Category: Glasgow

Out on the town – 22 November 2023

Posted on by Zogman

 

Up fairly early and heading for Glasgow.

Meeting Alex an hour early at 11:00. That gave us time to have a cup of coffee and plan our day. The weather wasn’t looking very promising, but Alex had some places he wanted to go and I was happy to comply.

First stop was Princes Square which was decorated like the big day had arrived and Santa was whizzing around the world on his sleigh pulled by reindeer. It was all jolly and happy and expensive as most things are in Princes Square. I’m not complaining. This was my first stop to get a chance of a photo or five of the fancy wrought iron railings on the stairs. Alex had photographed them a few months ago, but I got the shot with the fake Christmas tree branches and the sparkly lights. One of those photos made PoD. It’s glitzy and twee and I’m quite delighted with it.

St Enoch’s Square was next, because we knew the amusements were there and the Christmas Market. Again, all sparkly lights but with pretend chalets where Welsh folk were selling Xmas tat from old French Citroen vans. A veritable community of nations. Also there were the usual rides, German beer, German sausage and German Bratwurst whatever that is. So really it wasn’t a Christmas market, more a German market with some Welsh folk in old French vans. Anyway, we wandered round taking a few photos, but knowing that at about midday on dull wet day we weren’t going to get many keepers.

We walked down to Clyde Street and took a few photos of the graffiti on the Clyde Walkway. It’s a constantly changing blackboard for these skilled and not so skilled artists. Always worth a look.

Hunger pangs were telling us that Paesano should be our next port of call and that’s where we headed. Alex for a number 5 (no cheese) and me for a number 3 (just as it comes).

We had a quick look at George Square where the Christmas lights were lit, but the Christmas Village was still being constructed, decided it was a lost cause and instead headed back to Clyde Street and followed the Clyde downstream to the financial district knowing in our heart of hearts that it was a lost cause. The good light had gone and wasn’t coming back until tomorrow … maybe.

We found a different Nero from the morning and each had a coffee before plodding our weary way back up to the bus station where my X3 was patiently waiting for me, while Alex headed back to Motherwell. Next photo walk is loosely booked for two weeks hence, all being well.

Back home, Scamp had returned from her lunch and after filling her in on our day and finding about her’s, it was almost time to go dancing at Kirsty’s dance class. It was Quickstep today and although I though I’d mastered the steps last night in the living room, I’d forgotten just how Quick the Steps were. My feet got into a terrible fankle trying to extricate myself from the Twinkle. Nine times out of ten I used the wrong foot to start the move and so ended up in a mess. I do know how to do it, but my feet don’t. It’s their fault, not mine!

Tomorrow we are planning on going for the messages.

A day in the Toon – 9 November 2023

Posted on by Zogman

A spot of lunch turned into a photowalk. What a surprise!

In the morning I had my annual retinopathy check at the health centre and thankfully the girl doing the technical stuff didn’t think I needed drops and I breathed a sigh of relief. I hate being blind for an hour afterwards and having to wear sunglasses in November. I nearly needed them Today anyway, because the sun was shining from a cloudless sky. I got the bus back home because Scamp was using the car. A quick cup of coffee and a challenging Wordle, then Scamp returned to pick me up and drop me at the station to get the train in to Glasgow to meet Alex.

I found him waiting for me at the bus station after I’d walked up from the train station. We took a few shots of the Pavilion Theatre and then went for coffee in an absolutely stowed Nero and made rough plans for the day. It was also a chance to pick Alex’s brains about a standard zoom lens for the A6500. As I thought, he picked my favoured lens as the one with the best results in his opinion and confirmed my thoughts on the cheaper one with the widest range as not worth considering. So, it looks like I’ll be asking Santa for a Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN lens. He used to have that lens and only parted with it to concentrate of prime lenses, ie. not zooms.

