Approaching Glasgow on the motorway from the east Andy Scott's Clydesdale horse
can't fail to catch your eye This page contrasts two very different aspects of Scotland: shots suggesting activity and urbanity in Glasgow are followed by photos, taken exactly on the same latitude, but on the soft Atlantic sea board of the country where the next land is America. These latter are from the island of Islay and were mostly taken forty years ago, giving another-worldly air
- and a pastel (admittedly inferior)
quality to the images.
Glasgow also has the familiar urban landscape of intersecting motorways beside high rise flats...
...but also, at the west end of the city centre, the River Kelvin brings a country feel to the town, here by Snow Bridge...
...and nearby the tower of the James Watt buildings reminds bowlers of the neighbouring university
The city's West End also provides the pleasures of the magnificent Kelvingrove Museum
- here the main hall
...and, in another hall, a strange mixture of aircraft and animals
Elsewhere in the museum - strange creatures...
...might be compared to shoppers on Sauchiehall Street
Central to the physical city and its social life, Donald Dewar looks down Buchanan Street.
At the bottom of which
lies Central Station
That metal horse again and...
The River Clyde under Central Station
...the hard rectangles of an office block on St. Vincent St. conduct us out...
...to mist on the Rhinns of Islay (cf. Rhinns of Galloway - 'headland') lifting slightly to show the grey Atlantic
Above a counterbalance to the glass office block
- formless winter vegetation Red deer
From the hard lines and colours of urban life, to soft browns and greens shrouded in mist - 80 miles (120 kms) to the west of central Glasgow lies the island of Islay
Machir Bay with Kilchoman Church to the right
Bays dot the west coast of Islay, some with shallow sloping beaches which let the breakers form lazy patterns
A rare sight now as such cottages, still a common sight in the 1970s, became of interest to richer people from the mainland - often becoming holiday houses
While the soft air with its misted light are familiar to this part of the world, there are many days...
...of translucence and clarity, as with these fishing boats off the Islay coast
An Islay tree acknowledges the wind direction, and the quality of the light,
on Scotland's west coast
Trailers...
The next Picture Posting page
takes you over to the island of Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde.
The next page
of the Mosaic Section is headed 'A Stage'.
Or go to the contents Go to the contents of the Mosaic Section. of the Mosaic Section.
To a gaudier Atlantic island - Tenerife
To another island on the west of Scotland - Barra
...guide to this site