Sunday 29th April 2012
The weather has not abated. As we snuggle in our cosy room at No 14 we can hear the rain pattering on the window and the wind gusting through the streets. There are few pleasures greater than snuggling down in a cosy duvee, warm and dry knowing outside is so uninviting. We wander down to breakfast and take our time. Hubby has the full English which here at No 14 includes the best sausages of the trip. In the course of our weeks of travelling we have had a good range of sausages. The worst mistake, to our way of thinking, is to try to make the sausage healthier. Sausages require some fat or they are tough and dry or mealy. Here at No 14 they are proper pork sausages. Very very good indeed. I sample sausage from hubby, but am more than content with my Alpen muesli. It is seriously good. I’ll have to track that down and see if I can find it in Australia.
After brekkie we wander back upstairs. Its after midday before we can bring
ourselves to go outside, but we are nothing if not dedicated sight see-ers, and the time comes when we feel enthusiastic about going out. We had originally intended to
visit Brighton Pier last night, but in the conditions that just wasn’t going to
happen. So our first priority today is
to check out the pier. The rain and wind
has eased leaving a clean washed waterfront for us to explore.
As we approach the pier I feel pleased that we were lazy
this morning. Had we dragged ourself out it would have been reluctantly and only from a sense of
obligation. Now we are enthusiastic and excited. At the entrance to the pier a
range of food outlets are open. Eateries that are protected from the prevailing
wind are open, those that aren’t are closed.
Makes sense. There is the
delicious smell of hot donuts or waffles on the air. Everything is beautifully
maintained, not even the remotest sense of age or tiredness about Brighton
Pier. 
The design on the Pier is
clever. Running down the centre of the
pier is a barrier with windows so that no matter what the weather is doing you
just pick the side that is protected and promenade to your heart’s
content.  |
| Free deck chairs are provided for a spot of sun bathing if the mood strikes you. |
Obviously Brighton Pier is a cultural icon and as such it is
an essential element of any visit to Brighton, so that’s why I’m here. Hubby has his own reasons. Hubby is looking for pinball machines and we
understand there are a couple of games venues on the pier. He is quite excited about it. He's been really looking forward to this. We wander into the game arcades and look
around. Hubby is crestfallen to find
that as far as we can see there is not one single pinball machine on Brighton
Pier. :o( Not one.
Sniff. There are few things hubby
loves more than pinball. Come to think
of it I forgot to note that he even found a pinball machine at one of our lunch
stops on the battlefields tour, but not here.
Mostly the game arcades on Brighton Pier are gambling rooms. Poker
machines are not in short supply, and there is also a large array of what I think of
as “kiddie gambling” machines. Put in
your money for a (slim) chance of winning some crappy toy or something. There are some game machines such as motorbike
racing that sort of thing, and there’s a
good number of air hockey tables, I’m sure we could have fun… but none of that
tempts hubby. He’s struggling to deal
with his disappointment. He’s really very upset.
We continue on our exploration and find ourselves at what we
would think of as a “fun pier”. It has a carousel (the gallopers) and helter skelter, sizzler
(which at home we call a cha cha), a roller coaster and other rides. None are
operating at the moment. Staff are busily sweeping up and drying seats after
the rain. It’s a real old fashioned sort
of place and looks like a lot of fun.  |
| To the west is the carcass of the second pier that featured in Carry on Girls |
On
our return promenade down the pier we stop along the way here and there to read
the heritage trail signs. These describe
various aspects of the contribution that the pier has made to the life of Brighton
over the generations. Our stops provide an opportunity to enjoy the views up
and down the coast. The sun breaks through and the coastline shines. It’s all very pretty, and very English.
 |
| The white cliffs? |
 |
| The stones crack against eachother making a much louder break than we get at home on the sandy beaches. |
So, what to do next?
Hubby’s mood is in need of support.
We’ve done a lot of grand buildings. Castles, palaces and listed
buildings of various kinds. One of the
must do attractions in Brighton is the Royal Pavillion. Sigh.
Not sure we’re in the mood for that.