With the technical stuff discussed, we went for a walk along Ingram street following the good light, but never quite reaching it. It felt like when you see a rainbow and the nearer you get to it, the further away it goes! Eventually we tired of this game and went Paesano for a pizza lunch. That will be the third pizza lunch I’ve had this week. I was hoping I was hoping to continue my recent weigh loss success, but that looks unlikely now!

After lunch we continued to search for the good light eventually managed to track it down to Argyle Street. By then the light had lost a considerable amount of its former brightness and we started making our way back towards the bus station and home, but not before we had another coffee and then a walk around the Christmas market and entertainments that were being assembled in St Enoch’s square.

PoD was a photo opportunity I say on Sauchiehall Street (AKA Sausage Roll Street). A lovely bit of bright light on the girl and after swapping the bloke’s head for a better one, we had a conversation in progress. It’s now on Flickr as is my second choice of a view of a girl having alfresco lunch on the steps of the Royal Concert Hall looking down Buchanan Street (AKA Bucky Street).

I took the slow X3 bus home and was entertained by Kevin Bridges “We Need to Talk About . . . Kevin Bridges”. Absolutely brilliant! Thank you Jamie for the recommendation.

Tomorrow I’ve loads to do because I couldn’t be bothered to do it today. The story of my life.

A Toy off the Rack – 6 October 2023

Posted on by Zogman

A new, well, nearly new lens.

So, I slept on it, as I said I would, and decided to add the Sony 85mm f1.8 to my armoury.

Scamp was out in the morning to go to her FitSteps class. I phoned WEX in Glasgow and asked the lady to put the second hand Sony 85mm f1.8 lens aside for me and I’d be in to collect it in the afternoon. When Scamp returned from her class, just over an hour later we drove in to Glasgow.

First we went to John Lewis to have a serious look at fridges, freezers and fridge-freezers, the trio we’ve been mulling over for the past week. I don’t think either of us was fully committed to the idea of a combined fridge and freezer. If one part of it breaks down, does that mean the other half dies with it? Scamp seemed reluctantly resigned to an undercounter freezer and separate fridge. The two of them were sitting beside each other in the JL basement, like Tweedledum and Tweedledee. We were really looking for a Goldilocks fridge. The ones on show were either too big or too small and she wanted one that was in the middle of the height range. Eventually,Scamp spoke to an assistant who very helpfully went away and returned with a model number for a fridge that was indeed the nearest thing to a Goldilocks. Now we need to find a picture of it, or better still, somewhere that has it in stock, because JL in Glasgow didn’t have one.

Feeling we were another step forward, we left JL behind and walked up to WEX, checked the lens I’d play tested yesterday and paid my half of the money. Of course I immediately knew that I’d made a mistake as the Buyers Remorse kicked in, but I just ignored it. I had a toy off the rack.

Coffee in Nero on the way down a Sausageroll Street that was being chopped up, dug up and generally destroyed in ‘improvements’. They’d even cut down most of the trees. Sometimes I fear for the sanity of these urban planners, other times I know they are all just morons.

I had a look for a new raincoat to replace my old faded blue one that’s not as waterproof as it used to be, despite being proofed regularly, but didn’t find anything that impressed me. Heavens some of them only had two pockets. TWO? What use is that to me?

Drove home and that was when the rain started and it’s still raining. It doesn’t look like I’ll get a chance to try out the new toy until at least Sunday. Heavy rain predicted for tomorrow.

Today’s PoD was one of my regular shots of the changing face of Glasgow. It seems that every month there is another change to the skyline. Some are for the better and some are not. I think the call it progress, but I’m not sure. Anyway, after a bit of jiggery pokery again, I had a photo that looked interesting.

Today’s Inktober prompt was “Golden”. It’s my wedding ring which, over the years, has been chopped off my swollen finger, soldered back together and then chopped and soldered again to make it slightly smaller to stop it from falling off my finger. It’s definitely Golden.

Tomorrow rain is predicted, lots of it. We may go out for lunch and not discuss White Goods.

Watching them Running Races – 1 October 2023

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We were out fairly early (for us) to watch the Great Scottish Run.

