Glasgow, as seen through the lens of a Nikon Coolpix 4200

Today was another day of slowly checking things off of my To-Do list. I picked up my banking letter on campus and made an appointment at Lloyds (it takes two weeks to open a bank account). I swung by Greggs for the cheapest lunch this side of the Atlantic (56p for a sausage roll). While I realize that sausage rolls are far from an ideal thing to put in my body, I justify it two ways: A) I grew up eating them in Yorkshire and can't break the habit when they're in front of me, and B) I basically burn the calories from it in all my walking (I looked it up and did the math). So 56p to fill me up until the evening is worth it for a poor grad student!

I headed back to campus, bumped into a friend and the core group of other American grad students we seem to have going, and we hung in the cafe for a bit until I had to go register. Which means "pay my tuition" (thanks, US government!) and get my ID card. A piece of plastic that I can safely say has one of the worst pictures of me ever taken on it, save for my CA gym card and my student visa. Each with an equally horrible, terrorist mugshot-like photo. But I'm happy I have it, because now I can join the gym, the union, go to the library, and most importantly, get student discounts everywhere!

Today was picture day for the university too, and so I photo-documented my walk to campus:

(Click on the images to make them bigger)



The corner of my street (Kelvinhaugh St.) and Argyle St, one of the bigger roads in this part of town.




The first view of the university on my walk to campus.





The Kelvingrove Art Gallery. Not only the art gallery/museum in Scotland, but also one of the most important in Europe. It's part of my walk to campus, and just stunning.





Part of the park in Kelvingrove Park (the street that cuts up to campus goes through it). The houses on the hill in distance are gorgeous, but I haven't figured out what they are yet.





One of the statues on the bridge crossing the River Kelvin.





The aforementioned River Kelvin.




Kelvin Way. That goes through the park to campus. This is my daily walk. It's not too bad on the eyes.





Kelvin himself. He has many titles and is quite important, what with all the temperature scales he invented. Many things in this part of the city around the uni are named for him.





A look up University Avenue, where the main entrance to campus, as well as a good portion of the important buildings are.




I don't know what this building is, but it's directly across from the Main Gate of campus, and it's pretty, which is good enough for me. Obviously, it's a church, but I don't know if it's part of the uni or not.




Outside of the Main Gate.





This is not Hogwarts. This is in the quad of the main building (I'm still working out if they call it "quad" here). No quidditch to be seen, but I'm still holding out hope.





More in the quad.





More in the quad.




I swear Harry Potter is not around.





The cloisters, connecting one side of the quad to the other. It's so gothic and gorgeous, and today it's filled with pictures of Heath Ledger as the Joker because the poster sale is still going on.




The tower of the main building.





Campus sits on a huge hill overlooking the city, and from the main building, you get a great view of the Kelvingrove below.





A look down Byres Road. Byres is one of the big streets on the west side of the uni, and is full of shops, restaurants, pubs, banks, you name it.





Home sweet home. A look down my street, which is all student flats. Mine is at the end on the left.

And while the sun today never really came back out, the rain has stayed away, and really, that's about all you ask for in Glasgow!