Brighton Rocks
During the recent bank holiday weekend I fancied getting out of London for a bit and exploring somewhere new. I decided on Brighton, although I have been there a couple of times before. Both times I mostly saw Brighton when it was dark and I was very drunk (birthday/hen-weekend style). The sun was shining, the train to Brighton is fast, so off we went!
First up was a walk around the Lanes, small winding streets with little boutiques and shops. And such cute bunting everywhere! There was a massive crowd outside Choccywoccydoodah, the bakery that features in its own reality show. This was a shame as we thought we might get a sneaky cuppa and cake in there. No such luck - it was one in one out.
Just on the edge of the Lanes is such a beautiful park area, it was like being abroad somewhere lush and hot. You turn a corner and see the historic Royal Pavilion, a.k.a the Palace of Iced Gems. (Not really).
This was the former home of actual royalty, and it's amazing that it's right in town and not up on some remote hill somewhere. There's also a free museum in the grounds. We couldn't resist going inside the Pavilion, which costs around £12. It's so worth it as the interior is stunning, there's a banquet hall with a 30ft chandelier which just makes you go WOW! Unfortunately, during the two hours we spent inside, the gorgeous sunshine and blue skies vanished. Sad face.
The rest of the day was a little bit more grey and breezy, but what's a good old bank holiday by the seaside without some pants weather eh?
I felt sorry for this bride though, if only her wedding had been a few hours earlier! Loved the dress and the VW transport though! SO Brighton....
I don't know how, but my friend convinced me to go on the giant big wheel on the beach. I loved going on the London Eye and looking out over spectacular London views, but this one was more like a rickety ride. You sit in really wobbly pods that swing about in the breeze, and for all six giant rotations I felt decidely uncomfortable.
Whilst I was terrified in the air I saw that there was a massive crowd gathering further down the promenade. As soon as we were back on land we went to check it out.
Turns out it was a Mod Weekender, a gathering of Mods and their gorgeous scooters. Some of these Mods you could just tell have lived this life since the 60's. Loving their dedication! There were also brand new baby Mods... cute!
You can't visit Brighton and not have a walk on the pier. It's mostly noisy arcades and funfair rides, but the views looking back at Brighton are pretty. Argghgh - the big wheel again! *shiver*
Brighton is packed with quirky shops, colourful buildings, and street art. On the downside it's also full of tourists and seems to be busy everywhere, although this was a bank holiday weekend. But it's definitely worth a visit for the Royal Pavilion alone. Have you ever read the book Brighton Rock, or seen the original film? We were talking about it whilst we were there, and when we got home we heard the sad news that the star of the film, Richard Attenborough, had died. Spooky! That aside, I heart you Brighton!