Shipbuilding, whaling, jute, journalism, bridges, creative design, and dolphins… what’s not to like about the fabulous city of Dundee.

Well, the whales bit is a stretch these days! But, according to the informative Verdant Works Museum based in an old jute mill, it’s whale oil that led Dundee to be the centre of the world for the jute industry (until India eventually took over).

At the time, Dundee was known as ‘She Town‘ because the women made up the majority of the paid workforce… poorly paid by men, of course. But apparently, they held their own in Victorian drunkenness and misdemeanour statistics.

Then there is journalism… a tradition commemorated in the central square by – of all characters – Desperate Dan & Minnie the Minx…

Most recently, the creative design reinvention has been recognised in the iconic V&A Museum (the first outside of London). An essential element of the building is apparently based on the cliffs of the Scottish coastline…

Then there are those all-important bridges across the River Tay. The sweep of the Tay Railway Bridge has been an emblem of the city back to Victorian times. With the Tay Road Bridge or more recent addition…

Until we speak again, Scotland’s forgotten gem on the east coast has long been on my list. The wait has been well worth it. Even the locals came out to provide a welcome…