When traveling in the UK, you can’t escape soccer or rugby, as they’re the most popular sports here. So we were all the more delighted when we arrived in Aberdeen and passed the Lynx Ice Arena, home to the third-ranked hockey team in the Scottish league.
There was no game though, so we moved on to Aberdeen’s Union Square, which is a large, modern shopping and leisure complex in the city center, integrated with the main railway and bus stations. It features over 50 retail stores (which sadly closed at 7 p.m.), more than 30 restaurants and cafés, a 10-screen Cineworld cinema, and a hotel. All in all a major transportation and entertainment hub.
Remember how I pledged to avoid unpredictable independent hotels after our two Fawlty Tower experiences? Here, our very generic hotel was exactly that: functional, central, and reasonably priced. Sure, the pricey parking was a ten-minute walk away, but everything else worked out fine. Maybe it’s a mid-week thing? Maybe Aberdeen isn’t a popular place to stay? I’m not sure, but I’m glad it worked for us.
I may have found my answer the next day while exploring: Aberdeen seems to be mainly a summer tourist spot.
There’s the beachfront area that reminded me of Ocean City Beach in Maryland, USA: Ferris Wheel, amusement park, shops, eateries, boardwalk, you get the picture - because with all the diggers and cranes blocking my view I couldn't take one ;-)
In October, though, the season was long over, and the entire area was under renovation. Must have been for quite a while. This sign at Pizza Hut apologizing for not offering ice cream made us laugh. Frankly, we would have settled for pizza!
The only inhabitants were aggressive seagulls, who, deprived of French fries from visitors or fish from the sea, had taken to patrolling the retail park a few streets back.
Here’s the thing: just like in Manchester, there were no trash cans. Colin and I walked around the entire plaza, which spans 20,900 square meters (225,212 square feet), entering and exiting several supermarkets on the lookout for a bin to dispose of his donut wrapper. Not a chance. The only container we found was meant exclusively for dog poop, and it was overflowing.
No wonder the birds were thriving.
Another absurd little moment: At ASDA supermarket, formerly part of the Walmart family, we found a wonderful Grab & Go fridge right at the entrance. Beverages, sandwiches, salads, smoothies, fruit cups, all looked fairly healthy and convenient. Perfect for a quick meal.
I grabbed a pineapple container and approached the checkout, asking for a fork.
The lady shook her head. No cutlery was sold there.
I blinked.
“How are you supposed to eat any of these items you sell? Isn’t the whole concept of this fridge to provide something quick and easy to eat?”
Her answer: some people carry their own spork, a utensil that’s both a spoon and fork, in their purse.
Wow. I like to call myself organized, but I don’t bring cutlery in my bag for convenience-store pineapple. Back into the fridge it went.
Never a dull moment…
What’s the most absurd “tourist problem” you’ve encountered while traveling?
It’s been so much fun reading about your adventures in Scotland! I actually love the idea of carrying a spork and straw in my purse. We keep utensils in our insulated pack back for road trips. Why not carry them in my purse, too?
ReplyDeleteVisiting in the off season does give a different experience!
ReplyDeleteLike Kandas, I have an insulated bag. I carry lunch for bookgroup, with utensils in a roll up (small wooden spoon, chopsticks and wooden knife) and my stainless steel 'tiffen - which i also use (clean) for left overs when dining out.
I usually have a pair of chopsticks in my purse.
A fun experience - visiting Vancouver Island during off season - and overhearing locals grumble about the rude US tourists - not realizing i was in their midst! (And I do try not to be rude!)
I chameleon accents easily, so I likely dropped into the local patois if I spoke ... and thoroughly enjoyed being perceived as one of the locals!
We were staying in another biologist's well appointed guest room, and one of the house tules: after the 1st day, guests chip in with chores!
This was our second visit, and I said I thought that justified helping wash up the first day - but I didn't feel comfortable washing his grandmother's fine china tea set (~60$ a cup - in Le l the late 80s!!)
Ralph laughed, but said he'd wash them! And 'if one breaks, it breaks!' (None did!!)
Nadya
Thanks for another great tour Tamara, isn't this the second or third place that didn't have trash cans? One would think that would be a must to help keep cities clean. As for the utensils, maybe I shouldn't say this, but I also have a spoon in the bag! You never no when it will be needed. LOL
ReplyDeleteI am loving these pictures! Beautiful buildings and architecture. But the spork-in-purse thing blows my mind, LOL! Now that's being *very* prepared. But how impressive that area was, with a movie theater, and so many restaurants and shops. That would have been fun to explore. My most absurd tourist experience was having to climb a mountain with my car to get into Myrtle Beach, SC. Well, not really. But the road I was on seemed miles high, straight up, in the near-dark as I drove along. Rather intimidating, to say the least.
ReplyDelete