Bonnie's Brighton Beach Memoirs

Brighton was a pleasant break from the hustle and bustle of London. I hadn’t realized how tiresome I was getting of the constant crowds, noise, and busyness until I got away from it for a bit. But it is good to be back.

The busride was uneventful. I got a window seat on the top deck, with an empty seat beside me to stretch out. I had the same luck on the ride back, only that time with no one in front of me so I was free to sit in my preferred way of scrunched down with my knees propped against the seat in front of me.

I liked Brighton, even in, according to my guide book, “it’s sea-side tackiness.” The pier was typical of beach-front piers, I suppose, but it seemed more old-fashioned to me for some reason. Detailed edging and embellishments, long lines of benches, and the free deck chairs along the railings. Right away we did as Jill suggested and bought “American style” doughnuts. 3 for £1.30 and worth every pence. Warm and sugary treats that melted in your mouth. The warm was especially important as it was overcast all day, and windy. After exploring the pier, and being disappointed that a go on the carousel would cost £2, we headed for the beach.

I had never been to a beach that wasn’t white sand, and I was enamored of the sheer quantity of the pebbles, and their smoothness. I liked that I sat on them for awhile before they became uncomfortable. And just as it used to intrigue me when I was younger, digging to no avail at Atlantic Beach to reach the bottom, the same was true of the pebble beach. Though pebbles are much harder to dig through than sand.

I decided to be brave and take off my socks and shoes and literally dip my feet into the other side of the pond. I honestly can’t remember if the water was really old or not, because as I was trying to take a picture of my feet in it, the water came whooshing up and soaked the bottom of my jeans. After that, however, the water was cold!

We then found a stand selling cheap fish and chips. As much as I want to be British and eat the fish, I just can’t. Even the smell makes me nauseous, so I opted for a hot dog and chips for the same price. But it was more like a sausage dog, only with an odd odor and taste, though I did eat the whole thing. There is something about paying double for all my food that makes me eat it all no matter how much I don’t want to.

It was then back to the pier for a bit, where I tried my hand at some dumb 2p game in the loud, but warm, gaming hall. Kids were trying desperately to win at the claw game, as fruitlessly here as it is back home, or at the game I tried, where you drop a coin and it falls onto a rack with other coins, hopefully to fall off the rack and onto the big pile, thus pushing the “riches” through the slot to you. It would take a lot of the 2p coins, however, to constitute riches.

On the way check out the shopping district, we stopped to gawk at the Royal Pavilion, a palace that looks like it was taken out of India and dropped in the south of England. I was really impressed with the structure, even though a good portion of it was under construction, and took lots of pictures. I didn’t go inside though. For some reason I’m not big on the inside of palaces, they always seem too cold and un-homey. Lots of gold and high backed chairs and tapestry just doesn’t scream “Come in, sit down, eat and relax.” More like, “Wipe your feet and don’t touch anything.” I much prefer a simple two-story grey house on a quiet street in the South if the latter was to ever be an option.

We then made it to the Lanes, a truly confusing series of streets of shops that transported me back to Venice, being crammed against other people, never seeing the same place twice, and of course, claustrophobia raging. I did however come across an “Ollie and Nic.” Last year I bought a pink Ollie and Nic wallet at a TJ Maxx in Salisbury for £10. I knew I was getting a good deal because it was real leather and oh so cute, but I didn’t realize just how good of a deal until I went in there store. Far too expensive for my taste. Ok, not my taste, but certainly my wallet.

After deciding most of the stores were too much for our wallet, and not really in the mood for browsing, we headed back to the seaside, bought some of Brighton’s famous rock candy, not at all the kind of rock candy I was expecting, which is good since I don’t like that kind, and then into some cute, and some tacky, shops. By the time my bus was leaving at 5 I was entirely too exhausted for the day, and glad to be headed back for London. The way back seemed to afford better English countryside scenery as well, including English sheep! I don’t know why, but I find something quintessentially British about green hills and sheep. But especially the sheep. I remember seeing them last year on the way to the Midlands and just exclaiming in my head, “English sheep! English sheep!” It may have something to do with the fact that two of the first, and everlasting impressions of the British countryside that I still refer back to are from “Three Men and a Little Lady” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, and I’m almost certain at least one of them had sheep in it.

I feel like I don’t even have to bother mentioning Sundays as it’s a pretty set routine. Church, lunch, relax. Although this Sunday Marissa and I did finally join the local library. The one in Marylebone is the closest, but also rather small. I still did check out two books, but I am refusing to read them until I have finished the last two of the six I bought here. Yes, believe it or not, I am actually going to read all the books I bought before moving on to others. I think that is unheard of for me! But after the library I read in Regent’s Park for a little, but despite the sun being out and blue skies, the wind was enough to drive me back to my flat where I settled on the couch for far too long with Amy Tan’s “Saving Fish from Drowning,” a really interesting, though different, read thus far.

I'm now at work, waiting for it to be my turn for my lunch, mad that I left my leftover spaghetti at home and will have to buy something. Monday, Monday...