This happened to us at the Hunterian Museum, located at the University of Glasgow. It's mentioned by Lonely Planet and by Atlas Obscura (see we are using these things) so it seemed like a place for us to go.
The museum was established based upon the collections of William Hunter, a physician from the 17th century who, like many learned, affluent people of the time, and this time I suppose, collected stuff. And by stuff I don't mean whatever the next door neigbours may have put out on the front of their lawns with a sign saying "free" afixed to it (though who knows maybe some of it did come from there), I mean stuff sometimes of the most awesome and weird kind (again, depends on who your neighbours are I guess).
But that moment happened for us here, which was okay, because we all still got something out of it I think, even if only to learn that we needed a break from museums.
That said, it is a marvelous building:
With more than it's fair share of curiousities.
This display case actually has a number of single headed two bodied beasties, so it's not like I'm zeroing in on just the one little specimen to freak you out.
It also has an amazing map of the world. It's a copy (of the original I mean, we've already established it is a map and not the actual world) of a 1674 map that the Jesuit missionary Ferdinand Verbiest did for the Chinese emperor at the time. They do get around those jesuits.
The museum also contains many, many, specimen jars. Apparently this is something Hunter was quite good at. Seriously, there's a little write up on it at the museum. Preparing his own specimens, his own fluids, jars, humming a little tune as he worked away, contented simply to wield his sharp little knives and provide educational materials for us all years later.
Okay, maybe not the humming part, but you never know. The education part absolutely. When private collections became all the rage the next step was to show them off to your friends. Eventually they started to be shared more openly and with the purpose of educating people on a wide range of topics that they would not easily encounter. These often ended up being established in universities (Hunter's brother set one up in London) to give the students something new to look at now and again. Or something like that anyway.
See? Specimens.
And the collection does range across a wide spectrum of topics. Below for example is from a currently running exhibit on the Antonine Wall. Which is what you might ask? The Antonine wall was a 60 odd km long fortification running through the midlands of Scotland that was built by the Romans around 145 AD. And you thought they stopped at Hadrian's, didn't you? Nope, they got to the midlands. And lots of them did by the looks of it, as stones included markings indicating which legion lay that particular length of wall, and how the length they did was. Guess it helped alot on pay day.
And then of course there is Kelvin's Harmonic Analyser. If you want to know what this does, ask Marc.
But like I said, we'd had enough of museums.
We'd also had enough of walking around and exploring and taking pictures of things, so we did what we do when we feel like that. We stopped in a park and read our books.
Over the next couple of days though we did get some walking around in, which included a few random pictures to prove that we actually came to Glasgow. Actually, I suspect my credit card statement would be better proof, as I could have got these shots from anywhere.
This is the River Clyde.
This is the bridge over the River Clyde. Cue whistling.
I will admit to being a bit stumped by Glasgow. It really does seem hacked up in an odd sort of way from a pedestrian's perspective, and didn't follow the "rules" I've been coming to expect. For example, the River Clyde, or at least the part we were walking along, didn't really have lots of interesting stuff to do immediately near by. It seemed somewhat removed from the city centre. Being from Toronto this makes perfect sense, with the Humber and Don shoved off to the sides the way they are. But at least we've encased them in parks. Not so the River Clyde.
Also, there seems to be a big motorway carved right through the middle of the city in a somewhat awkward spot. I learned the next evening from Neil and Suzanne that that is because there is actually a big motorway carved through the middle of the city in an awkward spot. They decided they needed it, so built it they did. Glasgow, not Neil and Suzanne. Whatever you do, don't blame them.
That said, we did find a park near the river, and, like London in the rain, when the rain came in Glasgow, we found an obliging tree and enjoyed a good read.
Just kidding. About the Gaelic that is. It was in English and it was loads of fun. And I think Jake is on to something about where the next couple of movies are going and what this wonderful thing that Joss Whedon is doing over at Marvel/Disney is leading up to. I'll let him explain it to you though.
I think the best thing about Glasgow though was meeting Neil and Suzanne. That's them with the guys at the Bon Accord, their regular, though not local, pub where we met them for dinner Friday night.
My friend Steve Ross and I have worked together for about thirteen years. Steve has been a fan of Marillion for much longer than that. And when I say fan, I mean FAN. Marillion is "prog rock" which Neil has defined for me, and now you, as "rock + something". Something for example being jazz, or perhaps blues, or something. Anyway, rock + something.
If this hasty definition starts a prog rock war I am very sorry. But have at it folks, and remember, I'm just the messenger on this one. Neil's words. Poor delivery on my part maybe, but still his words.
Anyway, Steve and his wife Leigh get to Marillion concerts, no matter where they are in the world. Actually, I'm pretty sure that Marillion is the excuse they've used a few times now to send the kids to the grandparents and skip the country for a little bit. You see, there are Marillion conferences every year I think, and they happen in Europe, somewhere else, and in Canada. Yes, Canada. Sorry I don't remember the somewhere else. Anyway, Steve and Leigh attend these when they are able to. Well, so do Neil and Suzanne. And what do you think happened. Well, they met, they became friends, and when I asked my various friends for potential contacts around the world to help keep Noah, Jake and I out of prison during our travels, Steve kindly obliged by introducing me to Neil.
And boy am I really happy that he did. Such great people are Suzanne and Neil. It was a great dinner that was followed up by a fantastic Saturday out with Neil exploring around Loch Lomond, into the highlands, and back to Glasgow. But I get ahead of myself. We're still at the pub.
People under 18 cannot be in a pub in the evening past 8pm. Noah and Jake are people under 18. This is cramping our style. Further, there appear to be two different licenses that end up saying that if you're under 18 you can't be in a pub unless there is food on the table, but if you've got an entertainment license, so that you can have live music for example, then the food and the live entertainment cannot co-exist. So live music starts around 9pm, leaving a healthy buffer. Which means that Noah, Jake and I have not been able to hang out and listen to any live music while in Scotland. Which honestly sucks.
But who knows, maybe (as a bar tender in Inverness where we now are who explained this all to me last night said) that will all change in September.
Anyway, on this particular evening it wasn't too bad as the guys were happy to head out early and leave me at the Bon Accord with Neil and Suzanne. And despite what may have gotten posted on Facebook, we were all well behaved and had a good time. Two states that are not mutually exclusive I might add.
And then it was time to head home, so as to be nice and rested for what would turn out to be an epic day trip out of Glasgow with Neil and his Mini.
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