Glasgow

Yesterday a small group of us (Amber, Gill, Kevin, and Me) ventured out on the train to Glasgow. Its a relatively short journey taking only 50 minutes, letting you glimpse the countryside before you reappear back into city limits. After being greeted by tall apartment blocks of varying ages watching over the train as it passes, we arrived in the station. Heading out into the streets there is a definite big city feel right away. A large town square is in front of us, scattered with columns topped with statues, grand old buildings and a sea of pedrestians flowing down the main shopping street. 

We enter the flow and are slowly swept along the assortment of classy deparment stores, past pubs, coffee shops, designer shops, fast food and eventally along the edge of the shopping district with its many Pound Saver stores, where everything is 1 pound or less.  Continuing along the streets it becomes strange mix of old buildings, medieval towers, pointed church’s, betting offices, and chip shops. We turn along a side street and suddenly the traffic has faded, roller doors and bars cover windows, and the much more litter lines the foot path. A bizzarre comparsion to the bustling traffic we just left. Looking in the nearest window we discover a Cowboy shop, right in the heart of Scotland. The window is filled with various belt buckles, leather boots, jackets hats and badges with slogan’s like ‘the west wasn’t won, without a gun’. Weird.

Continuing along, we circle the block back into the crowds, and find ourselves passing through recalimed old buildings, new apartments, restaurants and museums. The streets continually twist and turn for the next few hours, showing us many more crowds, shops, pubs and a bit of local culture with large mobs of teenagers, hanging around, trying to impress each other – such as chasing one of their friends down the street to tackle him in front of us, kicking his legs in a friendly violent sort of way in some sort of retaliation to a previous comment. Good times.

Glasgow has a reputation for being slighty poorer, and rougher than its neighbour Edinburgh, and I think this sticks in your mind as you wander. We eventually leave the crowds to settle in a pub for many hours, reflecting on our wanderings: Glasgow is a bustling place, a big city feel to it, endless shopping, lots of new life and development, bit of dodgyness to keep you alert, and a good place to sit and people watch, as long as you don’t get caught staring.

First Name Basis

A common saying in Scotland is to call everyone “pal”, in the same way that everyone uses the word “mate” back home. Combine this with a deep Scottish accent and everyone is suddenly saying “Paul”. Many times i’ve been confused as complete strangers appear to be talking to me on a first name basis like I’m wearing my ID Card outside of work. Overall, it makes living in the city even more friendly than it already is.

Leith Links

Staring out across the Leith Links each day, i’ve begun to wonder what has gone on here centuries before. Its weird to think that when my flat was built, settlers were just arriving in New Zealand. In a city like Edinburgh with history oozing out of every part of it, someone somewhere has recorded what happened and kindly put it up on the web:

Leith was the site of some of the first attacks and injuries in golf. The first of these was 1575 when golfers were attacked and fought back successfully. Part of these attacks were due to the Links being also shared for duelling, archery and cock-fighting.

Edinburgh records of 1593 bemoan the fact that Edinburgh churchgoers were playing golf in Leith instead of going to church. On 16th February 1610, South Leith Kirk Session proposed a fine of 20 shillings (one pound) to be paid ‘to the poor’ by anyone found playing golf (or bowls or archery) between sunrise and sunset on Sunday. Apart from the fine, they would also have to confess their sins in church.

Edinburgh Life

Me and Amber arrived in Edinburgh way back in October, having left NZ a few months before, taking the long route through Malaysia and a month in Canada along the way. We managed to get settled here pretty quickly – sorting out jobs and a place to live within the first 2 weeks. London experience with recruiters helped get me interviews, and a lucky posting on the gumtree, helped us get a flat.

Its bizarre that as soon as you take a job, all the recruiter phone calls just stop. Does make you feel that it is a one sided process. I’ll keep quiet on that subject though, as its the role that Amber is now in. I’m working for the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), initially being placed on a 3 month contract. During that time, a permanent job came up, so I applied and experienced the joy of a competency based interview. No CV’s, just questions starting with “give us an example of when….”. It is aimed to seek out the truth it seems. I didn’t manage to get the job, so i’m still a contractor/temp, but now been put on long term.

Travel stories and adventures range as far as the edge of Edinburgh so far, with one quick trip to London, to visit a few of my favourite places. Its past the middle of winter, and the days are getting lighter (the sun sets at 4pm now). We are waiting out the next month or so, waiting for our first of a few booked trips: Paris. I’ve seen a brief glimpse a few years ago, so looking forwards to heading back. Until then, its daily at RBS and the bizzare workplace environment of corporate life.