![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Kevin and I went to Brighton yesterday. We woke up around 8 in the morning, ate our breakfast, took our showers, and managed to get to Victoria Train Station by 10:30. Up until then, I wasn't really thinking about my actions, about where my legs were taking me. It was only when the train began to move, and the view from my window was no longer the station but the skies and the monolithic energy plant that stands beside Victoria, that I realized we were actually leaving London. To our luck, it was sunny.
We arrived in Brighton around 11:30 and headed towards the sea. There were many tourists like ourselves wandering around. Most of the stores were closed. As we got to the wide promenade that snakes around the beach line, we saw to our right a burnt down pier.
( Photo of the collapsed West Pier )
There were hundreds of people wandering up and down the promenade, skating, throwing frizbees. On the pebble beach, couples lay under the cool sun, children shouted at the incoming tide, the sea was as still as a giant lake. We walked around for a bit then went back into the city to look for a pub. We ate fish and chips (with a pint of Kronenburg) at The Druid's Head. I tried reading through the News of the World but got stomach sick with so much attention given to David Beckham and Skeletor. They don't deserve it. If you don't know who they are, consider yourself lucky.
We walked through North Laine, glancing at the closed shops that sold sub-culture clothes, antique books and vintage toys. Afterwards, we headed for the East pier (that still stands, strong and proud, with an amusement park and casino jackpot machines). We bought some icecream and watched the people on the beach throwing rocks into the sea, or flinging their frizbees, or just sitting down and watching the sailing boats. The pier was clogged with families, children running back and forth between the amusement rides - we even spotted couples dressed from head to toe in leather and had to wonder what they were doing there.
( photo of the Brighton pier )
Eventually, we lay on the pebble beach as well and watched the jetski showoffs speed back and forth beside the pier, the sun go dim. By then, even a second casual stroll through North Laine, or a search in the antique arcades, was too tiring. We climbed a hill, got lost behind the train station, and finally took the 16:30 train home. We were sunburnt. To finish our night, we watched a cheery Mike Leigh movie: "Meantime".
***
Today, we finally get to see "Monster", with our old housemate Silke. Tomorrow, my new job for the week - updating websites for a housing association.
We arrived in Brighton around 11:30 and headed towards the sea. There were many tourists like ourselves wandering around. Most of the stores were closed. As we got to the wide promenade that snakes around the beach line, we saw to our right a burnt down pier.
( Photo of the collapsed West Pier )
There were hundreds of people wandering up and down the promenade, skating, throwing frizbees. On the pebble beach, couples lay under the cool sun, children shouted at the incoming tide, the sea was as still as a giant lake. We walked around for a bit then went back into the city to look for a pub. We ate fish and chips (with a pint of Kronenburg) at The Druid's Head. I tried reading through the News of the World but got stomach sick with so much attention given to David Beckham and Skeletor. They don't deserve it. If you don't know who they are, consider yourself lucky.
We walked through North Laine, glancing at the closed shops that sold sub-culture clothes, antique books and vintage toys. Afterwards, we headed for the East pier (that still stands, strong and proud, with an amusement park and casino jackpot machines). We bought some icecream and watched the people on the beach throwing rocks into the sea, or flinging their frizbees, or just sitting down and watching the sailing boats. The pier was clogged with families, children running back and forth between the amusement rides - we even spotted couples dressed from head to toe in leather and had to wonder what they were doing there.
( photo of the Brighton pier )
Eventually, we lay on the pebble beach as well and watched the jetski showoffs speed back and forth beside the pier, the sun go dim. By then, even a second casual stroll through North Laine, or a search in the antique arcades, was too tiring. We climbed a hill, got lost behind the train station, and finally took the 16:30 train home. We were sunburnt. To finish our night, we watched a cheery Mike Leigh movie: "Meantime".
***
Today, we finally get to see "Monster", with our old housemate Silke. Tomorrow, my new job for the week - updating websites for a housing association.
