Glasgow Gallivanting: November 2020
November was a dark month in many ways: the nights were drawing in rapidly, the weather was often miserable, and virus restrictions got tighter and tighter. You could say that GlasGLOW, the annual light show in the Botanic Gardens, was a chink in that darkness and it was to some extent. As an outdoor event it was something to go to when everything else was closed, but it wasn’t a patch on previous years. Social distancing meant you were, quite rightly, moved on all the time and there weren’t many spectacles to stand and watch anyway. We were round in half an hour and didn’t feel that was worth £14. I actually prefer some of the pictures taken as we passed through the gardens in daytime.
What else? Glasgow University Tower on an unusually sunny day. Remembrance poppies at Kelvinside Academy, which was also lit up red at night. A package addressed to Super-cool Anabel Marsh, which I declare shall henceforth be my name. “The Monstrosity”, complete with skeletal riders, as spotted on Dumbarton Road. 13 Newton Terrace, formerly Belgravia College, the school for young ladies I wrote about after finding the grave of its Principal in the Western Necropolis. You can tell November has not been a very exciting month by the paucity of pictures!
However, having written the above in advance, the past weekend redeemed itself with a better day on Saturday. Time for a nice reflective walk along the canal: Extinction Rebellion protests, a fake crowd at Partick Thistle football ground, and a great view of Glasgow University.
Before turning for home we walked up to the flagpole at Ruchill Park for even better views of the University and Maryhill – it was only about 1530 and already sunset.
Finally, to a feature that I have neglected for a while: Scottish Word of the Month. Its return was prompted by noticing flit as Wird o the Week (sic) on the Scots Language Centre Twitter feed. Flit, in this sense, means to move house, which I thought was appropriate because after this month’s election there should be a very big flitting in Washington in the New Year. A certain someone has been given his jotters (sacked), to use another Scottish turn of phrase – will he be dragged out kicking and screaming or will he go quietly? Time will tell …
I won’t be writing any more new posts until December’s Gallivanting – but in true Blue Peter spirit, I have some I prepared earlier. See you tomorrow for Day 1 of my Advent Calendar.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Hello super-cool Anabel! Sorry to read that GlasGLOW was somewhat of a bust this year. Despite the dreary month and shorter days, you still had a diverse month and collection of photos. I love the sunset shot and the Scottish word of the month, especially in the example you used! 🙂
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I thought my Scottish words this month would strike a chord with friends across the Atlantic! And indeed, most other places too.
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Your photos of the sunsets and afternoon skies are beautiful, Anabel. Although it is incomprehensible to me that the sun sets around 3.30 in the afternoon. Even in the middle of winter it’s not dark before 5.30 pm here.
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Even earlier as we get towards the shortest day! It can feel very gloomy sometimes.
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Pretty photos Anabel. Hopefully December will be more cheery. X
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Thanks. A lot more light around in December anyway!
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I have to say I like your new name! And I sympathize…November was rather depressing here too, for the same reasons. I hate this virus and what it has done to our world.
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Thanks! Not quite sure what I did to deserve the name, but I’ll take it.
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Glad the weekend was better than expected and the nights sure do glow and hell with the dark months
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Thanks, it was good to get a reasonable day right at the end of the month.
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😊
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Glad you have found some cheer amongst the gloom, the sooner the vaccination programme starts the better I say
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Me too!
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Shame that GlasGLOW wasn’t what it should have been but thats to be expected in the current climate I suppose. Good to support it even if the entrance fee seemed a bit steep. Lovely photos of the city.
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Yes, I feel we need to support these things to keep them going.
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I often find those special lighting events are overpriced and disappointing. We have several here but I doubt we’ll go. Plenty of neighborhood displays. I’m glad that people are making an attempt, anyway, to bring a little happiness and seasonal cheer. Do the fake crowds do any fake cheering for the home team?
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I always say I’m not going, then relent at the last minute. This year, at least it got us out of the house in the evening – a very rare event! There was no match on as we passed so the fake crowd was waiting very quietly and patiently.
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Oh, goody- an advent calendar! With chocolates? 🙂 🙂
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Some people want jam on it!
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No, chocolate… please 🙂 🙂
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You’ll just have to pretend!
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Love the new name; very apt!
Our biggest Christmas lights event was cancelled this year, and there seems to be a lot less Christmas stuff around, both in shops and in terms of public decorations. My son, who works in retail, says that there are far fewer cargo ships coming here and they are really struggling to get stock. The upside is that they are starting to source local suppliers, so Covid may have a silver lining for some small businesses.
Your canal walk photos are particularly lovely, and the sunset is stunning.
Stay safe Anabel.
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Thank you! I think some of our small, local shops businesses are doing a good job of adapting and keeping going, but they are outweighed by the ones that can’t. A lot has been cancelled here too, should have been a torchlight St Andrew’s Parade today for example. It’s a sad old world at the moment.
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That is horrible. Small businesses have it tough at the best of times ☹️
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😟
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