July 16.  I've arrived!   After a long flight overnight, I arrived in Glasgow about 8:30 a.m. on Friday.  Dan wasn't expected until late in the day on Friday, coming from the Isle of Iona (by train, bus, ferry, car, etc etc etc!).  I couldn't check into the hotel, so walked the streets of Glasgow until I found myself falling asleep in a bookstore.  So, back to the hotel I went, hoping to get into a room and rest.   Alas, no room yet, so I sat in the lobby, waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and napping intermittently.   Back to the streets of Glasgow I went, and found the tourism bureau, where I stocked up on maps, brochures, and ideas for the rest of the week.    Because I had to wait so long for a room, the clerk rewarded my 'patience' with an upgrade, and the bargain internet rate turned into a reall great bargain!  The hotel is in a very old building over top of the train station in Glasgow, right in the heart of things.  Very old, and very grand, with wide sweeping oak staircases.  Of course, we chuckled at the sight of our room - it was recently refurbished, which in European standards, is far different from American!  It's very large and very comfortable, however.

The time difference is 5 hours, so every time I look at my watch, I have to add.  Maybe I'll break down and change the time, but for now it gives me an idea of what might be going on at home (besides, I can add easier than I can subtract!!).

Today (Saturday) we took a tour of Glasgow, including a visit to a Medieval church.  It was amazing to be standing in a stone structure that was built in the 1200's.  They buried all of  their dead ministers in the basement...makes me wonder what they did with the wives!!  But alas, I don't know my church history too well...Dan tells me they would have been priests (and unmarried) until after the Reformation.   See, I am learning something new every day!!

Tomorrow we're off to Edinburgh I think.  Must head back to the hotel and pour through the mounds of brochures and figure our next steps.  We have Britrail train passes, so we'll go where the trains take us!

Stay tuned......   Deb