Scotland in 5 days -- hooray! I have a few last-minute questions...
 

Hello, everyone.<BR>Thanks to everyone who has provided excellent advice regarding maps and other things. The information on this forum is absolutely brilliant.<BR><BR>We're off to Scotland in 5 days and are quite excited. This is trip #6 to Europe for me and Trip #2 for my wife, but this is our first trip to Scotland.<BR><BR>Just a few questions...<BR><BR>First, our hotel indicates on their website that they serve a Scottish buffet. What sorts of food should we expect to see? <BR><BR>How much time should we set aside for the Barras Street Market? Is Saturday or Sunday less hectic? <BR><BR>As it stands, I think we'll have 3 full days in Glasgow and 2 full days to spend in Edinburgh. We do plan on doing quite a bit of record shopping but hope to get some sightseeing in as well. Hopefully this will be enough time!<BR><BR>Thanks, everyone!<BR>Tim

ttt

Which meal is your Scottish buffet? Breakfast? If so it will be a full cooked job-sausage, bacon eggs, black pudding, hash browns, mushrooms plus tea, toast, marmalade, coffe, cereal, porridge, probably kippers.<BR><BR>The Barras is a dive. Go early on Sunday then got for brunch or to see a museum or something.<BR><BR>I know I've snet notes about records recently. To you? I have a document on Edinburgh and another on Glasgow which I will happily send you, if you send me your email address. That's mine, up there. <BR><BR>All the stuff is elsewhere on this Forum but it might take some gathering.<BR><BR>I hope you love the place. Feel free to come back should there be anything else you want to know<BR><BR>

In both cities take the Guide Friday bus tour (I think if you show the ticket from one place, you'll get a discount in the other) In Glasgow, you'll go passed the Barras.<BR><BR>Records? Vinyl records??

Tim, I hope you both have a great time in both cities. Sheila's right about the Barras being a dive. It's tawdry in fact AND smelly, mostly from the dirty, hot lard used to "cook" the "kwik snax". I find it a complete embarrassment to Glasgow. Others will disagree and whine nostalgically for a Glasgow of times (LONG) past when the Barras was (a bit) more interesting. Take Sheila's advice or, even better, the subsequent poster's: just go past it in a bus! Sorry if this sounds negative, but I worry for you! <BR><BR>On a more positive note, let me recommend some superb Indian restaurants in Glasgow, if that's your bag: Mother India, The Wee Curry Shop, Spice Garden (open till 4.30 am), and Creme de la Creme (Meat Loaf said he had his "best meal ever" there...praise indeed). In my books, west and central Scotland curry houses are the best in Britain.

The barras: 5 mins walk from the east end of city centre(walk east from Glasgow cross) in a dilapidated area (safe) you can buy anything from an antique to an anchor.<BR>Serious German antique buyers mix with illegal tobacco alcohol & software hawkers, the atmosphere is jolly.Sat is slighly busier than sun, but neither is hectic at this time of year.<BR>I recall some stalls with old vinyl being up a flight of stairs beside Pearsons electrical shop.<BR>Spend an hour, then walk 5 mins south to Glasgow Green & have tea in the Peoples' Palace (huge stone building), a strange combo of museum (specialising in Glasgow) & heated botanic garden.<BR>Standing outside the front of the PP & looking left you will see an old carpet factory built to resemble the Doge's palace in Venice.<BR>(this park is big but boring - Kelvingrove in the west end is probably the prettiest park)<BR>Best bar in the centre IMO is the Scotia in Stockwell street, don't be put off by the outward appeance, a glance inside will reassure.Tip - taxis can be hailed easily from outside until just before closing time.It & the 2 nearest pubs (across the street)usually have music.<BR>The west end & city centre are only minutes apart by subway (oldest in the world)<BR>Scottish buffet = black coffee & asprin.<BR>

I think Tim meant "record shopping" to be A LOT of shopping At least that's the way I read it.