Monday 28 July 2014

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 3: THE RIVERSIDE

Another glorious day!  The whole city continues to be buzzing with folk on trains, walking along the river, or wherever, as they either head to an event or just enjoy the whole atmosphere.  

There are helpers in red jackets along the various routes to the venues; police and security folk dotted about the place; volunteers holding sticks with a large pointing hand to indicate where the throngs of people should head in and around the intersections and junctions en route to Games' sites.  They have great fun giving you a High Five* as you pass by!


I headed for the river to simply enjoy the view and the various street and riverside activities. I continue to discover places I had never been before.  One of the reasons is that a lot of this river property is now being used in a completely different way.  All the docks and yards have been made over ... well ... most them.  You can still see the old graving docks where ships were repaired.

The above photo shows the Finneston crane (one of many icons on the Clyde). Behind it is the Hydro auditorium which looks a bit like a space ship.


Here is the Clyde auditorium which is known as the Armadillo and is often booked for conferences, musical events, trade shows.  They may not be building ships on the Clyde any more but they still have the cash registers ringing with the rock concerts and such like that are laid on.

The far left is a glass fronted hotel where the reflection of the Armadillo is seen on its front, east facing side.


The Science Centre and the BBC building are both on the river opposite the Armadillo and Hydro. Today, all around these 2 buildings, there were  lots of upturned pallets made into benches to sit on.  A rather good idea, I thought.


The silver roofed Science Centre had some folk on the domed roof today.  I waited for them to abseil down but I think they were either stuck or just practicing.


Occasionally they hold an outdoor broadcasts here. Also there is this large, super-wide screen for people to watch (when they are not doing live TV) from the comfort of these (presumably the BBC's) deck chairs.

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High Five " is a celebratory hand gesture that occurs when two people simultaneously raise one hand each, about head-high, and push, slide, or slap the flat of their palm against the flat palm of the other person. " [Wikipedia]


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