We got the train in to Glasgow and were both amazed at the number of runners on the train, already dressed in shorts and vests. It was a lovely morning though and when we got to Glasgow, the start for the race at George Square was already thronged with folk. Some were the 10k runners who had already completed their race and were walking around with their medals dangling from their necks. Some were friends and family of those whose Half Marathon was still to begin. Some were just like us, folk who came to cheer on the runners, bang on the plastic barriers to make a noise and also to take photos. I was in the ‘take photos’ category.

We found a space in the barrier on the starting straight and watched the runners practising their starts before the race proper started. Then, almost exactly on time the gun went off and so did the runners. Elite runners first, then the ‘good’ club runners, followed by the less serious group and finally those just hoping to finish and be able to walk tomorrow.

I must admit I wasn’t as enthralled with the race as I had been with the cycle race a month or so ago. However I was impressed with the pace everyone set, even the less serious group were making a good show of things. Scamp, a marathon runner herself stood and clapped and banged on the barriers as well as shouting encouragement. I could see that she wished she’d kept up with her running, but it’s easier out in the countryside where we used to live. Not so in the urban area we’re in now. Not so safe either.

After we watched all of the estimated 20,000 go through the starting gate and face the hill up St Vincent Street I managed to get just four photos of the runners taking up the entire width of the road. And every shot was out of focus!!! Thankfully I didn’t know that until I got home. Maybe I should replace that shonky, unreliable kit lens. Some day, maybe I will.

We found a Cafe Nero that didn’t have a queue right out the door (almost, but not quite) we had a coffee and a pastry each to stave off our hunger pangs. Then we walked over the the Jamaica Bridge to watch the elite runners turn on to Clyde Street and head for the pastures of Glasgow Green. That’s where I got the shot of the floating runner from. Taken with that same shonky, unreliable kit lens!

After we’d watched the runners coming round that bend and saw one poor bloke being supported by an older man, maybe his father, and felt relieved when both of them started jogging on towards The Green. After that we headed home.

In the afternoon, and after lunch, Scamp went out to plant some bulbs we’d bought during the week and then went on to cut the front grass too. I knew I’d have at least one decent PoD shot among the 500 odd I’d taken, so I started moving folders around the SSDs to create enough space to allow me to archive the September photos. It took a while, probably a good hour or more. If I’d been using external hard drives, I’d still be working at it tomorrow too.

Dinner for Scamp was salmon with cauliflower and potatoes. I roasted a large lamb shank in the le cruiset in the oven. I got it in the butchers at Muirhead and it was pre-marinated in herbs and mint. Truly it was delicious with the same veg as Scamp’s. There’s some left over that I might freeze or just eat during the week.

Final east for the day was to do the first Inktober 2023 sketch where the prompt was ‘Dream’. You can see my rather hastily drawn sketch here. Not my best work, but I’m hoping I improve as I remember how to do this sketching lark.

Tomorrow we’re booked for lunch with June & Ian and Crawford & Nancy. Should be a lively lunch!

 

Out on the town – 11 September 2023

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We were going in to Glasgow today for lunch.

Scamp had given me an Itison voucher a week or so ago, and today we were using it to have lunch in Cafe Andaluz in St Vincent Place. There was no way I was driving in today, and we weren’t taking the X3 either. Instead we got the number 435 Canavan’s bus from outside St Mo’s school to Croy station, then caught the train in to Glasgow. Scamp wanted to get vacuum seal bags from a shop in the town and I wanted to get new pens to encourage me to prepare for Inktober. We ended up getting a few more things, but we did get the bags. Then we walked down to Argyle Street to get the morning coffee in Nero. While we were in there I saw a print on the wall of a mechanical technical drawing, a stepped section, it’s called too awkward to explain and of little interest except to me who had to teach folk how to draw it, but more important, how to visualise it. High flown stuff for a Monday morning.

