After the magic of Harry Potter, I went to the seaside town of Brighton per instruction from Salvatore. Compared with Portugal, the water is darker and a bit moody–definitely colder. The pebble beach made walking much easier, though.
The pier at Brighton is a little like a mini Santa Cruz/Santa Monica: some rides, carnival food, and kiosks selling improbably made items of shells.
That’s a donut sculpture.
A bit of that Santa Cruz vibe as well.
It’s all shops and restaurants and jewelry and some more industrial streets.
Then suddenly out of some other time and place is the Royal Pavilion.
Whaaaaat!
George IV used it as his pleasure dome, though during the Great War it was used as a military hospital. Aside from that, the pavilion seems to be dedicated to opulent luxury. No pictures are allowed inside, but I can say that the rooms are gilded with dragons, peacocks, and serpents, and no detail was spared in the eastern motif. The music room was particularly stunning, even overwhelming in its decor. I stayed in there a long while, and not only because it was one of the few rooms with benches.
I still love benches.
So I wasn’t able to take any pictures inside the pavilion (why is this a rule?!), but here is a picture of a postcard that has a picture of the lighting in the music room.
Why yes I am still in my pajamas. Such is my lifestyle.
Because I have already broken the fourth or maybe even fifth wall by posting a picture of a post card, here’s a few more of the exterior of the pavilion:
Just stunning and impressively large. For people who were significantly smaller than we are, George IV’s decorators sure measured out ample space.
I’ve been in many castles and palaces and museums by this time, but this pavilion was different and interesting. Unlike Kensington Palace, which sounds like it will be the secret Buckingham Palace but in reality is just a very nice mansion, the Pavilion is something you should not skip! 
I’m not saying it’s George IV’s best legacy, but it’s the only one I know about.
There were other interesting sights in Brighton as well, not the least of which is where I stayed (Grand Hotel).
Tea here was exceptional and will be detailed in a separate post dedicated to tea time.
One night there was super fun. Two would have been great. Forever could be perfect. It’s that sort of place.
A few more pics from Brighton:
I had a lot of fun just looking at the rocks on the beach. For someone who is so easily amused, I sure go out of my way in the world.
paralyzedbynotcaring 