Day Five – Thursday, 17 May 2012

Hastings – Brighton – Salisbury

Accommodation:  Mercure Hotel, Salisbury

Temperature:  Maximum 15 degrees

Weather:  Dry cool conditions with intermittent sunlight.

We set off out of Hastings after a slower start figuring out our technology.  Our phone needed recharging and we could not log onto the wifi internet after many many tries.  We finally gave up and sent text messages to the family.

Brighton was our only stop during the day and we could not resist the Brighton Pier.  What a lot of fun and it is easy to see why the English get excited about eating, drinking, the rides and games.  The weather was decidedly very cool and we rugged up as we walked out along the long pier.  We had a great view of Brighton and the ever present (very large) seagulls.  I talked David into having our photo taken in a booth and then redrawn by a ‘master’….we chose Raphael. 

There were some school children all in bunches eating their lunches on the beach.  I'm not sure of the enjoyment factor here as the teachers where 'shooing' away the giant seagulls, the kids were sitting on large pebbles and the wind was blowing a gale with overcast conditions.

As we may never pass this way again I took the opportunity to take a blue and white deck chair and place it on the pier.  A photo says it all……I’m rugged up to the high heavens and my scarf is blowing a mile!  We indulged in some clotted cream and liquorice fudge before setting off to see the Royal Pavilion.

When we first drove into Brighton we had mapped our GPS to find the Royal Pavilion.  We both laughed when we passed it on the way to the parking area as it really looked like and Indian palace. The fee included an audio guide so with an ear to the guide and juggling our coats we traipsed around George IV’s party house.  It is decorated in a Chinese style favoured by the wealthy of the day and it was such a treat to see the décor and hear the history of the pavilion.  The exterior is reminiscent of an Indian palace however as the prince had not travelled to either China or India the architecture is an English ‘take’ on Eastern decoration.

Slightly over the top?

King George IV only reigned for eight years before his death at sixty-eight.  His only legitimate heir (Princess Charlotte) died following childbirth at the age of twenty-one and only one of George’s two brothers had produced a legitimate heir:  Princess Victoria.

Queen Victoria inherited the pavilion from her uncle upon his death however she put it up for sale in the mid-1800s as it was not suitable for her large brood of children (nine!) and was not a private residence as it is situated only a street back from the esplanade and the Brighton Pier.   Fortunately, for tourists the Brighton-Hove Council bought it and continue to provide the upkeep and beautiful gardens which is a must see in the area.

It was then onto Salisbury for the evening.  We found accommodation and then walked to Salisbury Cathedral for a quick look around before dinner.  A tour of the interior is on our agenda in the morning.

Exquisite....one thousand years old!

We showered before dinner and we never cease to be amazed at the variety of British plumbing.  David and I often spend several minutes trying to figure out how to turn on the water then adjusting the temperature.  The photo below will give you some idea:

...and this is only for the bath.  The shower taps were above this!

We finally went to a typical English pub and chose what we thought were typical English dinners:  bangers (three varieties) and mash and beef and ale pie.  Both were delicious and we shared a bread and butter pudding to finish.  The menu stated “puddings’’ and not dessert!

A satisfying and fun day!