Guests at Hilton’s Glasgow hotel fell ill after norovirus bug outbreak

by Melanie Nayer on

Nearly 40 people got sick after a suspected outbreak of the norovirus bug attacked the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow. The guests and staff members suffered vomiting and diarrhoea, thought to have been caused by the bug, according to the BBC.

The norovirus bug is commonly linked to foodborne-outbreaks and can affect people of all ages. Two guests were admitted to the hospital and expected to make a full recovery. Meanwhile, the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde(NHSGGC) has started its investigation into the outbreak at the five-star hotel.

A Hilton Worldwide spokesperson said:

“In response to the suspected viral infection Hilton Glasgow is following its own strict health and safety procedures, as well as working closely with the local health officials, and is providing all possible assistance to the hotel’s guests and team members.”

Many guests who complained about symptoms were asked to stay in their rooms if they didn’t need hospital treatment, in an effort try to contain the outbreak.

Palate cleanser: Glasgow

by Annie Scott on

Ah, Glasgow. Rarely do you find a city with such lovely people, such sexy accents and such stunning architecture. If I were Glaswegian, I would be totally full of myself, but their unassuming Scottish attitude is refreshingly humble and charming. If you’ve ever met someone from Glasgow, you know.

The Scottish are known for a few things: their witty storytelling, their fantastic rolling landscapes and their ability to make delicious haggis out of actual tripe. To me, the landscape is so appealing I caught myself thinking “If one were to live in or even visit beautiful, green Scotland, why on Earth would they want to be in a city?” Glasgow answers that question with Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

The Scenery

If scenery is your thing, you will never be disappointed with Glasgow. The Charles Rennie Mackintosh stamp is all over the place, both authentic and imitated, from churches to tea rooms. Add to that the River Clyde and museums like The Kelvingrove featuring some of Europe’s finest art, and you’ll find your need for beauty well-nourished. For big CRM fans (like me), you can actually take a tour of the Glasgow School of Art (below), which he attended and then designed — his simple, elegant design featuring progressively growing wrought iron plants along the windows (swon him his alma mater’s new building commission in 1896.


Another must-see is the mysterious Queen’s Cross Church in Maryhill, Glasgow, which is a bit of a walk from the train but definitely rewarding. The church now serves as the headquarters of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society. See the gallery for pictures.

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Eat

When you’re done with your sight-seeing and ready for a bite to eat, a couple places I’d recommend include:Fifi & Ally, where they have unbearably fresh food and swarms of women (in case you’re into that), Cafe Zique, a West-End quirky brunchy beauty near the Kelvinhall subway station and walkable to The Hunterian and Kelvingrove art galleries and Stravaigin (means “to wander”), a luscious 2-floor gourmet restaurant with haggis so good you’d give it to your mother (and the rest of the food, both classic and experimental like the wild mushroom and savoy pierogi below, provided big wows as well).

Nightlife

The nightlife in Scotland can be a little … intense. The Brits are famous for their clubbing tendencies, and gritty Glasgow is no exception. You’ll find scantily, impossibly clad women young and old on the streets with men in shirts and jeans until well into the wee hours. Some of the bars and clubs are nice, one is called Nice n Sleazy. Good luck with that. Most of the best places are a little ways off the main drags like Buchanan Street, where all the mainstream shops are. One place I happen to like is a little champagne bar (and ristoranto) called Mediterraneo over on Ingram Street, and my very favorite bar in the entire world is Blue Dog at 151 West George Street (below). I’m not being hyperbolic; I visited Blue Dog for the first time the year it opened (at age 22) and decided it was the best bar I’d ever been to. I just went back, and not only was I proud of my 22-year-old taste, but the entire pack of journalists I was with loved it, too. It’s loungey, with amazing cocktails and a singer/piano player hammering out Van Halen and Radiohead. The bartenders take unheard of amounts of time with each drink, making sure every one is perfect, so be patient — and be sure to try some of the Saffron Gin.

Details

Glasgow is really easy to get around by subway, and the rates aren’t tricky like they are in London. Cabs are not hard to come by if you’d rather not go underground. If you’re looking for a rock-bottom hotel price, consider the Euro Hostel, which I stayed in as a youngin’ and totally survived. If you’re a little older, I can safely recommend the ABode Hotel — no frills, but the prices are decent and the rooms are clean and comfortable and have internet. I hear that the place to go if you’ve got the cash is the 5-star One Devonshire Gardens in the heart of the fashionable West End — they have a spa, a gym, private walled gardens and award-winning food.

