Friday 9 September 2011

Dundee the Fair

Every tourist guide that can be purchased outside of Britain makes the same crucial and cruel mistake by downplaying the beauty of Scotland's pretty little harbour town Dundee. Most of them don't even mention more about this pretty place then the notorious Tay Bridge disaster and possibly the decaying state of the city's industry. But what mistake! Why not mention the pitoresque streets around the university district? Its excellent sea food restaurant? Its contribution to the world of gaming with the infamous carjacking adventure "Grand Theft Auto"? Its newly done riverside walk ways? Its gigantic Primark shop, that towers over more puny shops in the city's shopping heart and offers a wide array of cheapest clothing sewn together in the exotic Indian province of Tamil Nadur by skilled children? It's hearty pubs along the marina, where people held up the tradition of karaoke while still wearing amazing garments and haircuts from the late 70ties?
Dundee was also the home of the world's worst poet ever: William Topaz McGonnagall. He wrote these glass shattering lines about Dundee the Fair:

Oh, Bonnie Dundee, I will sing in thy praise,
A few but true simple lays,
Regarding some of your beauties of the present day
and virtually speaking, there's none can them gainsay.

Ouch.

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