Glasgow Cross, Trongate and Argyle St

Glasgow Cross is the old centre of the city. The 1636 Tolbooth steeple above sits  at the foot of the High St (see Townhead) whose winding path dates from the medieval area. Calton is to the east (right of this pic), Saltmarket behind you, and to the west is the Trongate and Argyle St

Looking across to Trongate and Argyle St. The Mercat Cross in the foreground looks to be as old as the Tollbooth steeple but is a 1929 copy of  the lost 1659 original

View east from Trongate

looking south to Saltmarket

Heading towards the Tron 

The Tron Kirk was built by John Adam in 1793, but the steeple is older, dating from 1631

Argyle St has several old narrow lanes or 'wynds'.

Argyle St is a restless part of the city; there is generally something coming down or something going up - or a bit of open land taking a rest

Tommy Sheridan,  standing this time for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, campaigning in Argyle St to be MP for the seat of  Glasgow South West. Pics taken  on 22 April in the General Election Campaign. He got more votes than  BNP this time (see Glasgow North-East by-election  )

There used to be a bloke selling sports socks outside here ('Three pairs a Pound!') , in fact there used to be several sports sock sellers along Argyle St, prompting one wag to observe that this was basically the Glasgow econmy, the poor selling socks to each other

Much of Argyle St simply reflects  the fact that this is a poor city

If money had a face, it would doubtless look like this

A wrapped building

Around Christmas all sorts of food stalls sprout up. 'Gourmet' in this context most likely means 'fried in vegetable oil' rather than 'fried in lard'

Thist tunnel used to be called 'The Hielan'man's Umbrella' as Highlanders supposedly sheltered under it. Supposedly.

Another strange winter stall

Bratwurst

Argyle St entrance to the new St Enoch's Centre. This is the Glasgow the City Fathers want you to remember seeing. . .

. . .happy shoppers. . .

. . .and happy families on their way up to Hamley's and its Steiff bears. Note the price tag on the elephant's foot. If you're wondering how much it is, you can't afford it

Glasgow's Sikhs

There is a large and well-integrated Sikh community in Glasgow; every April Sikhs celebrate the Sikh New Year with a march in the  West End. See www.sikhsinscotland.org

God is Love

The temple in Otago St (off Kelvinbridge); every Friday,  you can get free and delicious veggie food at Glasgow's Sikh temples 

This and the following pics are from the April 2010 preocession