With my feet feeling strong and the day very comfortable I decided to walk the 2-3 miles to the Uni. They have a Zoologic Museum and a wee Botanic garden there. And since Aberdeen is a very walkable and relatively flat (for Scotland) city, off I went.
The Uni is in an older, quiet part of town with nice houses and cobbled streets and as I’ve said many times, if you can walk it, walk it. The fresh air and aromas from the gardens, the springtime bird songs make the days delightful. Take off the headsets and experience real life. You’ve heard that rubbish song 100 times! And the private gardens are so nice.
I expected to see Dennis Moore come to steal them, if you grok the reference, you came of age in the 70’s
As I entered the campus I saw Kings Chapel.
A grand old edifice with a central quadrangle. In addition to the chapel there is I believe a college and some student resource areas if you pass through the doors between the unicorn and lion.
The chapel is both simple and beautiful. And of course a good place for quiet contemplation.
I can’t count now the number of chapels, churches and cathedrals I’ve visited. Whilst not a fan of organized religion, more of a Deist, I do acknowledge the Creator and all the things that give the name to the he, she or more likely it as I rather doubt we would see either gender through the majesty and glory of that we all the “Creator”. And yet I do admire those whose faith has led them to build such creations of their own to the honor of God. How Salisbury or Glasgow, for example, were built in the epoch of history they were begun boggles my wee mind.
Upon leaving I saw a sign that states “No Photography”. I apologize, but if you want to enforce such directive it might make sense to not position the sign where it is obscured by the door you enter through. It is only visible as you leave. This one is not my bad. If one is not made privy to the rules it’s hard to observe them! Which I would of course do even with only God as an observer.
Further into the campus I found the Botanic Garden near the school of Botany. Duh!
My mother loved her peonies and they brought her to mind.
Like a lavender waterfall.
looked like azalea but it’s rhododendron
A grass labyrinth
Plenty of benches where you can sit and simply breath deeply. Oddly enough my two favorite UK plants, Monkey Puzzle Trees and Great Gunnera were nowhere to be found.
Just through the Garden is the entrance to the Zoologic building and the museum in holds. I’ll get my usual complaint out of the way, if plastic were used instead of glass there would be less reflections.
Elephants, coelacanth, flightless parrot?, kiwi, crocodile, saber-tooth tiger, emu, ostrich, black & red grouse, capercaillie, ruffed grouse and eagle. Reminded me of the one in Dublin.
By the time I got back to City Center I was parched and knew there was one place where I could find what I needed.
So I looked for the sign of the BrewDog. Having found this brewery owned pub in Glasgow a while back I knew my taste buds were in for a treat. I started with a Phoenix. At £4.85 for 1/3 of a pint, it seems steep but since it is aged in whiskey barrels and comes in at 15% a full one would lay you out.
I’m not sure of the ceiling piping is functional as I’ve seen it in other Brewdogs, but the place has a great welcoming atmosphere.
Good news America the new brewery in Cleveland, Ohio is up and running. I was told that they will open the first pubs there and then focus on areas where there are a lot of shareholders. Mr. Google will explain.
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