So on a beautiful sunny day last week Young Ben and I sat on a hill in Queen's Park looking out across our great city of Glasgow and I said to him "Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?"
Glasgow is no longer the No Mean City portrayed in the famous novel. In recent years we have hosted The Garden Festival and been City of Culture and in 2014 we will host The Commonwealth Games
This was the birth place of Charles Rennie Mackintosh who left us the legacy of buildings such as The Willow Tearooms, The Glasgow School of Art and The Scotland Street School. We also have other famous landmarks such as Glasgow University, The People's Palace, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and The Finnieston Crane
This Dear Green Place has no shortage of parks either with the wonderful Botanic Gardens, Queen's Park, Kelvingrove Park, Pollok Country Park and Rouken Glen to name but a few. My own favourite park however is Hampden Park, scene of many a Scottish triumph over The Auld Enemy.
Let us not forget either that Glasgow Celtic were the first British team to win The European Cup in 1967 and did so with a team of home-grown local players all born within a 30 mile radius of Celtic Park. The current Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was also born in Glasgow
Famous musicians born in Glasgow include Mark Knopfler, Jack Bruce, Alex Harvey, Donovan and Jim Kerr not to mention Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, better known as Lulu (actually I am not sure I want Lulu on that list). It is also the birthplace of one of the most famous living Scotsmen of our time, the one and only Billy Connolly. He once said "The great thing about Glasgow is that if there's a nuclear attack it'll look exactly the same afterwards" It is ok for Glaswegians to make fun of Glasgow, we just don't like outsiders doing it
Notable films set in Glasgow include Small Faces, Ae Fond Kiss, Ratcatcher and the excellent Comfort and Joy starring Bill Patterson. It is also the home of Taggart ("There's been a murder"). Mark McManus who played Taggart died in 1994 so they killed off his character, but 17 years later it is still called Taggart even though there no longer is a Taggart...only in Glasgow
Glasgow has excellent shopping streets such as Argyle Street, Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street and we even have shops on both sides of our streets unlike our more famous neighbour Princes Street
If you have never been to Glasgow, you really should make the effort. You will not be disappointed
I leave you this week with my top 5 visits to Hampden Park
1. Scotland 2 England 1 1976 (the day King Kenny put the ball through Clemence's legs)
2. Ayr United 1 Hibs 0 2002 (Eddie Annand's extra-time penalty takes Ayr through to their first ever cup final)
3. Bruce Springsteen Concert 2009 (The Boss in my own backyard)
4. Scotland 1 France 0 2006 (just...Wow!)
5. Rangers v Kilnockie 1999 (My mate and I and our kids were part of the crowd for the filming of this final which was the gripping climax to the movie A Shot At Glory starring Robert Duvall and Ally McCoist.....I have omitted the score in case you have not seen the film. I don't want to spoil the ending for you)
Well, strangely enough, I was present at two of the occasions mentioned above, both times with my brother. We sat in the South Stand to see Messrs Masson and Dalglish turn over the Sassenach, and then in the rebuilt South Stand to see Springsteen. Good though he was, I think the singing was better in '76!
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