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the village of tiny houses

Scotland Day Two Part Three

By Tineke Ziemer

April 8^th, 2018

"Fittie"

You could almost drive by and miss this quirky unspoiled fishing village from 1809. Nestled between the vast ocean, the harbour and the industrial docks in Aberdeen, the last thing you'd expect to find is a quiet residential neighbourhood of tiny houses. Yet there stands Footdee, known to locals as "Fittie," where it has been since the early 1800s when it was built to accommodate the influx of fishing families arriving from impoverished areas.

We had a few minutes to check it out while we were down near the harbour, but after one step onto those fairy tale cobblestone streets, I was hooked. Sherrylynn too. We were like two kids in a giant candy store, taking in the colourful doorways, eccentric decor and charming character of each little house. It was like entering a whole new world. Each place was uniquely decorated with its own personality and its own story to tell. I could have spent days enjoying all the unusual treasures.

All too soon our time was up and our van was heading off to watch the sunset over Aberdeen. As lovely as that sounded, Sherrylynn and I begged them to leave us in Footdee and come back for us later. So, as dusk set in and our fingers became numb in the frigid ocean air, we traversed the empty streets of Fittie with unbridled enthusiasm, our passion for street photography trumping our need to pee or stay warm.

dreaming of colour

I'd far rather lose myself in the little details than get stuck in the bigger picture. Traversing Fittee is a street photographer's dream, with colours, textures and character around every bend. I love to isolate one tiny part of a scene and discover the message it is speaking to me.

The bright colours of Footdee caught my eye first and then drew me further and further until I found myself lost in the reverie of discovering each new doorway and bench.

Textures to-die-for

After exploring the endless bright colours, my eyes began to seek out the more subtle details of Fittie. There was texture everywhere! Texture in the crumbling layers of the buildings, texture in the pealing paint on the gates and doorways, texture in the unique decor that adorned the streets and homes. And it was in those places that I found the stories that spoke the loudest.

quite the character

What I most loved about my time in Fittie was the people I met. And though I did not actually meet one single person (the streets were remarkably quiet and empty), I got to experience them through the character of their homes. Each tiny house and plot is decorated with affection, with nostalgia, with memories and time. I felt that I learned a little about each quirky inhabitant through their artful displays. Their sense of humour, their love for the sea, their travels and treasures. These are all part of the beauty that makes Footdee a one-of-a-kind village of tiny houses.

shine bright

As if the evening wasn't exciting enough, as we wandered the harbour waiting for our ride, we ended up with the most glorious view of the sunset over Aberdeen. We really got the best of both worlds that night.

By the time we got back to our flat, it was nightfall and we were all starving, so we put away our gear and headed out to "The Boozy Cow" for dinner. (Gotta love Scottish Pub names!) But just before we left, I had to grab the camera for one last shot when I noticed the pretty light emanating from our hallway chandelier. Sometimes the most beautiful shots are right beneath your feet...or rather, above your head!

Don't forget to comment with the title of your favourite image from today's blog post before midnight tonight (Sunday, April 8). Tomorrow morning I will do a draw for someone to receive a free print! Thank you so much for all of your comments on my work - it is so meaningful!