Wandering around Hastings: St Leonards and Ore

Today I began with a full English Breakfast at the B&B I’m staying at: absolutely delicious. Later I had a slice of Victoria Sponge cake and a cup of tea at a local bakery down the road: also delicious. 

I walked down to the Promenade with my lunch and the Daily Mail weekend newspaper. I walked to Ore Town Centre and back. I passed seagulls either sitting on the pebbly beach or bathing in the sea.

They did this in certain ways including sitting on varying levels of a structure which was in the water. This meant the seagulls on the lower levels got wetter than those on the upper ones and I thought the seagulls were very clever to have worked this out for themselves. I passed a theatre, 

a Queen Victoria statue in front of Warrior Square

and saw the castle ruins on the hill in Ore. I walked back past a jazz performance venue
and found St Leonards Gardens. Through a towering archway and open black giant spiky gates and onto the winding hilly paths past flower beds and trees.

There were bluebells, daffodils and many other flowers.

Birds chirped from the branches of the trees. I found an excellent vantage point almost at the top of the gardens where I could see across the entire area and look out to the sea beyond it: fantastic place to read my paper. 

Squirrel in a Tree

I had my breakfast on a bench under a tall, leafy tree this morning when I looked behind me and saw a grey squirrel on the tree, nut in mouth. In the time it took me to take out my camera it had scurried to a very high branch, nut still firmly in mouth.

In St Leonards-on-sea

Today I caught two trains and a bus from Brighton to St Leonards-on-sea. It was a beautiful train journey in the rain through lush green moors with cows and sheep, past houses and even the sea! When I arrived at St Leonards Warrior Square Station, I caught a taxi to the Bed & Breakfast. What a wonderful place! I had a belated breakfast at a nice cafe’ down the road with the best hot chocolate I have ever tasted! Then I went back to the B&B to relax and enjoy gazing out the windows at the rainy landscape outside. 

Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival

I caught a taxi along the seafront from Brighton to Hove today. It was such a beautiful drive with the glittering sea on the left and the shops and old-fashioned hotels on the right! As I was walking back to Brighton, I came across the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival! Stalls with all manner of food and drink lined a grassy area not far from the promenade. There was even a jumping castle! I bought a pork sausage roll, a very rich chocolate brownie with nuts and a solid chocolate bottom and a pistachio and honey bun which to me tasted something like shortbread! Absolutely delicious though 🙂 I looked at every stall until I came back to the promenade and made my way to a bench looking out to sea. I sat at it and ate my food. The giant seagulls were out and one of them was nestled on the pebbly beach and gazing out to sea too! There were yachts in the distance and what looked to be a fishing boat. 

Lunch in an English Pub

Today I discovered a new park! I walked past “my” regular park in Front of St Peter’s Church. I continued walking and tall green trees began to line the pathway. I turned to follow a path and found myself in a park with tulips and other flowers which also had a play area for children and a cafe’. I settled myself on a bench near some flowers and began reading my book. After a time, my stomach began to rumble and scents of inviting foods lingered on the air. I ventured back the way I came and found a quaint pub on a corner.. I entered through the glass doors and ordered a glass of Pimm’s and really an entree’ of cheesy chips. The entree’ or “beer bites” was so delicious and filling, I made it my lunch 🙂 The pub was nice and warm inside with comforting lighting and music. The bar staff were wonderful too 🙂 

A Visit to a Museum & Art Gallery

Today I visited the building I had seen peeking through the trees from the Royal Pavilion Gardens the other day: The Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.

It was free entry so I walked in and began my self-guided tour. The museum has a variety of sections and two levels that I found. I walked over the threshold and was faced with centuries of pottery describing England’s history through people, places, historical events and so forth. I also came across the Sussex Ice Age section where people could measure their height compared to ancient creatures which once roamed this area. Even the dragonfly was huge. A history of Brighton was in another section describing how the Brighton area was once a seaside resort where people would come and bathe for health benefits. They would have their own personal “bathers” for men and “dippers” for women. There was a history of fashion in one section with clothing from the past to the present on display. This included bathing suits worn by women in Brighton. My favourite item on display was a floor length sleeveless white dress with silver glittering ferns running down it. There were clothes from hippies, Goths, Mods & Rockers subcultures, gentry dress and dress inspired from other countries, nations and cultures. There were shoes too and men’s clothing. I did not take photographs. I walked through the Egyptian section with mummies and then through the Art Gallery. This place had many displays including paintings of women by women artists. It was very intriguing. My favourite artworks though were landscapes and I was lucky enough to come across some which were painted of the beautiful English countryside settings with  “patchwork quilts” of fenced fields rolling into the distance, large skies and cottages dotting the landscapes. I began walking back through the park with Queen Victoria’s statue and saw a water fountain spouting water high into the sky.

