November 2006

Glasgow Seaplane to the Islands

It's just been announced here that after Christmas there will be a Glasgow seaplane service to islands like Tobermory, Oban, Arran and Bute, with a possible extention to the Isle of Skye later on.

It's to take off from a new terminal at the Glasgow Science Centre, which itself is situated at one of the fastest developing sites on the banks of the River Clyde.

Exciting stuff for those looking to use Glasgow as a travel point for other destinations around Scotland.

That said however, whilst I've not yet had the experience of flying a seaplane, I remember taking one of those deceptively small and shaky planes to the Grand Canyon a few years back, you know, the ones where you can see the pilots finishing off their crossword puzzles on the way over, and hear nothing but the spluttering engine right under your feet.

Superb stuff. Should be great I tell you. Give me a long tarmac runway and a jumbo jet any day. Either that or a nice cup of tea and a good book to relax...

...Once I get more details I'll likely put them up on my airports pages FYI.

Comments

Congratulations to the Bhoys

Last night at Celtic Park was yet another night to remember.

The magnificent Glasgow Celtic beat Manchester United 1 - 0, and as if a result like that in a major European game where the odds were stacked against us wasn't enough, it means that we're through to the last 16 in the competition for the first time since the inception of the Champions League.

To be fair to others less interested than I am in the whole affair, whilst I could wax lyrical about the whole night, I recognise that this ain't a football site.

So I guess I'll find a forum here, there and elsewhere to post my ultimate glee at last night's events.

Suffice to say that my ears are still ringing from the noise in Celtic Park, that I've never hugged a man so much in my life, and that despite the blinkered and wounded comments from the English press on our historical, emphatic progress in the competition with 9 points and a game to spare, it'll be a night and victory that lives long in my memory and in that of every other Celtic fan around the world.

Congrats to the Bhoys in Green and White.

Comments

Click for more info

The Shameful Demise of Ristorante Caprese

Well this is pretty depressing stuff really.

Having finally got round to completing the (I'm sure long awaited) review of my favourite restaurant in Glasgow, Ristorante Caprese, I read in the news today that it has lost its legal challenge in the House of Lords, London.

As I indicated in the review, this was a hard fought battle between David and Goliath, in which the restaurant's owner Costanzo Cacace, had been standing his ground against the faceless onslaught by Glasgow City Council and two investment companies to demolish the restaurant, paving way for the last piece of development on Buchanan Street.

Now that the challenge is over, the restaurant will have to close. If you've never been to the restaurant, take it from me that this is a complete travesty, as it will remain to the end one of Glasgow's greatest hidden gems, and to rip it down, to make way just for even more crappy retail space the City doesn't need, is testament merely to the Council's seemingly endless (and privately funded) campaign to rid Glasgow of its real personality, its historical architecture and uniqueness.

Yes, Buchanan Street attracts thousands of visitors to Glasgow every year. Yes, it's one of the most famous shopping spaces in the world. Yes, we may well be talking about the demise of nothing more than a restaurant.

But this restaurant forms part of Glasgow's memory and distinguishing charisma. To pursue relentlessly the right to knock it down for commerce, smacks of nothing but dirty greed on the part of the Council.

It ain't all about money folks. It ain't just about preserving the main tourist attractions to make sure we reign in the purses of photo-seeking visitors.

Unlike any other major Eurpoean City I can think of, our Council appears hell bent on ignoring arbitrarily selected pieces of our history, a proud history foreigners want to learn more about, and this implicit policy to rid Glasgow of its soul, to replace it with modern shine only in those parts of the City deemed worth saving, laughs shamefully in the face of our ancestors who toiled hard in the smog to engineer and bequeath us a magnificent Second City of the Empire.

Yes it's just a restaurant. Costanzo will open one up elsewhere. I may be accused even of over-egging the pudding. But come on Glasgow, where are we headed if we can't see what's inherently brutal in using the power of the Courts to destroy a small, well-established family restaurant just to make cash from yet another clothing outlet? Let's regain our focus and identity already.

R.I.P. Ristorante Caprese, you've given me some great memories over the years and will be sorely missed.

In the meantime, if I were you I'd book a table there now before it closes its door for the last time, and I'll definitely be letting you know where Costanzo opens up next, as there's absolutely no doubt that it's sure to be worth it...

Comments

Click for more info

Updated links on Car Hire at Glasgow Airport

Thanks to Gina from New Jersey who pointed out to me yesterday that the Drivers' information link wasn't working on my page on car hire at Glasgow Airport.

I've now updated the link as the site it went to changed itself sneekily without telling me. While I was there I also added in a handy Google map to show you the way once you collect your car.

BTW, if anyone else spots things like this on the site, I'd be very grateful for your input as I like to ensure the site is helpful rather than misleading.

Thanks again Gina.

Comments

Permalink -- click for full blog

Glasgow Panto Season 06/07- It's behind you...

The time is almost upon us.

The time when Glaswegians from all across the city, and truck loads of wide-eyed, bemused visitors, descend on our theatres and halls, ice creams in hand (no matter the free-falling temperature outside), to watch the most bizarre, mixed-up show they're ever likely to see.

