Sunny weekend by the Brighton seaside

Sea gulls. That is what I woke up to in Brighton where we went on a bank holiday weekend. 

I will forever associate Brighton with the sound of it. This was a novelty for a landlocked person like me, a constant reminder that we were by the sea.

The seaside swarming with people making the most of a glorious day.

Brighton was a beautiful discovery. Perhaps the weather had a part to play in it. Under the glorious sunshine with the temperature hitting a warm chord, this seaside town seemed like the ideal place to be.

Walking down the promenade, the Brighton Pier was a great sight, filled with rides and amusements galore. Spending some time in, we decided to walk down, biting into ice creams. It tastes best on a beach! 

The Lanes in Brighton. photo courtesy:planetware.com

Brighton has a buzz to it and that is not only because of its Pier. It has something for everyone. Carousels for kids, arts and souvenirs for shoppers or tons of food options for the gastronomic tourist. But we realised that it is so imporant for the weather to stay good. 

Day 1 the weather was a treat and it was bliss to be out there. 

Day 2, there was a sharp contrast. Gloomy day, blustery weather forced us to beat a hasty retreat indoors making us realise how lucky we were to have enjoyed he sun the day before. 

However, Day 3 was once again good. We went looking for The Lanes, a beautiful cobbled street alleyway that took you to some offbeat shops. We soon found they did not have much to offer us.

i360 British Airways - a newly opened tourist attraction 

We did get on the i360, the newly opened tourist attraction by British Airways. It is similar to the London eye in terms of concept only this looks like a spaceship moving upwards in a linear fashion, showing off an aerial view of the city while pampering you with its inhouse bar as you take in the view. 

This is a newly opened tourist attraction that opened only weeks before and is steadily gaining popularity among tourists. Personally, we were struck by the novelty of it all. Having done it once, I do not think we will be doing it again. I remember reading about the Brighton Wheel which was pulled down this summer after some controversy and I thought this was intended to replace it. Apparently some zip wires will be put up soon. Good for us. Something else to check out the next time then!

Walking down the lanes we spotted a familiar structure and out of curiosity checked it out.

The Royal Pavilion. Its Indian architecture caught our eye.

It looked Indian and soon I was looking around to check out its back story. Walking around it we were struck by its intricate architecture and its mammoth size reminiscent of the iconic Taj Mahal. The suspense was soon revealed when we spotted a plaque that said that was a gift from the Indian Maharaja of Patiala to the people of Brighton. Strolling through the gardens it was easy to imagine how this place was used as a treatment place for injured soldiers before throwing it open to the public.

Riding back, we were happy to have timed our visit to the city well and will be back for more!

Recommended:

• i360 - It is a one off but not a must. 

• Walking down the promenade - A must. It gives you a feel of what the place has to offer.

• Brighton Pier - A great place if you are a theme park fanatic. They offer some great deals on rides. But remember it can be quite time consuming. It can eat into your time especially if you are on short holiday.

• The Lanes. A great place to walk around. However we felt it was hyped. Go there for a stroll and round it off with a meal. We went at an odd time and found there wasn't anything for us except food and antique shops. 

• Ice-cream on the beach. A super must! especially if the sun is out.

• We had some great crepes on the pier. The portion was so big, one was enough to bite into for us two and our two. Super tasty with a variety of options.  

Slight disappointment:

Expecting a beach, we had packed our buckets and spades hoping to build a sand castle. It is a pebbled beach with very little scope for sand and sand castles. Kids were a tad disappointed but soon perked up when they saw other attractions.