The last post left me wondering if I would ever have the courage to go out in Scotland. I've been out in a few places in the North of England and Birmingham. Up here I thought perhaps Edinburgh or Glasgow might be good options. I decided to go for it and the picture below was not far from my hotel.
Welcome to Aberdeen. The above picture is Marischal College apparently the second largest granite building in the world. It has been recently given a clean and is a very impressive sight. On a bright sunny day it is quite beautiful. I did read that it was rumoured that this was Adolf Hitler's favourite building in the UK. Thankfully he never got to stay there
I've had a love not quite hate view of Aberdeen, but I never thought I would venture outside in my female aspect. A really lovely Wiccan lady said to me in April after I returned from my last venture out in Manchester, 'May your wildest dreams come true'.She was someone I briefly met and I wore a bracelet out in Aberdeen I bought at that time. One of my wildest dreams did come true.
Aberdeen the oil capital of Europe, The Granite City, doesn't come across as a good place if you are Transgender, but I had a really good night out with no problems. There is no gay area, but with a few others girls we went to Cheerz a gay bar and club on Hadden Street near the train station.
This was a Tgirls night out arranged by Caz on a forum I am a member of.
Before checking into the hotel I went for a drab drink and lunch with Kalena and Stacey. Felt a bit out of place as I was at 20 years older than the pair of them. Afterwards it was off to the hotel. I had plenty of time to get ready. Strange how you make more mistakes with your make up when you have loads of time. Once I was ready I text Kalena and went round to her room where about 9 others girls had turned up. It was great to meet everyone and after a drink, taxi's were booked and it was off to Cheerz bar. When we got there, there seemed to be a lack of seats, but the place gets really busy. We got there just after 8pm.We all got some really nice comments outside from some lesbians. Speaking to a couple of them I got the feeling they understood how difficult it could be for us to be out in Aberdeen.
Below are a couple of photos outside Cheerz one I sorry to say is a bit blurred and unfortunately I didn't get more.
In the above photos I have my late wife's handbag. When I went to Manchester and stayed in The Village for the first time in 2008 I used it then and it felt right to take it out again. A proud local lass who accepted and supported me, I think she is smiling where ever she is now. I hope so.
One lass I spoke to from near Glasgow was on her first time out and was quite nervous which brought back memories for me. The one thing I don't want to do when talking to anybody is start going on about different places I've been and things I've done. I will if asked, but I don't want to come across as boasting. Everything I do and relate in this blog is because it's a need I have. The blog itself is to aid to my memories if they dim as I get older and if anyone who does read my ramblings gets something that helps them that's a real bonus.
Fiona, the lass on her first time out seemed a bit lost. In some ways going out for the first time in a big group can be seem like an advantage, but you can feel a bit lost. She left early before midnight while there were taxi's still at the rank outside Cheerz. In years gone by there was an infamous nightclub across from the taxi rank and at about 3am when the club kicked out there could be trouble at the taxi rank. Now after midnight you have to ring for a taxi. The club is now a hotel and restaurant.
After midnight we went to the club upstairs. Caz who had organised the night out had wrangled free entry for us. She was out with her wife and they are a really nice couple. One thing that struck me was the height of some of the girls and coupled with 4 inch heels I felt really small. I think I was the only one wearing flats. Upstairs it got really busy and sadly I didn't get a chance to have a dance. One thing I found amusing was the two admirers dressed in kilts. Only in Scotland. One who was proud of his scars from motorbike accidents was quite put out when someone asked him if he was gay.
It got really busy and when I went outside for some air there was quite a queue to get back in. I got talking to another Glasgow girl who told me she had no problems walking back to the hotel on a previous visit. A local girl who is transitioning quite happily uses the bus to get around. Her voice is the give away. She told me some funny stories of peoples reactions.
It had gone 2am and I decided to give walking back a go. It was about a 15 minute walk to the hotel. There were quite a few people about, especially on Union Street, the main street in the city centre.
Below is a picture in daylight-
On Union Street I really had to pinch myself . I had no problems and heard no comments. I did get a couple of looks passing a bus stop. On Queen Street outside Grampian Police HQ there were some wheelie bins. I decided to try and get a photo so I balanced the camera on a bin and set the timer.
The photo didn't come out to well.
Back at the hotel. I thought wow ! I did something, getting out in Aberdeen, that I never believed I would ever do.Talking to the other girls who were from various places in Scotland I will probably venture out in Glasgow. By all accounts it's better than Edinburgh which I was thinking of.
Next up is Sparkle where I hopefully will see my friends in Manchester again. If it wasn't for their help and support over the years I would not be able to do any of this and for that I am forever thankful and to any of the girls who I met in Aberdeen if any of you read this, thanks I had a wonderful time.
