Brighton!

On Saturday we took a day trip to Brighton and had a GREAT time. Brighton is a resort town on the southeast coast of England known mainly for it's nightlife and shopping. It also has plenty to offer families so despite a good chance of rain forecasted (as it is for the next few weekends, and really it's England so when isn't there a good chance of rain?) we set off for another adventure.

We took the train, have I mentioned how much we love traveling by train? It's the best! Sooo much less hassle than flying which I dread doing again. The trains were really crowded this time but luckily Jeremy is a pro at spotting seats for us and we even got seats with a table again. This alone was enough to make the trip a success in Mac's eyes.

This train trip not only were we entertained by watching the beautiful English countryside but there was quite a lively contingent of Hen (bachelorette) party participants all decked out in their Pink Ladies gear and revelers heading down for the Gay Pride festival. We didn't realize it was Pride weekend in Brighton but it made the town even more vibrant and exciting, though a lot more crowded too. It was raining when we arrived so we skipped the parade and had lunch instead.

Then we did a bit of shopping at The Lanes and enjoyed the charm of the cobblestone streets and many, many interesting shops. Mac's favorite was a toy store where she scored a rabbit puppet



and the store that had a bubble blower out front.




Then we walked to and strolled along the Brighton Pier and enjoyed the views of the coast and wa-wa(water),





bought some of Brighton's famous rock candy and fudge (haven't tried it yet though), and took in many of the quirky sites and attractions.

Singing Wheels on the Bus on the bus!



The favorite by far was the carousel ride



and the ice cream.


Thankfully, the sun broke through and it even got warm enough for us to take off our jackets.

Then for a bit of historic culture we sought out St. Nicholas' church which was built in the 11th century and is the oldest building in town. It was a bit unceremonious, not even a sign marking the site, but we saw it and enjoyed a bit of peace and quiet.



There is plenty more of Brighton that we didn't get to see or do, like tour The Royal Pavilion, playpad of Prince George,

but you have to have a reason to go back, right?

Cheers!