Brighton, UK: Storms, Sun and Impromptu Picnics



A friend once said "We live like teletubbies here in Brighton." Coming from a big city where daily life is a struggle, I believe that is an accurate statement for Brighton where no one feels like a foreigner; being eco-friendly, vegetarian and retro are glorified, and "marginal" groups are never marginalised.

Brighton (and Hove) is a small city with a population around 270.000 people, just in the south of London, can be reached with a 50 minute train ride from the Victoria Station. Though it is not worth a visit during the storms,  when you cannot even reach the seaside because of the crazy ocean winds, it is heaven when it's sunny, and everyone is trying to reach the beaches from the hills of the city, like newborn caretta carettas.

As the saying goes for all Britain, Brighton as well, "does not have a climate, it has weather, and if you don't like it just wait for a few minutes."  Thus, you have to be prepared, and educated, to be able to have impromptu seaside picnics when the sun shines and you have to be able to be in the beach with a proper picnic in a few minutes, as you don't know how long the sun will last.

Although the locals swim like there is no tomorrow when the whether is good, actually there is no tomorrow, because tomorrow there might be a storm, as a Mediterranean, I could never swim in Brighton, the  sea never gets as warm as I am used to. Instead, I am a person of professional picnics, but if you are not, you can always buy snacks in the seaside.

Due to its location, fish and chips is the local dish of the city, though there are more sophisticated seafood options if you are interested. A decent seafood platter for two begins from 25 pounds and goes up to around 45 pounds in more fine dining places.
You wouldn't see Brighton as a "must-see" in a trip to UK, unless there is a special event like the Pride Parade in the first week of the August or the Guy Fawkes Day celebrations in a nearby village called Lewes. However, I believe it should be a "must see" during a week long vacation in London for escaping from the loud of the city, to have seaside picnics, great seafood and breathe an air of "soft" values, especially if the sun is shining.

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