Brighton

Was at the dump at a quarter to eight (they open on the hour) but there was already a queue of cars. Went home and showered and then we drove down to the coast.

We went to some old friends for coffee. A golden hour. Their house backs on to the Sussex Downs and the sun was warm, the sky a hazy blue, and the garden peaceful. A Zen moment. The company of lovely people is always a precious time.

We then drove down to Brighton Marina and parked in a semi deserted dystopian concrete car park on seven levels with no lifts and stairwells that smelt of urine. A good place to re-enact Terminator movies whilst high on glue but at least the parking was free. And you can walk down to Brighton pier in about twenty minutes, with various entertainments along the way. There is Volk's Electric Railway, which has been chugging pointlessly along the edge of the sea since 1883. There is the fight club emporium where you can watch men in helmets hitting each other and getting sweaty. There is a zipwire which is closed but which does have a bar at its base (the imaginatively named Zipwire Bar). You can buy fish and chips or hang out at the mod themed cafe. Or you can watch some seriously ill looking men sunbathing in their pants in front of their cars. All this before you have even arrived at the mass of distorted human flesh, graffiti, and litter that is the pier area on a hot day.

Don't get me wrong, I love Brighton - but it has a big seedy side which is a little overwhelming. 

Fortunately it doesn't take long to get to the North Laines with its hipster boutiques and vegan cafes. I bought some cruelty free sandals, and there is actually a shop selling nothing but vegan doughnuts. Heaven. I lunched on a seitan sausage sandwich with fig jam and cashew nut cheese whilst surrounded by an endless succession of non binary and rather beautiful passers-by. The people in this part of the city are walking works of art, never dull, always interesting and often have cute dogs. The all vegan Neighbourhood Cafe has seats under a shady tree and brilliant opportunities for people watching. We took our time. It was one of those days.

Fab day. Easy driving too (not that I did any of it). When we got home I had green gazpacho and a doughnut (not at the same time of course, you'd be sick). 

Saw this guy stomping determinedly along the beach. Struck me as symbolic of something, although he was probably just worried that his parking was about to expire.

Little collage in the extras.