A fact-finding trip to Glasgow

I’ve always been curious about Glasgow. Passed through, never stayed, heard good things.

This week I finally had a chance to explore.

What I found was Scotland gearing up for a big year in 2014 and lots of potential angles for a work-hungry freelancer.

The Commonwealth Games is the hook for July next year with an accompanying (as yet undisclosed) cultural programme from this summer onwards.

Then there’s the Ryder Cup coming to Gleneagles in September next year and events as part of the Homecoming 2014 festival throughout the year.

While this visit was very much a fact-finding trip, I came away with lots of food for thought and I hope I’ll be back soon to do some more individual research.

But meanwhile, and in the spirit of Glaswegian irreverence, here are ten things I learnt from 48 hours in Glasgow:

The job title Legacy Manager does not just exist in the TV programme 2012
The Commonwealth Games features 17 sports of which lawn bowls is one of the Scotland’s strongest medal hopes
A squished Curly Wurly provides a surprisingly vivid metaphor for the formation of metamorphic rock in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park
The top notes of citrus in natural beauty products made on the isle of Aran can the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
To caramelise your scallops perfectly, don’t shake the pan (Gleneagles Hotel Executive chef Alan Gibb pictured above)
Owls (Falconry display pictured below) don’t want to be mates. For them, it’s strictly business
A drop of water will bring out essential oils and flavours in a whisky tasting. Anyone who says it’s diluting the whisky is talking pish
There are five Unesco Cities of Music including Glasgow. The next nearest is Ghent
The toilets in Citizen M hotel rooms glow Ghostbusters green while you’re trying to sleep
Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the ubiquitous Glaswegian doyen of the Arts & Crafts movement, believed artists should work according to the following mantra: