The Bonnie, Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond--Day 32 (Sunday, Oct 2)

Today was another fantastic day. I would love to go back to Loch Lomond again. I think our tour leaders wanted to turn this into a day trip originally, but I guess plans fell through (that and they wanted to leave time for the Glasgow School of Art, which I'll talk about soon). Anyway, the lake was great, even though it was heavily shrouded in mist (actually, that made it cooler somehow) and the weather was damp. We admired the lake from the pier for awhile and then sought shelter in a gift shop for a bit after that. I loved the cute little cottages near the lake. It almost reminded me of northern Minnesota. I really wish we could have had more time there.

The view from the left side of the pier at Loch Lomond.

The view from the right side of the pier at Loch Lomond.

A cute cottage near the shores of Loch Lomond.

We had a nice surprise for lunch: tea at the Willow Tea Rooms in Glasgow. These Tea Rooms were designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for Lady Cranston, and they definitely have a Mackintosh vibe. We had a quick bite of some finger sandwiches, a shortbread cookie, and tea with milk and sugar (a welcome remedy to the wet weather) before we headed to the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) for our tour. I really enjoyed the tour. I found myself more and more appreciative of Mackintosh's style and work as we went along. The GSA was completed in 1909, its design having been originally drafted when Mackintosh was just 28 years old. Some say the GSA is Mackintosh's masterpiece. I got a much better idea of Mackintosh's style from the tour; it is an interesting amalgam of natural forms, geometric patterns, and Japanese/Celtic/Scottish/art nouveau styles. It is a really beautiful and playful style. You should look it up sometime--we weren't allowed to take pictures of the school ourselves, or I would have more to show you. The library in particular was amazing. Some have likened it to a forest: there is a clearing for chairs and desks, large columns to represent trees, a gridded ceiling of beams and cross-beams to represent the interlocking branches of the forest canopy, and large 900-pane windows to let the afternoon light dapple the floor like sunlight through tree leaves. The school itself showcases Mackintosh's attention to detail and his ability to create a building specifically intended for art. Many of the door have windows shaped like roses or leaves. On the top floor, a large gridded window overlooks Glasgow to the south, creating a sort of viewfinder so students can paint the view one panel at a time instead of being overwhelmed by the whole image.

After the tour, we went back to the hotel for a little bit before heading out for dinner. We found this Italian restaurant not too far from the hotel called Pulcinella (buffoon or fool, as in Carnival/Mardi Gras--a court jester). I had a decent plate of grilled vegetables with fresh mozzarella and a side of focaccia bread. Lauren and my friend Kayla and I then split a mini ice cream cake garnished with whipped cream and toffee pieces and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Overall, it was not a bad meal. Who knew Glasgow had Italian food literally worth writing home about?

Tomorrow we head back to London. I won't pretend that I'm not sad. I've really enjoyed my time in Scotland, and I really want to go back someday (gosh, how many times have I said that in the last three days?). But woe is me, right? I have to go back to Chelsea, London, of all places. I can hear you all sympathizing with me. Honestly, I am so glad that I still have five weeks in London because I am absolutely having the time of my life, and I feel so fortunate to be able to do this. Looking back, I never got to see the Glasgow Botanic Garden, but that is just one of many reasons I have for seeing Scotland again. Won't that be a great day? Maybe my family or my significant other (when I have one) will come with me that time.

I'm looking forward to stopping in Lancaster tomorrow for lunch so we can see the castle. Maybe I'll go back to the Lake District another time. I wanted to see Kendal again, but it's better to have some variety--you know, this way, I can see each once instead of one place twice and the other place not at all. Anyway, it should be great, and I can't wait to tell you about it. Cheerio, mates!

Also, I LOVE when the British say "cheers" (I found out that it usually means "thanks").