the Scottish have an aversion to salt. Not in their food, but on their roads. It is blistering cold. So logically ice will form. You would think the first thing people would think is, "let's combat this ice!" No, of course not, that would be asking too much. Instead ice forms. Their little crystallized particles just waiting for an innocent bystander just trying to get to class. It is malicious. It is vicious. It plots. Well not really, but it is awful. I've seen people flung off bicycles as they skid to avoid the patches of black ice, girls wearing heels slide down slopes (dummies), and joggers instead of running they just try to maintain their balance. It is atrocious. If your shoes do not have traction, that's it, you are screwed. Converse? Forgettaboutit! You will be dancing all the way to class. And not 123 waltzing, no you'll be doing a mixture of the chicken dance and the chacha. Flailing. It happens. I was most displeased this morning with the ice surrounding the ENTIRE courtyard. It was hilarious as Sara had to navigate me through it. Since it gets dark at 3:30, the ice has the last laugh, but come afternoon when that sun is burning bright, in your face ice! You melt! SUCKER!

Today Sara and I ventured to a whole different part of Scotland! We went to Glasgow to do some Christmas shopping (but in reality shopped exclusively for us!) At the Queensway train station, there was the sign for the Superloo. The bathroom was not just an ordinary bathroom, it was super! The main reason for Glasglow was the Primark (an Amazingly affordable--even in dollar sense--HUGE store) in the city center. It was really different from Edinburgh. Less Europeany looking buildings. Given, I was only in a specific area and did not see much of it, I definitely got a different feel. The people first off had thicker accents. One guy passed us and asked, "got the time, loves?" and I only heard the latter, and did not stop. Sara though, shouted back 12:05. I was confused and realized, OH! he had only asked for the time. Good one. At Primark I bought a dress/shirt. It is my New Years outfit! Then I bought Penelope the cutest mittens in the world--they're for tiny lil' hands. And I bought my puppy. I have yet to name him, but he is adorable.

The View Out of the Train to Glasgow

The Superloo! Ahaha.
My Puppy!

After Primark, Sara and meandered around the area. I bought several Christmas related things. Since I was looking for Scottish things, we clearly had to go to Celtic, a store dedicated to the football team. I was struggling with the door (as I had bags in my hands) and Sara was right behind me. Suddenly, a guy weasled his way between the two of us. He was SKETCHY. Super sketchy, his nose was long and narrow and his eyes full of criminal intent. As soon as he passed me, I doubled checked if I still had my wallet. As we enter, I drift to the side and peruse an shelf. I hear Sara go with utter disbelief mixed in her voice, "Um, excuse me, but that guy just took six of your Dvds and left." The woman working their shakes her head and went, "Not again!" I guess it was a common occurance! Apparently the sketchtastic guy looked up to see if anyone was watching him, grabbed a STACK of dvds and left. Talk about subtle. Sara was absolutely stunned. And we both agreed, he was SKETCHY. Witnessing crime in Glasgow!

TARDIS!
The GoMA of Glasgow, Glasgow Modern Art Museum

George Square with Christmas Festivities

I have concluded the Glasgow is much sketchier than Edinburgh and the people are definitely of a lower cut. Not to generalize the entire population of Glasgow, but the glimmer I saw of the city made a deep negative impression. All the people I passed seemed seedy. But I am eager to go back later to investigate the actual city. Not just the interior of Primark!