I also saw a huge tree with a thick trunk which looked as though it belonged in Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest.

I finished my day walking through the “tulip park” surrounded by colourful spring blooms  🙂

A Day by the Seaside

Today I spent a day by the seaside. I wandered down to Brighton Beach.

I walked along the warm pebbles and felt the water temperature-not even that cold! However I did not go swimming this time. I walked along the promenade and then sat on a bench to read a newspaper: Brighton & Hove’s “The Argus” of course.

Then I walked on the lower path, past the myriad of shops beneath the promenade that I hadn’t seen before. I bought some Fish n’ Chips with salt and vinegar and mushy peas and even a pickled egg. I sat down to eat my feast, while gazing out at the blue waves lapping the pebbly shoreline.

Then I had a vanilla ice cream with a chocolate flake at the top.

I hired a green and white striped deckchair on the beach and ate my ice cream gazing out to sea. Some people were swimming but the rest, like me, sat back and enjoyed the sunshine and the sight of the sparkling sea which had a few yachts sailing on it. 

Seagulls flew overhead and pigeons pottered along the pavement of the promenade behind me. The sun was out and it was shining warmly down. Then I read my book on the deckchair. After that, I walked to the very long Brighton Pier and walked to the end of it and back.

It has so many shops and rides on it and people there are from all over the world which is great 🙂 The pier affords beautiful views of Brighton from the sea looking towards the city. I could see distant white chalk cliffs and what looked like a manor house on a distant hill.

I got a giant sweet n’ sour crepe of lemon and sugar which was nice.

Then I walked off the pier and went for a ride on the Brighton Wheel which took me high above the pier with more views of the beach and the towns and cities hugging the coastline 🙂

Then as I was walking back to my accommodation, I stopped by a pretty Italian restaurant with glass doors open to the walkway outside, affording garden views. I ordered two slices of delicious Mozzarella pizza and a lemonade: perfect end to a lovely day 🙂

Cream Tea in a Palace!

Today I had Cream Tea in a palace! I went to the Royal Pavilion which was through a park filled with tulips,

past Queen Victoria’s statue gazing imposingly down on me

and past the statue of King George IV.

I walked through the Royal Pavilion Gardens which were filled with many different coloured flowers which had little fences to protect them from being trampled upon. The footpath wound past the flower beds and was dotted with lamp posts.

I came to the Royal Pavilion, got my audio guide and began my tour! No photos allowed inside the palace sorry guys but it’s amazing! I keyed in the number for each part of the palace I was in including the King’s Kitchen, Queen Victoria’s Bedchamber, the King’s Bedchamber, an underground servant passageway which passed beneath the gardens and, my favourite, the Banqueting Room! It has a 9m long giant chandelier with a silver dragon at the top and, lower down, smaller silver dragons “breathing out” parts of the chandelier! The building has an Indian influence to the outside and a Chinese influence to the inside. It has dragons and many other things throughout the palace. Then I went to the Tea Room on the top floor and ordered a Cream Tea which is a scone with jam and cream, a cup of tea and saucer, a pot of sugar, jug of milk and adorable little teapot. I had an excellent vantage point overlooking the gardens whilst I sipped my nice hot tea.

Then I had Brighton Rock candy in the Royal Pavilion Gardens as buskers’ music echoed through the air. Splendid day 🙂

Around Brighton

Today I had an English Breakfast with bacon, an egg, baked beans, a sausage and a hash brown with my Twinings cup of English Breakfast tea. It was the perfect beginning to the weekend. Then I wandered into my favourite park in Brighton outside the magnificent beauty of St Peter’s Church. All around me people were walking, cycling, walking their dogs, catching buses, shopping, or like me, enjoying the park. I had bought the newspapers The Times and The Daily Mirror to read in my favourite spot there. As I was reading I heard my favourite sound in all the world: the chiming of church bells and they were coming from the church right in front of me! I gazed up at the church with its tall steeples and magnificent architecture. It is a very tall church and a very beautiful one. Then I ate some English crisps. I had an English Apple Cider last night and have put a picture to show you as well as of the view from my window and the terrace outside. I think I am loving Brighton 🙂

Exploring Hove

Today I ventured into a different part of the city of Brighton and Hove: Hove. I caught the train from Brighton to Hove station, ventured outside and started exploring. I passed streets lined with flats of either Victorian or Georgian architecture and trees with green buds popping up all over them. The front gardens of the flats were filled with vibrant springtime flowers such as bluebells, daffodils tulips and so on. I walked past the Hove shops and looked down the street to the light blue sea glimmering in the distance. Overhead I could hear seagulls calling and later when I again went to a park to read the newspaper I saw some pigeons cooing at me. I continued walking and even passed quite a large church. Then I went back to Brighton 🙂