Day 12: Glasgow - Modern art, Cathedral and getting stuck in a lift 😬

[Dollymixture]

Day 12 now and I have to admit it was REALLY hard getting up this morning when the alarm went off!
We had breakfast booked in the Travelodge so it kind of forced us up, I think otherwise we may have slept in much later!

You can really tell the difference when you cross the border into Scotland in terms of COVID restrictions. Everyone is wearing and insisting on masks here and people are still social distancing, etc. In England we had noticed hardly anyone was wearing masks anymore and some days it just seemed like COVID was a thing of the past.
Breakfast here is served at the table and limited capacity, whereas in England it was the usual buffet free for all.

After breakfast we went to the Gallery of modern Art which was literally over the road from the hotel. We had a 10:30am time slot.

It’s a really lovely building with fabulous ceilings and balconies, and three floors of art.
Now I have to admit I am not a fan of art galleries, particularly modern art, but the kids are all very creative and arty, so thought they would enjoy it.

I preferred looking at the building and architecture but Koolie and the kids really enjoyed the art and the staff there were really good - there was a particular member of staff who went out of her way to engage the kids and discuss with them how you can interpret modern art differently - Lila and Elliott spent ages talking with her

These were some of the bits of art I did enjoy looking at:

After the GOMA we went back to the hotel to get the dogs as we were going to take the 20 minute walk to ty e Cathedral and Necropolis. We are on the 8th floor so took the lift - it went up to 9th floor which I thought was strange - and then we realised the doors were not opening and the lift was not moving! 😳😬

We were pressing the buttons and trying to open the door manually, as well as shouting for help, but we were well and truly stuck! Panic set in a bit for me - 6 of us and two dogs stuck in a hot small lift - to be honest this is one of my worst nightmares!
After a few minutes of no one coming and nothing happening we had to press the alarm. This of course is not ideal with four autistic people, and Elliott was in the tipping point of a complete meltdown. Lila was hyperventilating and having a panic attack and crying!

We pressed the alarm button which connected us to the company who are responsible for the lift, but nothing happened. So we tried the other alarm button which sounded an actual alarm within the hotel, and eventually a member of staff came up and spoke with us through the door and said she was getting help.
She disappeared and we waited a long ten minutes getting hotter and hotter, not hearing anything from anyone, so I pressed the alarm again. A couple of other staff members came back and I requested that someone stayed on the other side of the door the whole time so we had someone to communicate with.
The list engineer people spoke with us on the intercom then and said it would hopefully be within an hour that an engineer would be out! 😬😳
At this point we had been in half an hour already and it was so hot and stuffy!
I could hear the staff members discussing it on the other side saying there was no way they could let us sit in there that long as it was roasting - so they called some guy who had tools, and he began trying to force the door open. After about 10 minutes, he finally got the doors open. Such a relief! I couldn’t believe how shaken I felt..it had been about 40minutes we were stuck in there but it was so hot and stuffy it felt like forever.

Anyway, once we had recovered a bit, we realised we were never going to make the time-slot for our entry into the Cathedral - so we decided to drive. This ended up taking just as long as the walk - there is a film crew in the area and lots of streets are closed and lots of tents and gazebos up. We passed a big crowd gathered at one of the the closed street, so I am guessing there are some celebs filming something!

We got to the cathedral and luckily they had closed for lunch for the time slot we had booked (apparently an email had been sent out but I didn’t get it) so they let us in despite being late!

The cathedral is really interesting and a very different style to Exeter and Gloucester - very gothic.

We had a walk to the top of the Necropolis and admired the views over Glasgow

Later that afternoon Koolie and Lila went to visit a friend and her new baby. Amber and I went shopping along Argyle Street.
In the evening we went for a walk and had some dinner at McDonald’s.

Tomorrow it is up early and on to Fort William

[Pumpkin Pie]

I live in Scotland and am always surprised at the differences when I read the threads on here. The mask wearing just doesn’t seem to be such a big issue in Scotland compared to England. Nobody likes wearing them but it just doesn’t seem such a big deal.

Hope you enjoy the rest of scotland.

[Dollymixture]

Yea that seems to be the general consensus - very sensible!

Originally Posted by Pumpkin Pie

I live in Scotland and am always surprised at the differences when I read the threads on here. The mask wearing just doesn’t seem to be such a big issue in Scotland compared to England. Nobody likes wearing them but it just doesn’t seem such a big deal.

Hope you enjoy the rest of scotland.

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[Pumpkin Pie]

I’m embarrassed to say I have not been to the Gallery of Modern Art or the Cathedral in Glasgow (I live in Edinburgh). Really need to see more of what is on our doorstep!

[Leia Organa]

Welcome to Glasgow!

That sounds stressful being stuck in a lift. Sounds like you were staying in a good central location.

They are currently filming the new Batman movie ‘The Flash’ in George Square and surrounding streets. They have just finished filming Indiana Jones.

Hope the next part of your trip goes well.

[P&S]

Love Glasgow! Not liking you all being stuck in the lift I don't go in lifts as I got stuck in one in Menorca years ago and it terrified me
It's strange but in my town in England most people are still wearing masks and observing social distancing

[newstewart]

Lived in Glasgow fo 60 years and you have been places that I haven’t.
Maybe next year.
Apparently they are filming 2 movies. Batman and Indiana Jones

[Dollymixture]

It’s funny how you never tend to visit the things on your doorstep! We live in Bristol and there are many things nearby we haven’t done nearby - last summer we finally got round to seeing SS Great Britain after 10 years, and that’s only due to the pandemic and not being able to go to Florida haha!

Good to know what they were filming - thanks

[Disney_time]

Another Glasgow resident who hasn't been in GOMA 😳 but we do love the necropolis for a walk, such an interesting place. There isn't much soil to be buried in as it is on the side of a crag so the coffins have to be lead. There is a tiny well at the bottom of the hill - Lady Well. Our guide told us that the water filters down through the rock (and the graves) to the bottom of the hill where it is used by Tennents brewery! Bit of the Batman Movies have been filmed there too.

We've really enjoyed the filming the last few weeks. The makeover from Glasgow to New York was so detailed. It brought so many folk out into the city centre.

[Mental Minnie]

The Cathedral looks amazing. At least you were still able to get in and experience it. I am sure it felt that you were all the the lift for at least double the time. How scary. That is my worse nightmare. Your children looked to have coped amazingly well.