Glasgow...

Wow, it really feels like I've been here for ages. Maybe its the stress of being in a completely foreign place that makes the days seem longer - or maybe its just the jet lag. The flight was uneventful in a good way, although I did randomly sit next to a German girl named Sabine who knew Kari from her exchange program in Moorhead. The world really is a small place...

I managed to get to my hostel, "EuroHostel" with no trouble. The thing is a humongous megaplex on the River Clyde, right at the edge of downtown Glasgow. It temporarily houses a couple hundred people from all over Europe. Therefore, I've been hearing more German and French than English in the mornings, when I attend breakfast in the hostel kitchen.

Glasgow is very industrial, old, wet and dark. When I got off the bus near Central Station, the buildings looked like they had been damp for ages. It was slightly drizzling and the sky was overcast. To add to the rather musky atmosphere EVERYONE was wearing black and most were pale. Looking back, it was like the Addams family had spontaneously combusted on the square. Packs of Scottish people swarmed the streets, leaving their jobs to go home. Traffic was hell, the lanes are tiny, and a small number of commuters filtered through the spaces in between the cars. Half the city is under construction, working to restore the older buildings. This means that many of the sidewalks are obstructed by scaffolding and made trying to get through tiny spaces with a suitcase and giant rucksack during Scottish rush hour a tad awkward.

Today, I went to the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art. Only two galleries were open, but both exhibited the art of local artists, many of whom had graduated from the Glasgow School of Art. Yikes! This place has quite the reputation, and I'm frankly surprised they let me in. I haven't yet had the chance to walk over to the school, but hope to tomorrow.

I also made a friend. She's from Perth, Australia, and today we wandered around the city together - to the bus station and then to a pub to grab a bite to eat. Whenever we stopped to ask questions to locals, they gave us curious looks. Bet they were wondering why an Aussie and an American were walking around the city together...

Other plans:
Find a cycle shop
Go to St Mungo's Museum of Relgious Art (they have a killer Salvador Dali there)
go to sleep

Good night