31 Signs You Grew Up In Aberdeen

The glorious Granite City.

1. Your favourite bird is the seagull

Via Flickr: lwr

Noisy buggers.

2. You love a rowie or two

Via en.wikipedia.org

Because lard.

3. You know the beach is amazing

Via Flickr: 26614661@N00

Although it only looks like this about twice a year.

4. You even used to think it was totally normal to swim here

Via Flickr: bobthelomond

At least until you were old enough to know what hypothermia was.

5. You were secretly proud when Peep Peeps was on Britain's Toughest Pubs

Via geograph.org.uk

Even though you never actually went in.

6. Every night out ended in Amadeus

Via Flickr: 31344171@N03

Even though, you know, it was Amadeus.

7. You know that Big Aggie from Torry is the best thing on YouTube

"I'm goin' ta murder yoo!"

8. Apart from this

Up the Dons!

9. You thought big buildings in all cities looked like this

Via Flickr: simonvarwell

Mmm, granite-y.

10. In fact, you're still suspicious of any building that isn't grey

Via Flickr: bobthelomond

Lovely, lovely granite.

11. Your granny used to shop in here

Via Flickr: simonvarwell

This is also where you got your school uniform from, but that was the only time you ever actually went inside.

12. This is a fly cup and a funcy piece

Via Flickr: jenosaur

Worth going all the way to the garden centre for.

13. You thought being able to see the continuity announcers on ITV was totally normal

Via www2.tv-ark.org.uk

And only realised it wasn't when you went south of Dundee and noticed that everywhere else had done away with it years ago.

14. You watched this bloke on children's TV

Via amazon.co.uk

Even though you had no idea what he was talking about.

15. This man is the "former Aberdeen manager"

Via en.wikipedia.org

Up the Dons!

16. Going to see Spike the Talking Cactus was enough reason for a day out

Via Facebook: Reinstate-Spike-The-Talking-Cactus-at-Aberdeens-Duthie-Park

It was even worth trailing around the rest of the Duthie Park Winter Gardens for.

17. Stonehaven Outdoor Pool was a really exotic road trip

Via Flickr: ilike

Just like being on holiday. Only in Stonehaven.

18. You had to read Lewis Grassic Gibbon's Sunset Song at school

Via waterstones.com

Although you had to admit it was pretty good.

19. Despite that, you were disappointed the Grassic Gibbon Centre had nothing to do with monkeys

Via Flickr: tourscotland

Boo!

20. You're totally over the Northern Lights

Via Flickr: op_timus

Because you've seen them loads.

21. But nothing was more exciting as a kid than going to Codona's

Via Flickr: spoiltcat

Especially when one of your mates had a birthday party at Ramboland.

22. You know that Dunnottar is a proper castle

Via Flickr: leguan001

Ruins on rocky outcrops FTW.

23. And that haddock is the only fish to have with a chippy tea

Via Flickr: 79796956@N00

Especially from the Ashvale.

24. These street signs make you happy

Via Flickr: 79796956@N00

Particularly those little hand bits on the end.

25. You're an expert at having the exact fare ready when getting on a bus

Via Flickr: hunter0405

Even though most places in the outside world will give you change.

26. You used to watch Aberdeen Cable

Although it was spectacularly rubbish.

27. Your friends' dads all worked in the oil industry

Via Flickr: suncorenergy

Probably somewhere like this.

28. What they actually did was a mystery, but you were pretty sure it had something to do with pipes

Via Flickr: isadocafe

Lots of pipes.

29. And you know that, although some things about Aberdeen aren't what they used to be

Via Flickr: roger_g1

The Dons haven't won anything in, ahem, quite a while.

30. And some favourite places are sadly missed

Via Facebook: OneUpRecords

The legendary One Up Records, probably where you bought the second Geneva album out of Aberdonian loyalty.

31. You know that it's still the greatest city in the world

Via Flickr: bestviewedfromabove

(Warning: slight exaggeration. But only a slight one)