We wander through the Lanes in search of a tempting lunch option. I’m craving something not too rich
today. In the end we opt for Toasters
which it may surprise you serves toasted sandwiches. Hubby orders a banana
milkshake which comes served with cream on top and little candy coated
chocolate lollies sprinked in it. I had
some sort of red berry juice which appears to have been made on the premises. Hubby goes for a Hombre toaster and wins the
competition easily. This is described as
Mexican beef chili, melted cheese , chopped peppers and tomatoes served as a
triple toasted sandwich with a light salad £3.85. I ordered a cashew satay:
cashew nut butter, chicken and roasted vegetables served as a triple toasted
sandwich with a light salad. White or granary bread. £3.95.
Hubby not only won I may have to retire from the competition
entirely. My cashew satay was
inexcusably bland for a sandwich with the word Satay in the name. In fact it's just inexcusably bland, period. Grrr.. but at least it wasn’t rich. I also couldn’t resist trying a crumpet for
65p. The crumpet was good and identical
to the ones we get at home. One of the
high points of lunch was a ring side seat as the bloke from the café next door
moved a table out the front of his place over to a space more where Toasters
has their tables. Chests puff. Territory
is squabbled over quietly. The bloke
next door really has the shits. We think
he’s crazy. The place he’s moved his table to is horrible and looks like it
would be poorly serviced and hard to see from the café in question. Ah, the cut and thrust of pavement dining.
After lunch we wander through the Lanes for a while, but it
mostly seems to be dining places and pubs and upmarket shops of various kinds.
Nothing particularly interesting to us. We
consult our map and head up towards the Royal Pavillion. Hubby’s quite taken with the idea of making
our way up to the toy museum but we’re not really committed to anything at this
point. I laugh when we find that the
royal pavilion is not as white as it looks in the famous photos. That’s also a common comment about the Sydney
Opera house which also appears white in bright sunlight but is actually a
creamy colour up close.
We snap the obligatory photos of the Pavillion. Excitement as I spot a squirrel on a
tree. Irritation as some other tourists
just barge right in and scare it away completely oblivious at first then they
just move right in and scare it away. Still, wasn't it nice of the squirrel to stay put and pose for us before the people came.
We admire the gardens of the Royal Pavillion which have been
restored to an original layout that applied when it was still a royal
residence. 
We’re struggling in the enthusiasm department.
Finally as we are hanging around procrastinating I notice the sign that
says they have a current exhibition about Princess Charlotte. I’d like to know
more about Princess Charlotte. The
memorial to her in St George’s Chapel Windsor, which is probably the most
magnificent marble monument I have ever seen, has really sparked my
curiosity. “Look” I say to hubby, “I
think we really just have to bite the bullet and go into the pavilion for a
look. If we’re not enjoying it we can leave. I’m interested in Princess
Charlotte, and look at that weeny little glimpse of the interiors they give you
on the promo.. it looks like it might be different to what we’ve seen. It’s a
universally acknowledged Brighton must do. We should probably just do it.”
We pay and claim our audio guides and head on in. WOOOWWWW!
The Royal Pavillion wastes no time in grabbing your attention. This is like no other royal or aristocratic
house we have seen before. This is incredible….
.and this is how I’m feeling in the first room! Each room is remarkable. Even the audio guide
is fascinating. We listen with rapt attention. The staff are equally enthusiastic and I
pause my guide to join Hubby in a chat with one of the room guards. We’re looking at the various nodding Chinese figures. They’ve got all the heads mixed up! They know this now and our information
explains how they know, but they leave it how it was originally assembled from
the crate.
In due course we come to the banquet room. My audio guide cheerfully asks me how I felt
entering this room. Was I awestruck?
Hell yes. My mouth is gaping open in wonder. Well, that’s the exactly the effect this room
was supposed to have. My god! it was
successful then wasn’t it. The
chandelier is like nothing I’ve ever seen.