Welcome to Aberdeen. The above picture is Marischal College apparently the second largest granite building in the world. It has been recently given a clean and is a very impressive sight. On a bright sunny day it is quite beautiful. I did read that it was rumoured that this was Adolf Hitler's favourite building in the UK. Thankfully he never got to stay there
I've had a love not quite hate view of Aberdeen, but I never thought I would venture outside in my female aspect. A really lovely Wiccan lady said to me in April after I returned from my last venture out in Manchester, 'May your wildest dreams come true'.She was someone I briefly met and I wore a bracelet out in Aberdeen I bought at that time. One of my wildest dreams did come true.
Aberdeen the oil capital of Europe, The Granite City, doesn't come across as a good place if you are Transgender, but I had a really good night out with no problems. There is no gay area, but with a few others girls we went to Cheerz a gay bar and club on Hadden Street near the train station.
This was a Tgirls night out arranged by Caz on a forum I am a member of.
Before checking into the hotel I went for a drab drink and lunch with Kalena and Stacey. Felt a bit out of place as I was at 20 years older than the pair of them. Afterwards it was off to the hotel. I had plenty of time to get ready. Strange how you make more mistakes with your make up when you have loads of time. Once I was ready I text Kalena and went round to her room where about 9 others girls had turned up. It was great to meet everyone and after a drink, taxi's were booked and it was off to Cheerz bar. When we got there, there seemed to be a lack of seats, but the place gets really busy. We got there just after 8pm.We all got some really nice comments outside from some lesbians. Speaking to a couple of them I got the feeling they understood how difficult it could be for us to be out in Aberdeen.
Below are a couple of photos outside Cheerz one I sorry to say is a bit blurred and unfortunately I didn't get more.
In the above photos I have my late wife's handbag. When I went to Manchester and stayed in The Village for the first time in 2008 I used it then and it felt right to take it out again. A proud local lass who accepted and supported me, I think she is smiling where ever she is now. I hope so.
One lass I spoke to from near Glasgow was on her first time out and was quite nervous which brought back memories for me. The one thing I don't want to do when talking to anybody is start going on about different places I've been and things I've done. I will if asked, but I don't want to come across as boasting. Everything I do and relate in this blog is because it's a need I have. The blog itself is to aid to my memories if they dim as I get older and if anyone who does read my ramblings gets something that helps them that's a real bonus.
Fiona, the lass on her first time out seemed a bit lost. In some ways going out for the first time in a big group can be seem like an advantage, but you can feel a bit lost. She left early before midnight while there were taxi's still at the rank outside Cheerz. In years gone by there was an infamous nightclub across from the taxi rank and at about 3am when the club kicked out there could be trouble at the taxi rank. Now after midnight you have to ring for a taxi. The club is now a hotel and restaurant.
After midnight we went to the club upstairs. Caz who had organised the night out had wrangled free entry for us. She was out with her wife and they are a really nice couple. One thing that struck me was the height of some of the girls and coupled with 4 inch heels I felt really small. I think I was the only one wearing flats. Upstairs it got really busy and sadly I didn't get a chance to have a dance. One thing I found amusing was the two admirers dressed in kilts. Only in Scotland. One who was proud of his scars from motorbike accidents was quite put out when someone asked him if he was gay.
It got really busy and when I went outside for some air there was quite a queue to get back in. I got talking to another Glasgow girl who told me she had no problems walking back to the hotel on a previous visit. A local girl who is transitioning quite happily uses the bus to get around. Her voice is the give away. She told me some funny stories of peoples reactions.
It had gone 2am and I decided to give walking back a go. It was about a 15 minute walk to the hotel. There were quite a few people about, especially on Union Street, the main street in the city centre.
Below is a picture in daylight-
On Union Street I really had to pinch myself . I had no problems and heard no comments. I did get a couple of looks passing a bus stop. On Queen Street outside Grampian Police HQ there were some wheelie bins. I decided to try and get a photo so I balanced the camera on a bin and set the timer.
The photo didn't come out to well.
Back at the hotel. I thought wow ! I did something, getting out in Aberdeen, that I never believed I would ever do.Talking to the other girls who were from various places in Scotland I will probably venture out in Glasgow. By all accounts it's better than Edinburgh which I was thinking of.
Next up is Sparkle where I hopefully will see my friends in Manchester again. If it wasn't for their help and support over the years I would not be able to do any of this and for that I am forever thankful and to any of the girls who I met in Aberdeen if any of you read this, thanks I had a wonderful time.
2 comments:
Well done Karen, great post !
That's you, broken the dream and
more -
see you soon
x
Di
Thank you Diana, I am glad you liked the post. Looking forward to getting out again and seeing you.
xx
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