We wandered round M&S with Scamp trying to encourage me to get a new jersey, but nothing took my fancy. Walked up Queen Street and, while Scamp went looking for shower gel and fancy chocolates, I bought a couple of Tombow Fudenosuke brush pens and a book about sketching architecture from Cass Art. Then we met up again in Buchanan Street and wandered around Buchanan Galleries until it was time to go the Cafe Andaluz.

We had a glass of Sangria each as a starter. The food was lovely 5 tapas dishes to share, I think my favourite was the prawns that Scamp ordered, my next best favourite was Albondigas, which is spiced pork & beef meatballs in a tomato sauce. Unfortunately the Spanish black pudding with apple chutney we were both going to have was finished. However we did enjoy the meal and then Scamp noticed two mojitos going out to a table and decided she’d have one. I asked if they could make a barraquito and the girl taking the order just said “Yes!” Would it be the same as I’d had in Tenerife, I asked myself as I waited. It certainly was, in fact it was in a bigger glass and tasted even better. It’s an alcoholic drink made with layers of Condensed Milk, Licor 43, Espresso and Foamed Milk with a sprinkling of cinnamon on top. It honestly seems a shame to stir it up and drink it. Scamp’s Mojito seemed a bit of a disappointment, being not as alcoholic as some she’s had.

We walked back to the station and realised we’d just missed the train home, but Scamp sat and waited while I went out to take some photos. As I was walking out of the station a woman stopped to ask me what the building was in the square and I explained it was Glasgow City Chambers and told her my brother says it’s beautiful inside and if she gets a chance to visit it, she should. She and her friend were going on a Hop On – Hop Off bus the next day and she said she’d ask the driver. That was my good deed for the day. PoD turned out to be a photo of the inside of the busy station which might have taken a long to build, but is so much lighter and airier than its predecessor.

We got the fast train to Croy, walked across the road and got the bus back to St Mo’s school then walked the rest of the way. 10,171 steps so far today and counting. For some reason, typing doesn’t generate steps. The old Fitbit did record key presses as steps!  We did record some steps in the evening with a practise session of the new Wednesday night waltz. Mystifying and confusing steps for me. Apparently devised by an Australian, which might explain everything.

That was a quite excellent day in Glasgow. It did rain today, but not very heavy rain and thankfully it waited until we were in the restaurant.

We have no real plans for tomorrow, but apparently hoovering may be on the cards.

Glasgow in the sunshine – 6 September 2023

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I was going in to meet my brother in Glasgow on a very hot day.

Scamp very kindly gave me a lift to the station and for once I just managed to collect my ticket as the train rolled in to the station. It’s my usual luck to collect the ticket just as the train is rolling out of the station!

In Glasgow I wandered over to George Square to see what people were demonstrating about today. It appeared that it was all about GIRFEC or, Get It Right For Every Child. I don’t know who devised this acronym, but surely they could have made a better one. I remember being told by those who had been force fed this hype that it was the way forward in education, the ONLY way forward, in fact. Actually I’m surprised it’s still talked about, because it simply isn’t possible to get it right for every child in a class, but it’s professional suicidal to say that in a school. If there are 30 pupils in a class and one teacher and let’s say a period last for 45 minutes that would mean 1.5 minutes for each child. What can you teach in 90 seconds and not leave any time for questions? Zilch. Oh, I’m so glad I don’t need to worry about crap like that now.

However, I dutifully took some photos of the banner waving folk, just for the practise and then walked back up to the bus station to meet Alex. As usual we went for coffee in Nero and set out our plan for the day. Today was his choice of destination and he chose the financial district of Glasgow. I thought that would be good, because we could go there via the suspension bridge and the newly sprung mini skyscrapers on the south side of the river.

As we were walking down through the now almost empty George Square, I was surprised by his suggestion of going to Paesano for an early lunch. I didn’t think he liked Paesano pizzas, but that’s what we did and I introduced him to a No 5 (Cooked ham) and also told him he could add or subtract any ingredients. He chose a ’no cheese’ version and seemed to enjoy his lunch. I like that flexibility of Paesano. Add or subtract anything you want or don’t want.

