When many people think of Aberdeen, they think of Granite.. but do they think of greenspace?  Glasgow may be the Dear Green Place  but Aberdeen has wonderful green spaces, and architecture which delights.  I watched a Jonathan Meades documentary on the BBC where it was said that many of the 300 year old buildings look brand new because of the qualities of granite.. we were lucky to see the city on yet another glorious sunny May weekend so it shined beautifully where the sun hit the stone.  The baronial buildings and sculpted crests looked beautiful against the blue sky.  Imagine the patience and skill to carve that Bon Accord crest- situated on the “corporation electricity works” building.

Union Street Gardens were buzzing, many people out in the sun and even a team of drummers offering taster sessions.  The soundtrack to the sun!

If you sneak off Union Street you will be treated to a peek at the Peacock Gallery, a contemporary arts space which houses many exhibitions.  The weekend we visited was the last day of the Jacki Parry exhibition entitled “Resonance- Paper as memory” which contained elegant paper sculptures and also huge collages made from handmade paper and recycled books.  The one of Port Dundas was particularly striking as anyone who has seen this chimney will know it is a big feature on the Glasgow skyline, visible from the M8 and the city centre.  Words entwined with painted images and delicate paper, a huge almost tapestry style hanging (part of a series of four).  The other gallery contained an amazing piece of patience… art created soley using a typewriter. I had to stare at this so many times, almost in disbelief, to work out that it was a series of commas and other punctuation marks forming what appeared to be a hillscape; utterly entrancing to look at.

If you go for a wander along the river you will be treated to the newly restored Duthie Park. It is a fabulous space which contains formal glasshouses and a Japanese garden, a scented corridor and many recreated ponds.  It is an excellent place in which to lose yourself and absorb some of the city.  You can also find floral specimens from all the other Aberdeens in the world, quite a geographical challenge as one of them is 10,290 miles away in New South Wales!