Vegetarian haggis, wee curry shops and potatoes

It's confirmed. Glaswegians are honestly some of the friendliest, funniest and most obliging people on the planet... if you can firstly understand what they're saying. Secondly, unless they're Indian - everyone is a nice shade of pasty white. Thirdly, did I mention I like whiskey?

Today is Tourist Day. Which means, I'll gallivant around like I'm on holidays, then go back to the hostel and (until I'm half-dead) rehearse and fine-tune my paper (my luck: always on the first panel, always on the first full-day of proceedings). It's on Wong Kar Wai. You've never heard of him? Well, maybe you should watch more art-house Hong Kong cinema. I kid. Start with some Bruce Lee first. He was my father's second cousin. I kid.

Oh slap me. I think it's the whiskey.

Elrica, with I in tow, are going into the city centre to meet up with her Professor Ling and her mother (who has the best genes in the world). We arrive, only to be greeted with a big screen showing the trailer for surprise surprise Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It wasn't me. I swear.

After getting on first name basis (practically) with the people at the Information Centre, we hotfoot it to Castle Street to visit Glasgow's oldest house, Glasgow Cathedral and St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. All the museums and historic sites here are free. That is music to my ears, and to my wallet. This city takes itself very seriously as the 'European City of Culture' (which it was voted in 1990). It was also voted the 1999 'UK City of Architecture and Design'.

It's trad Scottish grub at Babbity Bowster (16-18 Blackfriars Lane - be warned, you will not find it on a generic map) which comes highly recommended in Let's Go Europe, which guarantees budget, good fun and quirkiness. They serve a vegetarian haggis with nips and tats. We've come a long way baby. And to complete my Scottish meal, I go straight to the whiskey. Again. When in Glasgow, do as...

The decision to go shopping afterwards is ill-fated. Everything on Buchanan Street (pedestrian mall) is on 'Sale', but the exchange rate means it sure ain't on 'Sale' to everyone not earning the pound. It's dismal, as is the weather. What I'd really like is a life-size Aliens model made out of recycled bike parts. It's a work of art. And it's ₤5000. I won't be stuffing that into my backpack anytime soon.

In the evening, Elrica and I once again venture into Ashton Place for dinner. We end up in The Wee Curry Shop that serves quite possibly the best Indian food that I have ever had. There will be no indigestion tonight. When we are shifted from a scenic table overlooking the street below, to a table that faces... the wall, we get complimentary Irn Brus - the Scottish equivalent of Fanta, or something. It's just bright red-orange, and if you give it to a child in a big enough dose - they will probably go for a run and not come back until next week. Strangely, Irn Bru works with curry. Go figure. And the staff is lovely, even if we did accidentally enter through the back door (i.e. through the bathroom - how the hell did that happen?).

As we leave, we take a picture of the night-time activity. A bald-headed guy with his mates offers to take our photo. One of his friends cannot help but join us in the picture. A drunk, homeless bum yells out "Say potatoes!" We say "Potatoes!"

This place is really growing on me.

This coffee stand is just funny. I have absolutely nothing to write about it otherwise.

NB: And yes, I'm aware that purple doesn't go with red. But I was cold. Who are you? The fashion police?! 8P

NB: Everything is "wee" here according to the locals.