Spending The Day In Dundee

 

Last weekend we decided to go somewhere different and we spent a day in Dundee!

I often think Dundee is overlooked in comparison to the larger Scottish cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness. Somewhere you pass through to get to another destination and rarely somewhere you visit.

Dundee is just over an hours drive from Aberdeen so it took no time at all to get there and contrary to the weather reports – It was a nice day!

So, who recognises the character above?

This was one of the reasons we decided to visit. I don’t know if it’s just the Scottish but we grew up on The Broons, Oor Wullie and The Dandy and Beano. These were published in Dundee so they have bits and pieces (murals, pictures on buses etc) of the characters including statues around the city, with the newest being Oor Wullie, so we wanted to locate it!

 

Having never set foot out of the shopping area in Dundee we decided to take a couple of backstreets and explore a little further. Dundee has some gorgeous architecture, that quite honestly, I didn’t expect! And they have stoops! Something Aberdeen does not have enough of.

I was really pleasantly surprised by how..pretty it was! It’s a terrible thing to say but I just had no idea how nice a city Dundee is.

We came across this record store which was just past the main shopping centre and it was a treasure trove. I think you would need a full day to really sift through all the records there but I have no doubt you would find some bargains! Definitely worth a visit if you are into your music.

So here he is! The main man. Oor Wullie..with his trusty bucket and pea-shooter.

Never sure where to eat in a different city, I looked up some reviews of local cafes and restaurants.

We decided on Avery & Co. The reviews did not do this place justice.

It was lunchtime and it was steadily busy, there were free tables but a lot of customers too. What really stood out was the age range of customers. This seemed quite a ‘trendy’ place to be but it was nice to see all different age groups enjoying the food and surroundings and that it was somewhere for everyone.

So I got a bit snap happy in here because it was so pretty, then the drinks came..and then the food..so this is photo overload!

So..everyone else in the restaurant had a milkshake, this seemed strange to me as i’m not a huge milkshake fan so I figured they must be good.

I got the vanilla and it was glorious. Made with real ice cream and not an artificial flavouring – Try one if you are ever stopping by.

As it was lunch, I went for a starter..and chips.

It’s always a meal, and chips. Is that a Scottish thing? Please tell me you do that? Nope, Ok.

Anyway, I got the Sweet Potato Quesadilla, again, this was delicious. I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did, I thought it would be nice enough and do the job..but again, please try one!

‘Sweet potato roasted with a blend of mexican spices then stuffed inside a soft flour tortilla with grated cheddar cheese and baked until crisp.  Served with salsa, sour cream and guacamole ( v)’

Peter being Peter..he got a burger. Nothing new there! But he did really enjoy it and we both commented on how Aberdeen could do with somewhere like this. Take note!

We didn’t actually do too much shopping while here as we are trying hard to save money for various trips.

BUT..Dundee TK Maxx is somewhere to check out! If you love your homeware, this is the store to go to! Oh, and also check out the British Heart Foundation – i’ve seen some amazing mid century pieces in there.

What are your thoughts on Dundee?