We got off the train and started to walk toward Kelvingrove, thinking it wasn't all that far. We had only gone a few blocks and crossed the motorway, when I realized I didn't have my camera. I checked both pockets of my bag, but nothing. I tried to remember when I last had it. Did I bring it at all? Yep, remember those pictures before the first train? I was sure I put it in my bag, and no one had been near me (and I was certain it couldn't have been stolen, anyway). Then I remembered taking it out of the bag to get my notebook. In chatting with the man and watching the toddler, I forgot to put it back (though I did put back the notebook), and it did not follow me off the train at our changing point. So back we went to the station to report it. On the way, I had visions of spending the rest of the afternoon filling out a police report, but I was happy that all of the pictures except those last few were backed up on the computer.
At the station, we determined which train it was, and the woman called to the end of the line. My camera had been found and turned in, and was waiting in a town on the other side of Glasgow called Motherwell. Hallelujah!!! They couldn't just sent it back because the guy there had already done the paperwork, and I needed to sign for it.That station was open later into the evening, so we opted to go on to the museum and let it stay locked up in a cabinet for the rest of the day in Motherwell.
We then hopped on a bus to Kelvingrove. Good thing we did, too, because it was much farther than we thought. Kelvingrove is an amazing place. Part art gallery, part natural history museum, it has famous paintings from all over the world, including Salvador Dali's Christ of St John of the Cross, which was a very controversial purchase for the museum back in the 1950's. Many people considered it blasphemous, and others thought the money would have been better spent to assist young Scottish artists instead of lining the pockets of some crazy Spaniard. It has actually been attacked twice. It is not a crucifixion as is normally depicted, but one from above the cross. Many people find it deeply moving both because of its realism and its unique perspective.
On the other end of the spectrum is poor Sir Roger the Elephant, who has been at the museum for over 100 years. He was originally a performing elephant, but when he retired from show business, he lived at the Scottish Zoo in Glasgow. His keeper would often take him for walks in the country. Unfortunately, in 1900 he developed "musth", which is when male elephants go into heat, and it can make them very dangerous. His owner decided that he needed to be put down (no need for the sad details), and after that he was stuffed and put on display in the museum. For some odd reason, there is a Spitfire airplane hanging from the ceiling just above Sir Roger.
Kelvingrove is also home to a magnificent organ, and on Sunday afternoons they give an organ concert. We were still there then, so we watched most of it. While I was expecting something classical and serious, the first piece was a John Philip Sousa march, aaaand then it went rapidly downhill into old Broadway show tunes. <sigh> I did find a geocache there near a statue outside the building, though, so that was a plus. When we were done exploring every corner of Kelvingrove, we got back on the bus and went back to the city center. Then I set off for Glasgow Central station to take a train to Motherwell to retrieve my camera, while Sue and Igor walked around the city center, and visited the Gallery of Modern Art.
Getting to Motherwell and back took about an hour and a half, partially due to apparent problems with the train. I was a little uneasy with no way to contact Sue and Igor if something really bad happened, so I need to remedy that before any further trips. When I got to the station and they got the camera out of the cabinet, I said to it, "What were you thinking? Going off to Motherwell by yourself when you were supposed to be with me in Glasgow!" One of the station guys jokingly told me that I had better check to make sure the other station guy hadn't taken any illicit pictures with it.
Back in Glasgow, I met up with Sue and Igor in short order, after a long uphill walk, and we found a great Italian place for dinner, then went back down the hill to get the train back to Balloch. We are completely pooped. It's now cold and rainy-ish. Our plan, particularly if it is raining in the morning, is to go into Glasgow to see the Riverside Museum, a transportation museum which has won all sorts of awards, including European Museum of the Year. If the weather is good in the afternoon, we will finally take our cruise on Loch Lomond. Tomorrow was supposed to be the day with the best weather, but we will see.
It's about time to put away the long pants and switch to shorts in Barcelona, where I hear it has been over 90 degrees recently.
Is it just me, or do these guys kind of remind anyone of the ghosts at Disney's Haunted Mansion? In case you are wondering, because my camera was still in train jail I took pictures today with my phone.
Thank goodness it was turned in. I would assume that it was gone. Mike lost his iPhone in a cab in Mexico and in the 30 seconds he realized it was gone.... no one had a clue (rolling my eyes) - like it never existed.
ReplyDeleteI assumed the same thing, but because the pictures were backed up, I was oddly un-upset about not having it. I WAS thrilled to get it back.
ReplyDelete