Bonny Dundee

J and I went to Dundee today.  When we arrived it was bright sunshine and the city was indeed looking very bonny.  It had been our plan for me to go for my eye test and then afterwards to look at the V&A and the Discovery ship and museum.

When we came out of the opticians it was pouring with rain and the idea of going over a ship in it did not appeal – so after a brief visit to the new Frasers, we went to the cathedral.  St Paul’s (the Dundee version) was built in 1855 (one year after our house). It rather resembles a larger version of St James the Great in Cupar which was built a few years later in 1866.

We were the only people in the cathedral and it was quiet and peaceful.  Whether you believe in God or not, it is hard to be in a building like this without feeling (as George Orwell put it) a “sort of spiritual comeliness”, a sense that we would be lessened if our churches were all abandoned to be converted into flats and leisure centres.

Then we went to the V&A.  I have spoken about this before so I won’t repeat myself except to say that I am not keen on the building (the outside at least – the inside is ok),  or the political tone of many of the exhibits.  We had quite a good (though expensive for what it was) lunch – at which I believe a sin against Dundee’s heritage was committed.  This was described as a “Dundee cake”.

Could those be cherries I see?  And quite large pieces of candied peel?  Tut, Tut….  It was quite nice though.