Smiles better

Glasgow has been providing me with my fill of all the great culture it has to offer. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder - a year ago I could think of nothing better than moving out of Glasgow and into the big wide world. A few months living abroad in various places has led me to come to the opinion that Glasgow is even greater than I knew it was. I have always defended Glasgow to the death as I am very proud of our little city. It has a lot to offer - without doubt the best theatre scene in the UK outside of London, a great and upcoming art scene, one of the best music scenes in Europe, superb shopping and museums and for me it is a beautiful place. It's a city that will never ever be finished, and the juxtaposition of outrageous styles of architecture that simply don't work together are such a part of the charm. Next to the splendorous victorian architecture of Glasgow's boom times stand the more recent Manhattan style monstrosities and the cutting edge architecture of constant new development. The mismatched architecture is at times amusing, and is perfectly matched to the city and the people. These people are not only the friendliest in the world, I see them as the funniest. If yer patter is like water, ye can away an' shite.

The reason for this is simple - Glasgow was, is and always has been a city of constant change. In its colourful history it has ranged from the "second city of the empire" through to the pits of the earth, and a place of wretched destitution and poverty. Glasgow has been constantly striving for bigger and better things, and funnily enough the year I was born was a turning point for the city as it became European capital of culture. Since then, development and reform has made Glasgow one of the most desirable places to live in the UK, a centre of business, arts, sport and academia. Its a city (including suburbs) of around a million people, for me the perfect size, and of exceptional beauty. Not in the conventional sense of beauty as simply an aesthetic quality. The beauty of this great city lies within it - in its potential, its history, its self deprecating sense of humour but most of all in its people.