Glasgow's Twin Cities

Glasgow has eight "twin" cities scattered across the globe. I wasn't sure of the best way to describe the concept of city twinning, but thankfully Glasgow - the customer magazine from Glasgow City Council - had this handy explanation...

The concept of twinning was introduced in Europe in the 1950s as a way of increasing understanding and tolerance following the divisions of the Second World War. It is defined as "a permanent commitment to... work together in practical co-operation in projects - such as education, culture, urban regeneration, governance and changes of experience, to the mutual benefit of both parties.

Glasgow's twin cities are:

Bethlehem, West Bank
Dalian, China
Havana, Cuba
Lahore, Pakistan
Marseille, France
Nuremberg, Germany
Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Turin, Italy

The picture shows Former Lord Provost of Glasgow, Liz Cameron, with delegates from Lahore on signing the twinning agreement with the Pakistani city in 2006.

Image copyright City Government Lahore

Famous Visitor no.3

Remember Mini Me - villainous Dr Evil's cloned sidekick in the Austin Powers movies? The actor who played him - Verne Troyer - was in Glasgow on Friday to make a guest appearance at The Classrooms, a student nightclub on Sauchiehall Street.

Image copyright The Classrooms.

Presidents in Glasgow

As the world reacts to the election of Senator Barack Obama as the new President of the United States of America, here's a quick look at some of his predecessors' links to Glasgow.

George W Bush is reported as having visited Glasgow for a wedding in 1983, and also playing golf in and around the city (prior to his presidency) - these visits the result of a long-standing family friendship.

More recently he flew into the city's Prestwick International Airport when the G8 Summit was held at Gleneagles, Perthshire, in 2005. The photo below shows he and his wife Laura descending Glasgow Prestwick Airport steps from the famous Air Force One.

Bill Clinton never visited Glasgow during his presidency but has made more than one visit to the city since he left office, usually on public speaking duties. He is pictured below at a 2006 event in the Thistle Hotel.

A young John F Kennedy came to Glasgow in 1939. He was aiding his father - then American Ambassador to the UK - following the sinking of the passenger ship Athenia. American survivors of the disaster were housed in Glasgow until passage was arranged for them and JFK travelled to the city to visit them.

Other American Presidents are known to have visited the west of Scotland too, and it is highly likely they will have seen a glimpse of Glasgow or one of its airports. George Bush Senior and Jimmy Carter have both stayed at the Lodge on Loch Lomond, and Dwight Eisenhower had a suite at Culzean Castle in Ayrshire gifted to him.

Hopefully President Obama will join the above leaders in visiting Glasgow - news reports today say that First Minister Alex Salmond has invited him to Scotland next year, so watch this space...

Images copyright Getty (Bush) and STV (Clinton).

Glasgow - One of the top 10 cities in the world

Trusted and world renowned tourist guide publishers Lonely Planet today revealed the choices for their 2009 Best In Travel guide, and sitting proudly in the list of top 10 cities to see next year is Scotland's biggest city.

As reported in the Evening Times - where you can read the full story - travel editor Tom Hall said "The time has come for lonely planet to let one of its worst kept secrets out - Glasgow's got everything".

Joining Glasgow on the roll of honour are...

Antwerp, Belgium

Beirut, Lebanon

Chicago, USA

Lisbon, Portugal

Mexico City, Mexico

Sao Paolo, Brazil

Shanghai, China

Warsaw, Poland

Zurich, Switzerland

Images copyright Lonely Planet

Jumeirah Checks In To Glasgow

Something of a coup for Glasgow today, when one of the world's most exclusive hotel chains announced they will open a hotel in the city in 2010.

Jumeirah - based in the United Arab Emirates - are developing a SIX STAR, 25 STOREY hotel on Argyle Street. The hotel will feature 160 guest rooms, 85 serviced apartments, wellness spa, gym, rooftop cocktail lounge, several restaurants and bars, business and conference amenities, a 630 seat ballroom and - perhaps the piece de resistance - a top floor infinity swimming pool commanding spectacular views across Glasgow.

What is so significant about this development is the vote of confidence in Glasgow. The Jumeirah Glasgow will join an exclusive portfolio that features Dubai's landmark Burj Al Arab, New York's Essex House and three top of the market London hotels. Besides the three hotels in the UK capital, Jumeirah's only other European site is an exclusive resort planned for the port of Soller in Majorca.

More details can be found in the official press release.

Images copyright Jumeirah.

Doctor Who: The Glasgow Connection - UPDATE

Glasgow has once again popped up (at least in name) in the most recent series of Doctor Who.

In the episode Turn Left we are shown how life would pan out for companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and the rest of the world had the Doctor been killed during a previous confrontation. With no Doctor around to save the day, the space cruise liner Titanic plummets to earth on Christmas day and wipes out London.

Later in a refugee centre, survivors Donna and her family are told they are being sent to Leeds. "Leeds!? I'm not moving to Leeds!" exclaims Donna - but it seems there's one place she would be happy to go...

Image Copyright 2008 BBC Worldwide Ltd.

Good Evening Glasgow, This Is Stockholm Calling

I have to begin this post with a disclaimer that I can't stand these TV dancing shows - "celebrities" doing the tango under the watchful eye of Bruce Forsyth, or risking life and limb by trying to dance on an ice rink? No thanks. I'm also no fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, where political voting means that the UK and a handful of other countries would be as well steering clear.

However, while channel surfing on Saturday night I found myself washed up at BBC One, where the Eurovision Dance Contest was taking place live from - you've guessed it - Glasgow.

Now, despite my criticism of such events, I can't complain about the reports of an estimated 23 million people across Europe watching something beamed live from the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC). Nor can I complain about the excellent recorded video footage of the city, host Graham Norton's subsequent "Doesn't Glasgow look beautiful?" or Glaswegian Carol Smillie - who returned the UK's votes from just over the river at BBC Scotland - saying "Good evening from Glasgow - best city in Britain". Plus, for one night only, it was pretty good to have the pomp and ceremony of 13 different European TV personalities bidding Glasgow a good evening from all over the continent.

If you're interested, Poland were the winners.

Image copyright EBU 2004-2008