Gila at Arundel hotel

Gila at Arundel hotel
Visit with Mercedes

Sunday, 25 November 2012

Reconnecting with Glasgow

My dear Friends

Life this past week was pretty exciting. I reconnected with my roots and had a lot of fun in glasgow. I stayed near the Botanic Garden, close to Byres Road, scene of my wild youth.The place has changed, with a lot of trendy cafes,but one place has not changed-the University cafe, started in 1918 by one Italian family and still going strong. It is a place where what I call the 'real' Glaswegians go-when you look at the chiselled faces it really moves you, to say nothing of the place itself, with its narrow seats and long mirrors.

Mass at St Peter's in Partick was amazing-the chamber choir from Strathclyde University sang beautifully, including singing a setting called the Russian Kyrie which I was familiar with.I was also there on the Feast of St Margaret of Scotland, the second Patron of the country along with St Mungo. The delightful priest, Fr John, explained to the children from the primary school that St Margaret was not a nun, but a good wife and mother who minstered to the poor and who was married to King Malcolm of England.

I was also in Glasgow cathedral (more in the next post) but the highlight of the trip was a tour of Garnethill Synagogue, the oldest one in Glagow and the place where my parents and grandparents worshipped.My cousin came with and identified the place near the Ark where her father and my father sat, and where my father's eyes would have drifted (across and up to the ladies gallery) and spotted my mother! We had a good guide and we spotted a stained glass window in memorial to Anna And Samuel Solomon, our grandparents.

For now
Shalom from
Gila

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