Category Archives: Aberdeen

The recession

Blasdale Home Posted on by

The recession, or what recession. The chaps in the pub seem to be very busy. I have not met anyone who does not have enough work. Commenting this sorry in Twitter, it was deemed I must come from an affluent area.

For me, an employee, chargeable work has been pretty busy in the last few months. Old projects have come to an end with Aberdeen going live with their upgrade.

A short visit to Edinburgh to sort out an infrastructure change for a long standing client in the life assurance business. Had a great meal at a Tapas bar, and then of course what visit to Edinburgh would be complete without a visit to Whistle Binkies and some local Scottish musicians.

More recently new projects in Shropshire and Caerphilly have kept me busy with software upgrades. Caerphilly was interesting from a drinking and eating perspective. First week a premier inn and one of those cheap pub chains. The food was crap, and the premier inn was the premier inn with Lenni Henry sized beds. Luckily the weather was warm, and I could escape out side to drink a few pints and tweet to my tweeps in the dark. Ah the reason I drank outside was to miss the pub quiz.

Week after stayed at the Bryn Meadows Golf and Country club. Cost not a lot more, but gym and Swimming pool and a lush bedroom. Food and drink not outrageous either, at least compared with major cities.

The week after only suites available at the BM rather to costly for the budget. So tried the Half Way house in Blackwood. Pub with some new modern rooms. Rather nice friendly eye candy serving in the bar, and the land lord came and shook hands. Even the regular Welsh customers came up and spoke with the English man. Alas did not escape the Tuesday pub quiz. I won’t mention my score. Excuse, I was in a team of my own.

Shropshire was for a couple of days, which turned into three. Stayed in a hotel which could be classed as a boarding house. Was OK. Nice restaurant near by for food, but rather pot luck on what was severed. Not sure how a sirloin steak with salad was transformed into fillet steak with vegetables.

Should have a new install coming up in Brummie land on return from holiday.

Aberdeen the oil city

Blasdale Home Posted on by

A working week in Scotland.   In Aberdeen, the first time I have ever been there.  One different aspect of the Aberdeen airport was the number of helicopters landing and taking off.  I assume they were off to the rigs.

Arriving in Aberdeen with my fleece and water proofs only to be faced with sun.  Yes Aberdeen was sunny all week, though not yet warm. I was off to work at the Robert Gordon University, taxi into town with a chatty driver, who explained where the entertainment spots in the city were.  He also explained the city was called the Silver City, the mica in the Granite reflecting the sun, making the place Silver in the sun, though reverting to the drab granite in the more usual cloudy wet weather.

Made it to work in a large building on Andrew Street.  After work walked to Mint Apartments, about a mile away.  The company I work for had booked me into a hotel that was 15 minutes away.  Yes 15 minutes by taxi on a good day, 30 plus minutes during the day rush hour.  Google Street view also showed the hotel was stuck in the middle of an industrial estate with nothing around.   I cancelled this hotel and booked Mint Apartments, a serviced flat nearby.  Nice place, recently upgraded to a good standard, the place is cleaned daily and they even changed the towels and made the bed every day. Free Internet connection, a must.

I ate in the local Italian restaurant  under the apartments, friendly staff.  Should maybe have eaten there another day, but places to explore.  What else did I eat,  Chinese  down the road, large place in an office block.  Reasonable. price

Wednesday and Thursday I ate at the Monsoona on Bridge Street, a Healthy Indian Cuisine Restaurant. What is one of those  It turned out to be good.

Next day, a long day, lots of waiting around in Aberdeen airport for the  late flight home, and eventually back home just before midnight.  Drive back from Luton was fraught, no fuel, driving on empty.  The  road I was heading for was closed for night work.  This is were I found the vagaries of Sat Nav.  Took it ages to forget the route I had wanted to drive, despite the fact it did not originally want me to go that route.  Once she had decided not to take me down the closed road, she was to take me down the M1, M25 and up the A41.  Yes she, Hunni Desire was fixated on this route and would not forget it.  Luckily I knew where I was going and ignore her imploring.!!!