Upon arrival to the Prestwick Airport we took a coach to Glasgow which was actually a descent ride away. It began to sleet during the ride over. The city rose into view slowly as skyscrapers emerged in the distance. The building of Glasgow are the tallest yet on this trip. We are dropped off at the bus station in the center of the city amidst a unfamiliar but typical urban environment.
Immediately we do what comes natural, we find the first affordable place to eat. We ask the owners if they know of a hostel near by. He points us on a heading towards the river. "There is a cheap one right down by the river, 10 pounds a night I believe" he explained.
With the weight of all my belongings and a freshly eaten meal I drag my feet towards the general direction of the hostel. The entire time I think to myself that I've packed too much. Never do I think this while I'm sitting in a cozy internet cafe or a hostel surfing the web, updating my blog, or chatting with friends. But right in that instance with each step I vowed that I will send home some unnecessary items as soon as I reach a large city.
On our journey towards the hostel we hopped over to a pedestrian street. This street is free of automobile traffic and is full of stores and people. Glasgow officially became Scottish in my mind when I saw some kilt wearing street performers.
We arrive at the hostel only to find that it is once again full booked. If we are having this much luck finding a place to stay during the off season I wonder how difficult it will be once the weather warms up. Thankfully the receptionist was able to call around and find a reasonable hotel.
Across and south of the river is the Etap Hotel. At 32pounds for a room, we found a bunk bed and a twin bed. The rooms come furnished with plain white walls, blue steel railings that weld together for form the frames of the beds and a brightly colored yellow door. A single 12 inch LCD TV sits at one corner of the room and a small single glass panel window sits opposite that corner. A piece of wood is secured to wall adjacent to the bed forming a small table and night stand and a single plastic chair placed next to it. Besides that there is no other furniture. The bare minimalism of the room instantly reminded me of a prison cell.
That night we ventured out to the pub and club district of the Glasgow. The hostel receptionist had given me a map of the city, with a large pen drawn rectangle box in the middle. "That's where all the pubs and clubs are, you'll want to go there tonight" she replied while pointing to that general area.
Nathan picked out a pub. Two elderly ushers opened the brass double doors letting us in. Immediately after making our way to the bar I noticed that the average age of the clientel was probably the combined age of me Gene and Nate. I suggested another venue which we all quickly agreed upon.
We arrived at the Revolution Vodka Club which was more our style. On the left was the bar and on the right up 3 steps was the dance floor where the DJ was spinning, as Nate called it, "good techno music". I would consider this venue as more a pub than a club as no one was really dancing.
I noticed a group of girls all wearing pink cowboy hats and started talking to one of them who was standing next to us. It turns out she had just moved to Glasgow from South Africa. Her last name is of Scottish descent and by that merit alone she is able to claim a status equal to our equivalent of a green card; Able to work and stay in Scotland without the limitation on time. I think to myself that its too bad China doesn't share the same policies, as I will undoubtedly have to apply for a visa down the road.
The pub was getting ready to shutdown and the girls told us that they were all going to a club called ABC's. "Its located on Sucky Hole Street" she yelled into my ear over the DJ's "good techno beats". "You can just ask anyone. Everyone knows that street" she continued.
The girls left and we stayed to finish our beers. I knew that Nate might have a hard time getting into the club with "trainers", what they call athletic shoes, but the idea of a street with that name was good enough for us to at least check it out.
After asking several pedestrians where Sucky Hole Street was, we arrived at Sauchie Hall Street. We were vastly disappointed with this discovery, but we continued to explore all that Sauchie Hall Street had to offer.
At first glance, it reminded me of Mass Street in Lawrence, KS. However I was quickly redirected to that fact that it was not; Cars were driving on the wrong side of the road, the street stretches farther than Mass St, and there were exponentially more people out walking around than Mass.
This street is littered with late night food venues, clubs and pubs. Lines, or as people here call it queues, of people distinctly identify where the clubs were. ABC club was easily found as the queue was so long that it looped back around to where the end of the queue was at the same position as the start of the queue. We decided to walk the length of the street before committing, but eventually we came back and waited.
Five pounds later I walked into the first floor of the club, where I was met with queue for coat check. ABC club was huge. It has two dance floors. The larger one on the top floor is connected to a bar area. Techno spins on the first floor's smaller dance area and what I could only describe as a cheezy mix of rock and oldies, filled the top floor. It was a good night!
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