After lunch we walked down to Argyle Street and got some nice shots of a bloke power washing the pavement there. I asked his mate if the bloke would do my car and he just laughed and said “Sure. Just bring it round!” We walked over the suspension bridge and on to the new financial district on the south bank of the Clyde. There is always something interesting in the “money making” places! What I found there was the PoD which was a wee man sitting on a seat with a 3/4 size guitar, playing for his own enjoyment, very quietly, while following the tablature on his phone. It really was a nice looking guitar, but he was playing so quietly I couldn’t hear the tune.

We crossed back over the Squiggly Bridge to the place where the “Old Money” is because that was the the place Alex wanted to photograph. The sun wasn’t quite as low as he’d expected and just not far enough round. He has an app on his phone that tells him when is the best time to get the best light, and today it just wasn’t right, but we took some shots anyway. Walked back up by Central Station and had another coffee in another Nero. They seem to be everywhere these days, ousting the Costas!

After that we walked up to the station where I was getting my train after I’d contacted Scamp and asked for a run home from Croy. Alex went to get his bus and I went home to get ready for tonight’s dance class.

This was the first time I’d been to Kirsty’s class for a while and we were doing a new waltz that’s not been released from copyright yet, so isn’t available on YouTube. I must admit I was lost to start with, but with a bit of thought and some encouragement from Scamp I think I’ve got the basics of it. Tomorrow I’ll know for sure.

It was a busy day, for sure and a hot one too. Really enjoyed the walk round Glasgow and the pizza, even if it took a while coming from the pass and was just a tad cool as a result. I’ll forgive them.

Tomorrow we might be taking Isobel to the tea dance in Glenburn.

 

Smelling Sweetly – 27 August 2023

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Scamp was off to a hotel in Glasgow to learn how to make perfume. I stayed well away!

Scamp met Annette on the bus in to Glasgow. I’d walked over to Condorrat with her and was quite pleased that I did, because it was there I found today’s PoD. While the two friends went in to Glasgow, I walked back home and, having my camera with me took to opportunity to get some photos of the Honeysuckle flower that was to be PoD. Back home I sat down to read another chapter or two of The Brass Verdict. I did a bit more clearing out in the back bedroom and also considered putting some air into the Kona’s tyres, but didn’t quite get round to that.

I checked the recipe for tonight’s Smoked Haddock and Leek Risotto – one of the easy ones that you bake in the oven and don’t have to stand for half an hour stirring. We needed a few things and I grabbed a bag and walked down to the shops. It wasn’t a heavy load to carry back, but I had bought more than I really required for dinner. I don’t think the recipe had mentioned Crunchy Ice Lollies or Jam Donuts, but for some reason both of those items had found their way into the message bag. How strange.

On the way back I found a strange looking object on a wall. It looked like the broken lid of a Jerry Can and had a flower growing out of the top. It looked a bit like an alternative flowerpot and was interesting enough for a photo or two. Try as I might I just couldn’t get a good shot of it. Eventually I decided I’d taken enough photos and spent enough time on it and walked up the rest of the way home.

It took about five minutes to process the honeysuckle flower. It took about an hour and a half to piece together two photos of the alternative flowerpot. In the end they both went in to Flickr, but the honeysuckle won PoD hands down.

I was just finishing the flowerpot when Scamp texted me to say she was on the bus home. I said I’d meet her at her stop and walk home with her because it’s a lonely path over the motorway and although it wasn’t that late, it’s always better to have somebody to walk with.

It seemed from her description that the perfume making was quite an interesting experience. Not just a cobbled together talk with a Powerpoint presentation and a bottle of smelly stuff to take away. There were 24 different ‘notes’ divided into three categories of Base notes, Middle notes and Top notes. All the participants could blend them any way they chose. Everything measured by drops, or even ‘half drops’. It sounded fascinating, but not really for me, I think! I did sample some of the testers and ‘Wood’ definitely did smell woody. Similarly, Passionfruit had that sharp sweet scent that only passionfruit has. But the one that stood out for me was ‘Rose’. I immediately smelled Turkish Delight which, of course is made from rose water. It sounded an interesting afternoon for Scamp and Annette and I don’t suppose the two glasses each of Prosecco did any harm too!