Whether you’re heading to Glasgow for one of the many music festivals, to see the art, or are just looking for an Edinburgh alternative or a place to fly into on your pilgrimage to Loch Ness, it doesn’t take much time to walk around and fall in love with Glasgow’s gothic, yet easygoing charm. Be sure and chat up your bartenders and other locals you meet; you’ll hear hilarious tales you’d never hear outside of Scotland.

This trip was paid for by VisitBritain, but the ideas and opinions expressed in the article above are 100% my own.

Celebrate St. Andrews Day in Scotland

by Tom Johansmeyer on

St. Andrews Day is on November 30, and the festivities surrounding Scotland’s national holiday are due to start on November 26. For travelers with Scottish ancestry – or those looking to hide from relatives over the Thanksgiving holiday – it might not be a bad idea to head out to Scotland for a few days. Even though there isn’t much time left to book, give yourself the thrill of picking up and dashing off on short notice.

This year, the St. Andrews Day celebrations are the grand finale of Scotland’s Homecoming year, so expect plenty to be happening. There will be a music extravaganza, Edinburgh’s Christmas and Illuminated Art Car Parade (the official opening) and free previews of Burns Cottage.

If you travel to Scotland through December 12, you can take advantage of an amazing deal. For only $1,136, you can pick up airfare from Newark to Glasgow on Continental Airlines, six nights at one of 320 Scottish bed and breakfast properties, a full breakfast every day and six days of rental car use with unlimited mileage. All Value-Added Tax and service charges are included!

There’s an added perk for anyone named Andrew or Andrea. You’ll have a chance to win a five-night trip to Scotland (including stays in Edinburgh). Answer one question correctly, and you’ll have a shot at a trip to the land of Andrew.

Christians protest transssexual Jesus

by Sean McLachlan on

A play in Glasgow, Scotland, has sparked an angry protest by local Christians. Jesus Queen of Heaven depicts Jesus as a transsexual woman and is part of the Glasgay! Festival celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered culture.

The festival, which runs through November 8, features plays, music, dance, comedy, and many other events and has drawn artists from around the world. The annual festival has been held since 1993, attracts more than 20,000 visitors, and receives partial funding from national and municipal arts councils.

While gay arts festivals and the inevitable protests against them are nothing new, Jesus Queen of Heaven has drawn special ire. The play, written and performed by leading transgendered artist Jo Clifford, looks at her personal path to faith as a transgendered person.

The description of the play begins, “Jesus is a transsexual woman. And it is now she walks the earth. This is a play with music that presents her sayings, her miracles, and her testimony. And she does not condemn the gays or the queers or the trans women or the trans men, and no, not the straight women nor the straight men neither. Because she is the Daughter of God, most certainly, and almost as certainly the son also. And God’s child condemns nobody. She can only love…”

About 300 Christians, on the other hand, felt differently. They held a candlelight vigil outside the Tron Theatre last night, holding signs protesting the use of public funds for the festival and Clifford’s depiction of Jesus. One read “God: My Son Is Not A Pervert.” It is not clear if the sign was written by the protester or was a direct quote from the Almighty.

If November sounds like a bad time to go to Scotland, there’s always Pride Scotia in June, a ten-day national LGBT event that culminates in a massive parade in Edinburgh. If you really want make sure you’ll be partying in the sun, head south to Madrid, where the Orgullo (“Pride”) festival is held in the toasty months of late June and early July.

Heathrow up, other UK airports see traffic fall

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Vacationers compensated for business travelers at Heathrow last month, helping the airport realize its busiest August in history. Airport operator BAA Ltd. noted that its total traffic, though, had fallen 3.1 percent for the month. Heathrow is Europe’s busiest airport, and 6.4 million passengers passed through, a slight increase of 0.3 percent compared to August 2008.

The other London airports didn’t fare as well, unfortunately. Traffic through London Gatwick dropped 4.6 percent, and London Stansted saw a decline of 7.8 percent, according to BAA. Elsewhere in the United Kingdom, Edinburgh celebrated a 4.8 percent increase in passenger action for the month of August – its fifth month in a row of monthly up-ticks. Glasgow, Aberdeen and England’s Southampton, however, saw declines of 13.4 percent, 9.8 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively.