Brighton - because you're never too old for the Carousel

The best thing about that strange thing we call the 'Bank holiday' is that it comes around every year on the last weekend of August.  Three glorious non work days to look forward to, and of course for every British person worth their namesake a trip to the seaside.  It doesn't matter which one you choose, traditional fishing villages, large stretchy of sandy beaches, or one of the more traditional resorts, they all have a lot to give.

My favourite on a Bank holiday is the old fashioned resort, where you are guaranteed to see that most traditional of sights, people walking around in shorts no matter what the weather is throwing at them.  We are British and we are at the seaside.  Alongside this of course are the buckets and spades, ice-cream, fish and chips and if you are really lucky a pier with amusements.

This weekends' choice was Brighton.  Of course more upmarket than most, this happening city on the south coast is always bustling whatever time of year you visit.  Yesterday it was packed with people trying to make the most of the long weekend.  The trick is to arrive fairly early and park along the promenade, then you can join the hundreds of others milling about by the seashore, stroll along to one of the UK's best piers, or if you like head into town and get lost amongst the quaint shops and cafes of 'The Lanes'.

 

First stop is always for coffee, recommended is the Bandstand Cafe, below the Victorian bandstand, a friendly place with a great view.  From there a bracing walk along the promenade taking in the somewhat eerie view of the old pier, its last limbs rusting just of the shore.  There's also new boutique shops fighting for space alongside ice cream parlours, pubs, bars and fish and chip cafes.  In the middle of this, work is on going on what's going to be the i360° a 360° high rise viewing platform which claims to be the world's first vertical cable car, when finished the views should be amazing.

For lunch 'Pho' is always a winner.  Tasty Vietnamese food offerings just off the main promenade.  Follow this with some retail therapy in some of the many individual boutiques scattered in 'The Lanes', a drink in 'The Fortune of War' or if like me you prefer some seaside fun it's a race to the pier.

 

I love it, it's a strange mixture of tack and dated pleasure.  Opened in 1899 you can still image how it used to be when people dressed up for the Bank holiday and took a steam train to the coast.  And besides who can resist a place called the 'Palace of Fun' arcade!  It's a colourful display of neon and a cacophony of sound, as millions of bulbs light up fruit machines, horse racing machines, virtual games and everyones childhood favourite, the 2 pence machines.  Mix this in with chiming and ringing, bells, the dropping of coins and other various noises and you have the sensation of the pier. 

 

If all this gets too much there's always the rides and games on the outside.  The tin can shy, the shooting and the horse racing where Minions in all shapes and sizes seem to be the prizes of the day with people seemingly pouring money into these games to pick up one of those pesky Minions even when, when they get home they have no idea what they will do with it.  A sense of achievement however to all the winners.

I reject rides meant to scare the hell out of you, the Turbo coaster, the Crazy mouse and the Air race, I even reject the Wild river and the Horror Hotel, all of which seem to be providing endless amounts of pleasure for many.  Instead I head to the one ride I always go on.  Its' beautiful decoration, colour, mirrors and splendour drawing me in.  And as I choose my horse, I listen to the traditional organ music and wait to start twirling and reflect you are never too old for the Carousel.