As I began to write this post, I couldn’t decide what was about. Another tribute to Aberdeen, a city that I love with all my heart? Or a restaurant rave, based on my second wonderful experience at Chaophraya, a fab Thai outfit there? Or an essay on how the best restaurant experiences are those in which the restaurant (or rather, its people) and the diner are involved in an ongoing dialogue? I tried to make it about all three topics, but then when I gathered my photographs, I knew that Aberdeen and its golden light needed a post all its own. I’ll give Chaophraya my love and affection in another post, where I’ll spotlight how they made me feel special.
Let’s just go with: I love Aberdeen.
Aberdonians (that’s what people who live there are called, although I think Aberdeeners would be more apropos, don’t you?) will blush with pride when you say this, because they see the truth in it.
But then they will spend a beer’s worth of time explaining why it’s NOT lovable – too gray, too granite-y, too rainy, and damp, the decline in the energy business since the early boom-boom in the 60s, the football teams that sometimes disappoint (but most of the time, don’t).
This is all just false humility, because they know, just like I know, that Aberdeen is a unique and lovable place, a one-of-a-kind locale that has earned its status in people’s hearts.
The Granite City; Luminous in the Sunlight
While locals complain ad nauseum about the rainy damp existence and gray skies, there’s another and more luminous aspect to Aberdeen, which is known as the Granite City. Many important structures in Europe were built from Aberdeen granite, and the city itself is a monument to its native stone. When the sun shines, be ready for your heart to leap to attention – Aberdeen KNOWS how to leverage the golden sunlight and bring out the natural sparkles in its granite.
I’ve probably been to Aberdeen a dozen times in the last eight years, for work and for pleasure. Work first, and then pleasure once I was enchanted by the city’s charms. Here’s a smattering of photos selected only for the light… I have so many more, and so many more stories to share… but that’s for another time.
The Grill-Meister and I spent a lovely few days in Aberdeen as part of our 15th anniversary trip in 2023, which spawned many memories.
But let’s just share the pics of the golden Aberdeen glow tonight.
I’m a very amateur photographer, but I hope you can get a sense of the golden light that Aberdeen shares with its residents and visitors, a simple and innate gesture of geographical hospitality that draws me back, again and again.
I have a few other Aberdeen-based posts:
If you made it this far, you realize I’m sincerity at 100% strength when I say I LOVE Aberdeen. Give it a visit! Let me know if you go and I’ll enjoy your trip vicariously, and regale you with Aberdeen travel recommendations.
Stlll to come, that restaurant rave about Chaophraya and how they made me feel like royalty.
© 2025, Glover Gardens
What a beautiful cityscape!
It really is! It deserves the love.
I think you have been to Aberdeen far more than I have!
Wow, that’s saying something! Now I just need to get back to Glasgow and meet up with you in person. 😃
That would be excellent!
I am planning on making that happen. I think you and I have been connected since 2015, the first year of my blog.
That’s a long time! I can’t actually remember how we connected. Did you do an A to Z Challenge? I connected with a lot of people when I did those in 2014 and 2015 but most have now disappeared.