Rain dripping off the brim of my hat
It sure is cold today...
Scotland
November began with a brief trip to the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, and the 3rd largest in the United Kingdom. It was founded in the 6th century by a Christian missionary named Saint Mungo. He built a church at the site on which the Glasgow Cathedral today stands. The University of Glasgow was established in 1451, and is the 4th oldest in the U.K. That lofty history contrasts greatly with the industrial powerhouse hard by the river Clyde that Glasgow later became. The city hit the skids earlier in the 20th century but has rebounded quite well in the past generation, having been named variously a European capital of culture, architecture & design, and sport. It hosted the Commonwealth Games this year, and the MTV EMAs just after I left.
Glasgow Cathedral
Atop a steep hill behind the cathedral is a cemetery called the Necropolis - insanely spooky!
The University of Glasgow
The People's Palace & Winter Gardens
Glasgow was a cool city; you can easily see how it has redefined itself through the centuries, and is today a great place to have a rockin' time.
A hour's train ride away from Glasgow is Edinburgh, the royal capital of Scotland since 1437.
Edinburgh Castle - in great shape for a 1000 year-old fortress
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Scottish Parliament building
Known as a literary capital, Edinburgh is the more touristy of Scotland's 2 major cities, but also a place for more refined fun. Both Glasgow and Edinburgh were very pleasant places to visit!
Random hamburger note: I ate a burger with a pomegranate yogurt spread. Yeah, that's right.
Wind whipping down the neck of my shirt
Like I ain't got nothing on...
Denmark
November ended with a Thanksgiving weekend spent in Copenhagen, capital of Denmark, neighbor to Sweden, home to a million Danes, and named "The Happiest City in the World". Copenhagen's roots trace to the 12th century, when the archbishop Absalon, a real character who was not only a man of God and a statesman and a fighter. It is today a small big city with a very down-to-earth populace. If you like Amsterdam, you'll love Copenhagen. It's a little more difficult to get marijuana and prostitutes (but very possible), and has more charm, in the (not-so) humble opinion of this writer.
Amalienborg - the royal palace (courtesy of [duh] Google)
Was standing in the courtyard with my tour group when
Mary, the Crown Princess drove right by! Cool...
City Hall - inside is an extraordinary astronomical clock,
plus, a garden (that cannot be seen from outside...unless
you sneak in ;)
The Marble Church
Tivoli Gardens - est. 1843. (courtesy Google) The world's 2nd oldest functioning
amusement park. (The oldest is also in Copenhagen!) I did not go in, but even from
the outside you could see amazing gardens around a lake.
There is an artifical island called Christianshavn that today is part of Copenhagen, but they march to the beat of their own (stoned) drummer! Modeled on Amsterdam, it succeeded - I couldn't tell the difference...
entrance to old Carlsberg brewery
The famed (and underwhelming) Little Mermaid statue
of Hans Christians Andersen literary fame
Think Manneken Pis in Brussels...
Random hamburger note: I ate a $21 bacon burger. Yes, it was large and delicious. It was at a place called Hot Buns, because of the waitresses, and how they were dressed. No, it still wasn't worth the price.
Absolutely loved Copenhagen (except for the prices) Hygge!
It sure is cold today...
Scotland
November began with a brief trip to the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, and the 3rd largest in the United Kingdom. It was founded in the 6th century by a Christian missionary named Saint Mungo. He built a church at the site on which the Glasgow Cathedral today stands. The University of Glasgow was established in 1451, and is the 4th oldest in the U.K. That lofty history contrasts greatly with the industrial powerhouse hard by the river Clyde that Glasgow later became. The city hit the skids earlier in the 20th century but has rebounded quite well in the past generation, having been named variously a European capital of culture, architecture & design, and sport. It hosted the Commonwealth Games this year, and the MTV EMAs just after I left.
Glasgow Cathedral
Atop a steep hill behind the cathedral is a cemetery called the Necropolis - insanely spooky!
The University of Glasgow
The People's Palace & Winter Gardens
Glasgow was a cool city; you can easily see how it has redefined itself through the centuries, and is today a great place to have a rockin' time.
A hour's train ride away from Glasgow is Edinburgh, the royal capital of Scotland since 1437.
Edinburgh Castle - in great shape for a 1000 year-old fortress
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Scottish Parliament building
Known as a literary capital, Edinburgh is the more touristy of Scotland's 2 major cities, but also a place for more refined fun. Both Glasgow and Edinburgh were very pleasant places to visit!
Random hamburger note: I ate a burger with a pomegranate yogurt spread. Yeah, that's right.
Wind whipping down the neck of my shirt
Like I ain't got nothing on...
Denmark
November ended with a Thanksgiving weekend spent in Copenhagen, capital of Denmark, neighbor to Sweden, home to a million Danes, and named "The Happiest City in the World". Copenhagen's roots trace to the 12th century, when the archbishop Absalon, a real character who was not only a man of God and a statesman and a fighter. It is today a small big city with a very down-to-earth populace. If you like Amsterdam, you'll love Copenhagen. It's a little more difficult to get marijuana and prostitutes (but very possible), and has more charm, in the (not-so) humble opinion of this writer.
Amalienborg - the royal palace (courtesy of [duh] Google)
Was standing in the courtyard with my tour group when
Mary, the Crown Princess drove right by! Cool...
City Hall - inside is an extraordinary astronomical clock,
plus, a garden (that cannot be seen from outside...unless
you sneak in ;)
The Marble Church
Tivoli Gardens - est. 1843. (courtesy Google) The world's 2nd oldest functioning
amusement park. (The oldest is also in Copenhagen!) I did not go in, but even from
the outside you could see amazing gardens around a lake.
There is an artifical island called Christianshavn that today is part of Copenhagen, but they march to the beat of their own (stoned) drummer! Modeled on Amsterdam, it succeeded - I couldn't tell the difference...
entrance to old Carlsberg brewery
The famed (and underwhelming) Little Mermaid statue
of Hans Christians Andersen literary fame
Think Manneken Pis in Brussels...
Random hamburger note: I ate a $21 bacon burger. Yes, it was large and delicious. It was at a place called Hot Buns, because of the waitresses, and how they were dressed. No, it still wasn't worth the price.
Absolutely loved Copenhagen (except for the prices) Hygge!
