Scottish Snippets

Colour Supplement

22 November 2008

The Rampant Scotland Newsletter includes a number of photographs which illustrate the weather and the seasons, plus the flora and fauna of the current week around Scotland. This separate "colour supplement" displays some more pictures, in a larger format. Here is this week's crop of Scottish views!


The cenotaph war memorial in George Square, Glasgow, in front of the City Chambers, is covered with wreaths of poppies which were laid during the service of remembrance earlier this week. There is a carving on the obelisk of St Mungo, the patron saint of Glasgow. In front of the granite memorial is a great flat slab with a carving of a fern leaf and the word "Pax" (peace) inscribed on it. The City Chambers (essentially the city hall) at this time of year is lit up, highlighting the elaborate carvings of this 19th century building.


The Christmas lights in George Square, Glasgow, were switched on last Sunday - watched by the 17,000 people who had been lucky enough to apply for the free tickets before they were all snapped up. The switch-on was followed by a 15-minute fireworks display - which was probably what many of the 17,000 people had come to see!




The reindeer and Santa's sledge, the red lights running up the column supporting the statue of Sir Walter Scott and the other lights in George Square have been unchanged for a number of years. This weekend, "Glasgow On Ice" provides the opportunity to skate beneath the stars in the centre of the city, on an ice rink, surrounded by Christmas lights, a funfair and Santa’s grotto.


The Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow is usually lit up at night but joins in the festive season with additional elements such as the Christmas tree. The magnificent building began life in 1778 as a palatial Tobacco Lord's house with a large garden. Later, when it became the Royal Exchange for the city merchants, the building was refaced and fronted with a giant portico of Corinthian columns and the cupola added above. It became the Stirling's Library in 1954 and was refurbished to house the city's contemporary art collection in 1996.


The entire space between the Gallery of Modern Art and the surrounding buildings has been covered over with a myriad of lights, creating a star-lit "Milky Way". The pavement cafes opposite have had a new lease of life, even in November, as a result of all tobacco smokers being banished outside! The Tobacco Lords of the 18/19th century would have been horrified...

If you want to look back at earlier editions of this Colour Supplement, there is an Index Page





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