Brighton in the sun.

Yesterday was the first warm day of the year - the first time I wasn't freezing cold since the autumn.

We went out for the afternoon to Brighton.  

It's never really been my favourite place. Too much of a rip off and just a little bit sleazy really.

But there's a very fine pier;

........and everything you could want from a traditional seaside resort;

And of course, where else would you want to go if you are a MOD?

But Brighton has always been a bit sinister, a bit violent just as in Graham Greene's novel 'Brighton Rock', set amongst the 1930's razor gangs and the 'Bookmakers Protection League' gang wars up at the race track.

We had a walk along the seafront but I was suffering a bit - feeling ill and with a nosebleed for a lot of the time.

Still, I cheered up when I saw The Grand Hotel, site of the assassination attempt on Margaret Thatcher.

Thatcher destroyed so many peoples lives, that I can't help wondering every so often, how life would have turned out if the IRA had been a little more accurate in 1984.

We wandered off and walked around 'The Laines', a little rabbit warren of old streets which used to be the centre of the antiques trade on the south coast.

These days it's mainly jewellery and posh, scented shops.

We looked into the excellent Fisherman's Museum which has taken over a couple of the arches on the seafront;

Although we disgraced ourselves by falling about laughing at some old cine film they were showing.

I can recommend it as probably the best tourist attraction in the city.

I couldn't resist a look at Volks Electric railway, which runs along the seafront.

It's now the oldest surviving electric railway in the world having been built in 1883.

It's a big part of summer on the seafront;

Although it's a struggle to keep it open these days;

I've grumbled about Brighton; the tourists, the whole rip-off of it all.

What I like is the alternative Brighton - Gay and Lesbian Brighton, skateboard punk rockers, a slightly crazy Brighton.

I like galleries and art shops that sell things like this;

Or bags like this;

And I like graffiti artists, although there wasn't as much as I remember. I did like this;

Quite a lot;

I ended up collapsed on the pier just soaking up the sun until at 5-30 (like Cinderella) we had to leave.

I am the lucky holder of a disabled parking badge these days and we were able to park on the seafront, free of charge for 3 hours.

You have no idea what a luxury that is, until you have to walk back to the car!

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me; neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com