Watched a crazy Dutch GP with drivers splashing through rain, driving in the sun and finally back to torrential rain which resulted in the race being stopped until the clouds rolled away and the track dried out. An interesting race for once.

The Smoked Haddock and Leek Risotto was delicious, but that was more down to fresh smoked haddock than to my skill. We might make arancini with the leftover risotto tomorrow.

No plans for tomorrow.

MoT day and a dauner round Glasgow – 15 August 2023

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The big day was here.

Up and out just after 9am. Dropped Scamp off at the town centre for her to go and get her shiny nails removed for a couple of weeks before she gets new ones again. I can see how this is a very profitable idea for the nail salons. I think they did miss a trick there though. They could be called “Salons for Talons”! I’ve copyrighted that name, but if anyone out there wants to use it, just drop me a line and we can come to an agreement.

Drove in to Glasgow, parked at the dealer’s and handed over my keys and log book, then walked over to Cowcaddens and got the subway to Kelvinbridge. Just behind the subway there is a bridge where the River Kelvin splits and both parts flow diagonally through a couple of rapids either side of one of the bridge supports to join up again on the far side. Once, Alex and I photographed a kayaker doing the most amazing manoeuvres when the river was in spate. It was much calmer today and the water was tea coloured, a fisherman’s delight. But there were no fishers today, so I grabbed a few shots and walked along South Woodlands Road which is really just a narrow cobbled street with delusions of grandeur and got some shots looking back at the bridge. The bridge, by the way, carries Great Western Road over the river and S. Woodlands Road. One of the views looking over the river and beneath the bridge got PoD.

I walked up the steep steps with cast iron hand rails that lead up from the subway station to Great Western Road and headed west. Almost bumped into another retired teacher, but she nipped into a shop and I walked on up to Byres Road. I’d have stopped for a pint in Òran Mór, but I was driving later and didn’t fancy a zero alcohol beer, a contradiction in terms, if you ask me. Instead I went in to Waterstones and had a coffee and cake in the sun. I also used up more than half of my last book token and bought myself a paperback. It felt very continental sitting outside with a coffee in Glasgow in the sun. Very unusual.

I walked back down Gt Western Road to the subway and took the outside loop back to Glasgow City Centre. Walking up Sausageroll Street my phone bleeped to tell me that the car was ready and all I had to do was hand over a large wodge of money to get my key back. The car had passed the MoT, of course, but there were recommendations for new front tyres. I knew there would be. Not official ones on the MoT certificate, just word of mouth.

Drove home and developed the film I had in the camera. I know you don’t develop photos now, you just download them, but it sounds very photographer-like to say that.

Scamp arrived later and dinner was going to be a salmon and broccoli quiche. Scamp had bought some broccoli and a frozen slab of shortcrust pastry, so under her tutelage I made a passable quiche that needed no extra veg or potatoes.

Tomorrow we may be going out for lunch. It depends on the weather.

Back to Glasgow – 13 August 2023

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Back to Glasgow for the final race of this year’s championship. So much more interesting in my opinion, than watching 22 overpaid blokes kicking a ball around a park for 90 minutes.

Today was the Women’s Elite Road Race and I didn’t envy them the climb up the Crow Road, although the ride down the other side might have been quite enjoyable! We stayed within a square section of Glasgow, bounded by George Square to the North and Ingram Street to the north. We didn’t wander far from South Frederick Street to the east and Queen Street to the west. We’d travelled in by train for a change. Much more comfortable and certainly faster than the X3 bus. We had arrived with time to spare and had a coffee in the Costa in Queen Street. That used to be our place to confer on what we’d learned (or not) in Michael’s dance class on a Wednesday.

