Kelvingrove Gallery and Museum

During my weekend in Glasgow, I got out of the bus and saw the Kelvingrove Gallery and Museum. It was a huge building with a beautiful Baroque architectural style. I walked into the central hall and saw a pipe organ. A gentleman handed me the programme, as there was to be an organ recital that afternoon.

I did not really know what to expect from this place. I was not sure whether to go left or right, but it certainly appeared to be the kind of place that I could freely explore. There were 22 galleries with a vast range of exhibits, from Renaissance art to Ancient Egyptian artefacts. The environment had a typical Sunday atmosphere, with lively families enjoying the learning experience and taking the time out to spend their day together. I, too, found myself enjoying my own company and the opportunity to freely take my time and explore.

I saw a dark room on the second floor of the gallery, and I did not really know what to expect. As I walked in, I was taken aback by a Salvador Dali oil painting. I was mesmerized by a depiction of Jesus Christ on the cross, where he floats above a lake with a fisherman and a boat.

There was something so hypnotic about the extreme angle, and the way that Christ was depicted without the thorns, blood and nails. I stood there for a while. People came and left, equally as inspired by Christ of St John of the Cross as I was. But I stayed for a long time because I had nowhere else to be and I liked the emotions that this painting evoked in me. It amazed me that a day which I had not expected anything from ended up bringing me so much peace.

I went downstairs just before the organ recital to buy myself a white-hot chocolate at the café. The hot chocolate was exactly what I needed at that moment, something warm and sweet. I sat down in a crowd of elderly ladies and gentlemen and listened. I listened to the organ recital and the way that the sounds resonated in the massive central hall. It was truly beautiful and a very special moment for me. I thought about how strange it is that I often try to find special things, but as soon as I stop looking then they find me.

It was quite late when I left the Kelvingrove Gallery and Museum. I had not kept track of time whilst I was there, but perhaps there was no reason for me to do so. I had given myself the day to just relax in Glasgow, and that is exactly what I did. I took a walk afterwards along River Kelvin and went to the botanical gardens. Whilst walking I thought to myself, "This is exactly where I want to be right now."