First Full Day

Sunday (Jan 6) was my first full day in Glasgow. I took my time getting up but decided I better get out and explore, since it seemed to get dark so early the day before. Most importantly I needed to find Primark, a store in which I would find sheets (particularly cheap ones that can be left behind). So I grabbed my camera thinking I'd sightsee on the way. I had tried to find Primark the night before with Google map directions and it hadn't worked out so well. So I was prepared to go on an adventure! Armed with my camera and my directions, out I went.

The Mackintosh Building (the original building built for the Glasgow School of Art by Charles Rennie Mackintosh) was on my way so I geeked out and took a couple pictures!

Sadly, there is a construction site across the street so I have no hopes I getting a proper picture of the front facade. Unless I want to risk standing in the street.....which I might...

So after admiring the Mackintosh building I kept walking straight ahead, keeping an eye out for the street I needed. I kept walking until I came square with a busy street and couldn't walk straight ahead any longer. I didn't want to lose my sense of direction and get lost so I made my way back to a more familiar area and jumped one street over to Sauchiehall Street. Pronounced "Sucky-hall", this street is the one I visited to go grocery shopping and is a key shopping district in Glasgow. It is also conveniently one street over from where I live. :) Primark was supposed to be somewhere along it so I continued to walk down the street. I found that in some parts it even became a pedestrian only street.

A view of Sauchiehall Street.

 I even found the Willow Tearooms which I had seen on the Google map when looking up Primark. I will definitely return and go into the Tearoom, which is another one of Mackintosh's designs. For now I just settled for appreciating the facade.

The tearoom window above, and the jeweler on the ground floor.

Mmmm "Baked Potato filled with Haggis". Classic. Lol maybe one day. I will definitely be eating there at some point, that's for sure! I still have to see the inside!

At this point I was getting frustrated, I really couldn't find this store. I was walking up and down Sauchiehall Street and cutting down side streets to make sure I didn't miss it. Finally I came up next to a T-Mobile ("Tee-moe-bile" rather than "Tee-moe-bull" here!). This was something else that was near Primark on the map. So I walked by the T-Mobile store and closely scanned the neighboring stores. And there it was. I had legitimately walked by it at least once. If anything can be said for this trip and finding the things I need….let's just stay I'm getting A LOT of exercise! 

Primark turned out to be nice and affordable. It's similar to a Kohl's, specializing in clothes and some home goods. I also don't understand how all European "discount" clothes (i.e. Primark, H&M, etc) retailers still manage to look like department stores. Nothing like shopping in a Walmart or even Target, that's for sure. After Primark, I decided to check out the other grocery store, Farmfoods. It specializes in frozen foods and some fresh products, all much cheaper than the Tesco. After grabbing some more groceries I went back to my house and expected a quiet evening in.

My first souvenir! 

For all my architecture-y friends (and people I confused when explaining my house),
here's a virtual walk-through. 

Miscellaneous sights seen around town today.

A lot of that candy was NOT American! FALSE ADVERTISING! 

Ridiculously expensive and nothing to tempt me really because there were no Reese's :(. Also disappointed that there was no peanut butter when there was fluff in the window display. What else do you eat it with?!?