Suitably refreshed we walked along through the barricades to find a suitable place to watch the race. It took longer than we’d anticipated for the riders to arrive in the city centre, but immediately there was a breakaway followed by the pursuing peloton. Scamp was satisfied with her spot, but I moved around finding more interesting perspectives all around the square we’d nominated as ‘Ours.’

From Scamp’s lookout position she could see the progress of the riders who were riding along one side of Cathedral Street, eastbound then after returning along George Street and up the awkward climb up Montrose Street, returned along Cathedral Street and down to George Square. On second thoughts, maybe the Crow Road was easier because they only had to do the climb once. Montrose Street they had to do six times. This was a devious and demanding circuit. Allegedly there were 50 corners in the city centre circuit!

I think for once we saw the whole race and today my shot count was about 330 of which around 95 were rejected. Not bad for the A6500.

We managed to get the fast train back to Cumbersheugh and then drove home.

Spoke to Jamie and heard about his pizza making skills. We were most impressed, Jamie. When you next visit you must make one for us! His tomatoes are also looking good. Glad your garden is growing well.

PoD was a breakaway group on Ingram Street in Glasgow

Tomorrow we have no cycling dates although I may need to go and get a new rear wiper for the blue car or I fear it won’t pass MoT. A good hoovering would help too!

 

Bikes, bikes and more bikes – 12 August 2023

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And a Paesano pizza!

We took the bus in to Glasgow today to watch the second last road race in the cycling world championships. Today it was the turn of the Men’s under 23 group. Weather was mixed. The first place we tried was under the Buchanan Galleries bridge where riders were coming from the light into the dark. It wasn’t ideal, but it gave me some shelter to get my settings the way I wanted them. The Sony kit lens was acting up again, just refusing to focus. The only way I’ve found to fix the problem is to focus manually and sometimes that kicks some sense into the lens and it begins to work properly, but not today. Far too many opportunities lost to a lens that I just don’t trust any more.

We had just left the shelter of the bridge when the rain started. It just got heavier and heavier and luckily I found a tree on Nelson Mandela Place to shelter under. Scamp had been browsing in a shop and appeared round a corner holding an umbrella. I wished I’d brought one to shelter me from the rain that was coming straight down!

After the rain stopped, we crossed the road to the other side of NM Place and I found a spot I’d been taking photos from last Sunday. I grabbed a few there of small groups of riders splashing through the puddles caused by the rain. Got fed up with that and walked on to where Renfield Street met St Vincent Street and caught a nice tight group rounding the bend and that made PoD.

We were actually inside the circuit now with cyclists riding clockwise around where we were standing. This gave us the opportunity to see groups heading out to the West End and others on their way back into the city centre. It was at that point we saw one heart stopping moment when a dozy marshall allows a man and his son to cross the road in front of two cyclist rounding the corner. The chief marshall in charge of the gave the bloke such a bollocking I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel! Luckily both father and son survived to tell the tale, but I don’t know if the marshall will will be working the ladies race tomorrow!

The other interesting place we saw was the feeding station with helpers holding out bottles and food sachets for the riders. One man walking down the street with his wife seemed to want one of the water bottles as a souvenir. I heard his wife say “Just do what you must do” as he bent to grab a used bottle. I think the hidden message was “I’m not with him!”

Not long after that the feeding station was being closed down, so that must have been the last lap. We walked back down to the centre of the town and saw the leading group heading to the finishing line, but it wasn’t until later we heard it was a French rider who had won.

We went for a late lunch in Paesano. A number 1 (tomato sauce, no garlic and no cheese) for Scamp and a number 3 (anchovies, garlic, olives and basil) for me. A Prosecco for Scamp and, since I wasn’t driving, a half pint of beer for me.

Got the bus home and were able to watch the rain clouds breaking over the Campsie Fells. That was a busy and interesting day.

It’s the Women’s road race tomorrow. Weather looks worse than today. I may go in to see it, but I think we’re both almost ‘Raced Out’ by now.