Ooh! Look, a bird!

I still find it strange after all these years to see seagulls in Glasgow. Yes, it is known as a port town, but a river port not an ocean port. It's pretty far up the Clyde as the crow--or seagull--flies. Anyway, today I have a lovely view up University Gardens Ave. No gardens in sight, I'm afraid, despite the name, but there is a row of lovely trees all dressed up in Autumn colors--mostly gold with remnants of pale green and tinges of darker orange. And just beyond them is a lovely view of the main tower of the university. If I just mentally block out the sight of the pebbled concrete monstrosities on either side of my window (and thankfully I don't actually have to look at my beloved QMU building since I'm sitting in it) then it is an all-around lovely view. I do wish they had made an effort to keep to a more uniform (lovely) style when they added more buildings to the university. I remember Dublin University did it, carefully reviewing the plans of future buildings to make sure they would blend in with the others. So it is possible. But no. From Glasgow Uni to UCSC, we just have to add giant rectangular concrete slabs.

The picture is of the QMU, from wikipedia. I think this picture is from before the remodeling, but the essentials haven't changed. See the round red sign on the 2nd floor up (it says "The Food Factory" in case you can't make it out.) The sign is gone now or changed but I'm sitting a couple of windows to the right of there--pretty much the last full window you can see on that level. Yup, that one. (waves!)