A show in which men dress as ladies, where the audience shouts like nutters to the actors on stage, where a little wee might even escape from the non-stop laughing throughout.

Yes, it's here again - Panto Season.

If you've never been to a pantomime, you've never lived. There now, I said it.

I may be 29 years old. I may be a Partner in a distinguished Law Firm, dressing in a suit most days. I may be old enough to drink myself into a stupor (and have been known to do so occasionally). I may even like the odd paid of socks for Christmas. But I tell you this - I'll never grow too old to go see a Panto. Just like li'l old Peter Pan himself, there's an excited child in every one of us, and what he really meant to say was, if you don't allow that inner child to fly once in a while, you'll wither away sadly watching everyone else have a good time.

So I guess what I'm saying is, if you're in Glasgow this Christmas, book now before the Pantomimes are sold out. You'll never forget the experience. 'It's for the kids' - yeah whatever, they don't even get half the jokes.

Head to the Kings Theatre this year for Aladdin, or to the Glasgow Pavilion (the Pav) for Peter Pan, or even the ones lined up for the smaller venues. Either way you'll have a great time, even if I do long for the time when I've got kids just so I don't stand out from all the parents secretly crying with laughter.

Pantos make Christmas in Glasgow what it is, with the kind of Glasgow humour (patter) that draws visitors from around the globe, so round off your time here by letting your inner child fly as they never have before - then you can head to the pub and laugh as you watch them crash drunkenly into a deceptively tall building.

It's behind you...

Comments

Christmas Lights Tickets

Thanks for your messages welcoming me back from my holibags - always adds a glow when you know you've been missed.

A few of you have asked whether I'm able to show your comments on my blog page as with other blog sites. My first thought in reply would normally be whoaa there, you're pre-supposing that I actually know how all this stuff works. But I'll look into it nonetheless, and no doubt by 2014 when the Commonwealth Games (hopefully) come to Glasgow, I'll be first up on that podium for finally working it all out, the crowd going wild, my parents dabbing their eyes proudly.

Until then, I'm afraid I'll just have to name-drop.

So like Steve from Eagle Lake, Minnesota, and Kristian from Haapavesi in Finland (I hope I spelled that correctly pal), the main question from yesterday was whether you need to get tickets for the turning on of the Christmas Lights in George Square this year.

I'm afraid the answer to that is yes, but that they're sold out. There were about 20,000 allocations and all have been taken up, so unless you know someone who can get you one, like me you'll have to wait until the crowd disappears and head in later.

Having said that, personally I think the whole thing is pretty over-rated. I mean, who wants to see someone switching on lights? If I did, I'd stay in my bedroom and flick the switch thousands of times a day. Much cheaper way of getting your kicks I reckon.

To me, the fun is in heading to George Square wrapped up warm with your friends and family, seeing all the lights flickering away in the dark, smelling the hot chocolate and roasting chestnuts, and joining in all the fun stuff dotted around the place. Far better than just seeing the lights go on and heading to the pub straight after.

But hey, that's just me I guess. If you want to experience the whole thing anyway, make sure you keep an eye out for the 2007 tickets and get in there first.

Comments

I'm back and raring to go for XMas

And hello hello to you all. You'll be glad to know that I got back from New England in the middle of last week, and have spent most of the time since then trying to get my head back into sync with GMT, failing miserably most nights as I drift off into guilt-free sleep any time the dishes have to be washed.

By the way, I'd thoroughly recommend travelling around New England in the Fall (that's Autumn, to you and me). The scenery is pretty breath-taking, and the people so laid back and civilised, it really is an outstanding place to unwind. Of course, as I was there with Tracey I could stand on a soapbox and force into your yawning mouths the Complete Shopping Tour of New England, given that we visited pretty much every junk and souvenir store on the way round and had to fill another large bag just to get their contents back home.

Who am I kidding though, I've never eaten so much steak and clam chowder in my life, so I was in a constant state of happiness anyway, even if that was Tracey's plan from the outset.

But I'm now back and raring to go, what with Christmas round the corner and all.

On any given day in the coming weeks you'll find us grabbing up decoration after decoration to drape over our new house - just think the Griswalds in Christmas Vacation - and planning parties and dinners and pretty much anything else involving the (these days much-derided) practice of over-eating until bursting point.

If you're going to be in Glasgow at Christmas this year, you're in for a treat. First thing you should do is head to George Square. No matter what age you are, if you like having fun at Christmas you'll enjoy gawking at the massive array of festive lights which are turned on from 19th November.

You'll also love the ever-burgeoning collection of stuff we'll have in the Square, from the ice-rink on which you'll likely see Santa skating from time to time (he's got to have some time off you know), to the hot food, drink and Christmas tat stalls, and of course the Nativity Scene tucked away usually in a distant corner for some reason - you'll likely see a member of the police walking about around the Nativity glasshouse, given the fact that one year a cheeky so and so nicked the baby Jesus, much to the Council's embarassment.

So I'll be building the excitement by keeping you up to date with the best stuff to see and do in the run up to Christmas in Glasgow, but as always, just send me a list of any queries and I'll get back to you ASAP - don't send me your XMas list though, I ain't that rich. Ho ho ho...

Comments

Return from November 2006 Blogs to Blog Archives
Return to Home Page