Details of The Paisley Abbey

As Rachel hadn't been to Paisley before, we went around to the Sma' Shots cottages and the Abbey. There was a charming older gentleman at the Abbey - not exactly a tour-guide, but he gave us a map and pointed out some helpful things. I couldn't tell if he was English or Scottish - his accent was very genteel.

I tried photographing these last time, but they didn't turn out.  As I was taking a picture, that older fellow came over and said, "Those are Burne-Jones." I smiled and replied, "I thought so! They have a Burne-Jones look about them." 

Another Burne-Jones window

This is NOT Burne-Jones, but I still liked it - especially the figure with the skull.

They must have been preparing for a harvest festival . I find harvest festivals so old-fashioned and appealing.

This was part of the restoration work carried out in the Abbey in the 1910's. 

This, however, is an older fragment - apparently a water spout came out of his mouth.

More restoration work - really beautiful.

Paisley Again!

There was a museum in Paisley I needed to write about, so I went back. This time I had company - Rachel came with me and we had a very nice day together.

This was fabulous - a little solar-system that you could hand crank to make turn around! This was in The Coats Observatory - built in 1880s and with old-fashioned hand mechanised telescope.

This was the museum: The Coats Observatory

Tenement House Museum

Rachel and I decided to go to the Tenement House Museum. It's really close by, but I'd never been there yet. I was curious to see what it would be like - I was half expecting it to be a museum of the crowded, lower class tenement, but actually it was a museum of a middle-class tenement flat. Much like the flat I'm living in now.

A lovely wee fireplace

Detail of the tiles around the fire

More detail

Old soap!

There was an exhibit about how much things change over the decades, and they had papers for kids to predict what the world would be like in a hundred years.

Old rent book

The University & Hillhead area

The university from Kelvin Way

A few autumn leaves I picked up.

Reel History

Outside the Kelvingrove Art Gallery was a travelling exhibit called Reel History - "discover your past through film"

They had a film running, and next door you could stand in  a room and it would project you onto the film. Then they'd take a picture of you (they provided the hat as well)

Glasgow a-rithist!

I was curious about how I'd find Glasgow after Ìle. To my delight, I found Glasgow as charming as ever it was! I do love it here.

Sunrise on Great Western Road

Curious indeed! Aren't these called Cinnamon Toast Crunch?

What one might see on Great Western Road.

Oooh!!!!!

Walking back & the Finlaggan visitors centre

The black, sinister water surrounding the causeway, to and from the Eilean Mòr. It put me strongly in mind of a mythical character that used to frighten me as a child - Jenny Greenteeth (although *I* always called her Jenny Greensleeves). Even though I lived in a desert, I was always afraid she'd come out from somewhere and get me!

This is the very picture I used to stare at as a child, and which filled me with such fear. Really, the picture says it all. Jenny Greensleeves (as I shall always call her) lives in ponds and lakes and murky waters waiting to grab the ankles of unsuspecting children and pull them to their death!

Back on dry land! A wee stream running beside the path.

Isn't this smashing? A reproduction of the tunics worn by all those fabulous Medieval knights in the grave slabs!

On of many various abandoned buildings and foundations seen on my walk back to the main road.

Ancient music echoes in the crumbling wall

After viewing the chapel, I wandered around the rest of the Eilean Mòr, viewing the foundation stones of many another building, and enjoying the complete silence of the place. I appreciated being alone, as I felt I was able to really get a sense of the place.

Looking back to the chapel

Information about the great hall and such.

Inside the great hall.

The Great Hall (which is actually quite small)

The council island - once a crannog! A crannog was an ancient house built on a man-made island in rivers and lochs in Scotland.

Remnants of the old stone causeway.

Having a quiet moment in the chapel.