By Iqra Ali
I belong to Glasgow,
Dear old Glasgow town,
But there’s something extra special with Glasgow
That makes it the best town around
I’m only a common uni going lass,
As anyone can see
But when I ain’t busy and working on a Sunday
Glasgow belongs to me
- Iqra Ali’s adaptation of ‘I belong to Glasgow’ by Will Fyffe
Glasgow means the world to me… it is the city I was born and brought up in – my home. Here are the top 10 things I love about my city:
- People make GLASGOW!
Our city slogan is one of a kind and perfectly sums up the vibrant personalities of Glaswegians. Officially introduced on the 28th of June 2013, the slogan was designed for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Step outside your house and the warm smiles people give you passing by makes your day. Going for your weekly shop? In Glasgow it is very rare not to have a friendly chat with the cashier. Without our bubbliness, we would be a dull place.
- The view when going into town.
I am always greeted by the iconic views of the Squinty Bridge, The Armadillo, The SEC and Hydro. However, at night, the city lit up is just breath-taking. My favourite spot to look at it is driving past it on the Kingston Bridge with the reflection in the River Clyde. You are never going to find a skyline nearly as pretty anywhere else…
- The Duke of Wellington Statue
The funniest one! This statue represents the sense of humour us Glaswegians have. The Duke of Wellington wears .… a bright orange traffic cone! Why, you may wonder? Mysteriously in the early 1980s the cone kept on appearing on the head of the statue. Glasgow City Council attempted to remove it… but it miraculously ended up back on his head. Regardless of what the council thinks, seeing it gives me a giggle.
- The Subway
London has The Underground. We have The Subway. Hopping on and off wherever you please is so convenient and my favourite part about it?… It is a very satisfying circle. Days out with my best friend consist of using The Subway Park and Ride facility. One moment we could get off at St. Enoch and shop our hearts content at ZARA. The next, we could stop at Hillhead and take in the vibrant feel of Byres Road.
- Very close proximity to Loch Lomond
Glasgow is large enough to have a city feel, but is also close enough to nature. It is a wonderful escape to de-stress and Loch Lomond is perfect for it. From walking on the sand, to riding the boat at Luss, Glasgow leads you to some of Scotland’s best natural sites!
- The Mitchell Library
Glasgow is known for its world class education. The Mitchell represents this, being one of Europe’s largest libraries. I’m found there in the silent study area during exam time. I am glad Glasgow City Council have invested in such establishments to keep the rich culture of education alive. A creamy hot chocolate and a delicious cheese toasty is a must during a study break from the library’s own café.
- Kebabish
I am a proud Scottish Pakistani Glaswegian at heart. Although quite unique, Kebabish is one of the things I LOVE about Glasgow. It is one of a kind and you will never find a South Asian restaurant anywhere else quite like it, not even in South Asia! It is so famous in Glasgow that everyone talks about it. The amount of dinner parties I have been to and hosted myself there are insane. Us Glaswegians are big on their curries and Kebabish is a good representation of that.
- Buchanan Street
Shopaholic over here… and Buchanan Street caters for me perfectly. From Frasers to New Look, it has world class shops. Not only that, but walking there is a different feeling altogether. Live street performances and the hustle and bustle of people enjoying the day out. Sometimes they even have a balloon stall and the kid in me comes out to play!
- The Queens Park Café
I would taste the creamy gelato there every weekend on a trip out as a toddler. Now a busy adult, I still make time to eat a tub once in a while and for a walk in Queens Park, situated across the road. The gelato is the creamiest ever and there is no comparison to gelato in Italy… I personally think Italy should learn from us.
- Glasgow Central Mosque
Glasgow is a multicultural and multi-faith city. The mosque, the Gurdwara and churches are testament to this. We are not only tolerant, we are curious, interested and fully embrace the diversity we have. I think the dome is a true representation of this and really adds to the Glasgow skyline!
Those are my favourite things about Glasgow… What are yours?