The chandelier is suspended from the claws of a huge dragon under an
array of palm leaves some of which are painted others of which sit proud of the
ceiling. It is not your average
chandelier in any respect. There is not a single space we see in the Royal
Pavillion Brighton that is not fabulous and/or fascinating. Eventually we come to the Music room. Is it possible that this is even more
gob-smacking than the banquet room? It’s a tough call. I think the banquet room takes the prize for
me. The kitchens are also on display. State of the art in their day and they
too have a consistent décor with the chinoiserie. The Royal Pavillion Brighton is not like
anywhere else. A hearty round of
applause to the people of Brighton for their obvious foresight in acquiring the property when Queen Victoria sold it and their commitment
to this marvelous place.
The exhibition on Princess Charlotte was quite small but
very interesting, and at times funny and shocking too. We also enjoyed another exhibition that tells
of the time during the Great War when the pavilion was used as a hospital for
the many troops from the sub-continent. Both
Hubby and I come out from the Royal Pavillion beaming. We’ve spend the remainder of our afternoon in
there and loved every minute of it.
We have another commitment tonight so we’re keen for a rest
before we have to head out again, so we make our way towards home.
We wander back down towards the waterfront.
Stopping to marvel at the sewing machines in the Spitalfields shop. Upstairs, downstairs on every facade, cute black and gold sewing machines fill the windows. Continuting on we notice that Aqua Dulce does not appear to be open, though times on the door suggest it
should be. Glad we didn't spend time hunting for it.
I was quite keen to visit the fishing museum, but of course
it is now closed. However the waterfront around it is very nice and I really
enjoy the historic boats arranged attractively in the area. We stroll towards the pier and I am very glad
we detoured to take in this part of the beachfront.
As we pass the entry to the pier the rides are operating and
the atmosphere is unabated. I suggest
that it might be fun to have a ride on something. No deal.
Hubby is angry at the Pier and he just can’t get past it. As a compromise I suggest perhaps grandpa
might like to ride the Brighton Wheel?
He seemed quite keen on that earlier.
He’s a reluctant but I manage to guilt him into it. Heaven knows why. I hate that sort of
thing. I don’t like heights. I guess it
just feels wrong not to ride anything at all when in Brighton, so up we
go. Once I get over the initial “oh
lord, what on earth were you thinking woman…. You know you have a lifelong
hatred of these damn things” We settle
in to listen to the commentary and try to spot the various landmarks pointed
out. I enjoyed hearing that the fictional Lady Penelope from the Thunderbirds attended school somewhere to the east there in the hinterland somewhere; and that Abba won the Eurovision song contest at the Brighton Dome. ....but really it’s pretty pointless. You
don’t see much from up there.. it’s not all bad though.. I’m feeling like a
risk taker!. Ridiculous! Oh what a pair of old fogeys we’ve become!.. well... actually we've always been old fogeys really... 
We have time for just a short nana nap. Neither of us is
particularly hungry after the substantial lunch. It’s an easy walk over to the Theatre Royal.
We have tickets to the Carpenters Story.
It’s a tribute band not some sort of dramatization. We are seated next to a friendly couple whose
son gave them the tickets for Christmas. We enjoy chatting with them in breaks
in the show. The friendly people in
England are one of the country’s best attributes. The tribute band is outstanding. I can hardly believe that they managed to
find someone with a voice so similar to Karen Carpenter’s.. and they sang There’s
a Kind of Hush too which is my favourite Carpenter’s song. I’ve loved it since
I was a little girl. Just near us there is a gay couple seated. They are absolutely
rabid Carpenters fans and really get into it in a big big way. Hubby and I think their level of cheeriness
suggests some sort of chemical enhancement has been indulged in. Whatever.
They certainly gave the people around them a laugh. I’ve never been to a tribute band before.
Everyone joins in the songs and has a lovely time. Men perhaps even more than
the women. I really booked the tix because I wanted to see something at the Theatre
Royal, and I quite like the Carpenters, but it was fun. I might have to do more of that in future. 
It’s late by the time the show is over. We’re feeling pretty
good as we walk home. I insist on a detour to the waterfront to see the Pier all lit up. Brighton has been
fun. We’ve really enjoyed our day here. 
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