Glasgow.3

Sep 17, 2026

Closing out the Glasgow portion of the trip…

...the flat is next door to the strip joint. No, The Strip Joint, a pizza place that serves sicilian style pizza...in strips

...this sign shows someof the relationship between English and Gaelic

...Kelvingrove Art Gallery, refurbishment mars its outline

...a presentation of Glasgow colorists. Leslie Hunter

...one more, SJ Peploe

...I did enjoy a fair bit of the art work, but these brass door handles POPPED! Terry&Dean and I were just talking about the Scottish influence in Art Nouveau

...the Glasgow subway, I think just 2 circle lines, one in each direction. But they are SO tight, just standing my head almost touched the ceiling.

...OK, I've seen pink cars before - but the [is it opalescent? or iridescent?] glow caught my eye (it's opalescent)

...Tron. I can only think of Tron, 1982 scifi film. But a tron is weighing beam, scale, in old Scotland. Tron Gate (street), and many others

...prefer thousand island or non-woven? The apparent term for an isolated bandage

...after just 2 servings - I may have become a bakewell addict. A little tart, some fruit, some almond cream. Blasta!

..and so, still searching for the primal Scotland…
At a farmer’s market (mostly local crafts, some produce and meat) as I considered purchasing some lorne sausage (lightly seasoned [coriander/nutmeg] beef/pork with some form of oats), the seller suggested I visit Loch Lomond. It’s just an hour train ride away! Headed out on an on-off rainy day, nice train ride, walked and absorbed the near-coastal air… Some surprises, no sith or bodach* revealed to me.

...the route to Balloch (my jewish/allied friends - think "challah" for the final 'ch' sound)

...from the train window

...from the window, a neglected boat

...some modern homes on the way to see the loch

...taking a path from the station to the loch

...clouds - and the loch. Just a portion of it is visible, it's quite large

...a wee coffee stand in a shipping container, then a rainbow - good sign

...a bit of shore

...the trail must be used quite a bit; creek crossings and other areas are "paved"

...ah, here's where that Scotland lives. Back on a trail felt nice. Tho' it did feel quite like woods in NJ, Sonoma or Washington

*what else is there in Scotland? I copied the entire summary for you:

1. The Ghillie Dhu (or Gille Dubh)
The Ghillie Dhu is the ultimate guardian spirit of the Scottish forests, specifically associated with the birch woods of Gairloch. His name translates from Scottish Gaelic to "dark-haired lad". He is a solitary, wild-looking fairy who camouflages himself by wearing a cloak made of moss, twigs, and leaves. Generally gentle and fond of children, he once famously looked after a lost girl overnight and guided her home. However, he fiercely protects the forest against adults with bad intentions.

2. The Baobhan Sith
A stark contrast to the gentle Ghillie Dhu, the Baobhan Sith (pronounced baa-van shee) is a terrifying vampire-like fairy that haunts the woods and mountains. Appearing as a beautiful, long-haired young woman dressed in a flowing green gown, she uses her beauty to seduce lone hunters and travelers. Underneath her long dress, she conceals deer hooves instead of human feet. Once her victims are enticed into dancing with her, she attacks and drains them of their blood.

3. The Sídhe (Fairy Folk)
The Sídhe (or Sìth) are the traditional Scottish fairies who lived in hidden glens, forests, and earthen mounds. Unlike the dainty, winged pixies of modern pop culture, traditional Scottish fairies were human-sized or slightly smaller, bound to nature, and highly volatile. They were divided into two main factions:

• The Seelie Court: Generally friendly, though still highly mischievous if slighted.

• The Unseelie Court: Dark, malicious fairies who actively sought to harm humans, steal cattle, or kidnap human babies to replace them with Changelings (shargies).

4. The Bodach
Meaning "old man" in Gaelic, Bodachs are trickster spirits or spectres that haunt specific forest paths, passes, and lochs. In the woods of Badenoch and Speyside, specific Bodachs were deeply feared:

• Am Bodach Ghoirtean roams the woods between Loch Garten and Loch Mallachy, acting as an omen of impending death or disaster.

• Bodach Cleocain Deirg (The Old Man of the Red Cloak) guards the narrow forest pass at Coylumbridge.

5. Dhu Guisch (Beast of the Charred Forests)
A more obscure and regional monster, the Dhu Guisch is a phantom beast believed to stalk the deep, dark remnants of burnt or ancient pine woodlands, bringing a lingering sense of dread to any traveler who steps off the path.

6. Cù-Sìth (The Fairy Hound)
While they roamed both the moors and the rocky wooded hillsides of the Highlands, the Cù-Sìth was a terrifying, silent hunter. It was a spectral hound the size of a small cow with a shaggy, dark-green coat (the color of the fairies). It would bay three times; anyone who failed to reach safety by the third bark was said to die of pure terror.

So, no mythical creatures, their representations are quite varied…but I’m fortunate to have visited - with not a bagpipe, recorded or otherwise, in earshot!