L2L Day 63 Motherwell to Glasgow

I think I'd walked the best bit of the Clyde walkway yesterday and with the prospect of 17 miles meanderng through suburban / industrial park to Glasgow, I decided to give it a miss and catch a train into Queens St.

This would give me a better chance of sorting out a haircut, much needed laundry and a podiatrist for advice on blisters etc.

My accommodation in Motherwell had been a self catering room, so for breakfast, I went across the road to McDonalds for a breakfast burger and one of their flat whites. Ah well!

I arrived in Glasgow by late morning and stepped into a Mediterranean city with people sitting out enjoying coffees in the warm city streets. 


Not the way I'd ever seen Glasgow previously.

Within an hour, I'd sorted out a launderette, enjoyed a good Italian coffee in the sunshine and seen Maggs, the Podiatrist who'd inspected my persistent blisters and given me good advice and a take away package of treatments.

To celebrate and for old times' sake I decided to revisit The Glasgow School of Art - unfortunately still totally hidden behind scaffolding


so instead, just down the road on Sauchiehall St was Macintosh's Tea rooms.


Then off to see the Glasgow Boys at Kelvingrove Gallery.  The gallery is fabulous with a broad and eclectic collection.



I could have spent the day there and enjoyed Guthrie, Paterson, Stanmore Dean and Lavery





Earlier in the day, I'd overheard a conversation where someone mentioned the Glasgow Art Club. My interest was whetted! Not only that but by now I was getting thirsty!

So, after a complication of busses I eventually arrived at Bath St 


and found my way in - expecting to be stopped at the door. An exhibition was in the process of being taken down and amongst all the activity I found myself talking to Eslyn Barr of the Paisley Art Institute 


who proceeded proudly to show me around the exhibition, the permanent collection, the Library and the Members Room including the CRM designed Ladies and Gents!

Having lost their rightful home in Paisley, the Institute has now found a very prestigious new address in the Glasgow Art Club with its assocoations with Mackintosh, the Glasgow Boys and the Scottish Colourists.


Eslyn with her favourite The Paisley Shawl'

I'm sure I  didn't deserve it but I felt like a VIP as I was introduced to Joe Hargan and other members of their executive. I already felt like a friend and member.


Over beer and sandwiches, Bill McIntyre and I had a chat about sailing before he recommended names and addresses of friends to contact on Harris. I will forever remember the lovely people of Paisley Art Institute.
This is turning out to be quite a trip.!

Back in the sunshine, the streets were still hot so I found my way to a beer and supper.

A full day! 

Meanwhile, if you'd like to donate to my chosen charity Medecins sans Frontieres, here's a link to my JustGiving page which should take you straight there

https://www.justgiving.com/page/david-thomas-lewes2lewis?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL


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