The Royal Pavilion, Brighton

http://www.brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk/RoyalPavilion/aboutthepalace/Pages/GeorgeIV.aspx

Brighton Pavilion  is an extraordinary and extravagant pleasure palace.Built for the Prince Regent, later King George IV, in stages between 1787 and 1823, the Royal Pavilion is remarkable for its exotic oriental appearance both inside and out. This magnificent royal pleasure palace was revered by fashionable Regency society and is still a distinctive landmark for vibrant Brighton & Hove today. The Royal Pavilion is also home to some of the finest collections and examples of the trichinoses style in Britain.

It is certainly an interesting place to visit (no photos allowed) but not a place to bring me delight but a sense of the madness that can prevail when one's purpose in life is to be wildly extravagant.

To understand how this came about I would suggest using the link at the top of the page where the history of the place and the owner George IV is well documented.

Just one picture that I got off the internet

A Chinese dragon holding up the chandelier over the dining table  

The palace is right in the centre of town and we are about to enter through the back gate

I could have got a great picture of the front of the palace from the main road but somehow forgot as we made our way out of the park at the back to continue our stroll around Brighton

The Palace is still owned by The Crown

Birthday week now over

Alan's birthday is just 4 days after mine so having now reached the grand age of 82 - Happy Birthday Alan

The only photograph I took of Alan in Brighton

and he wasn't looking at the camera

and to finish my son is on a trip through Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and I heard today that the worst storm ever that hit The Philippines is set on a course towards Vietnam passing over part of Laos and Cambodia early next week. I am so grateful that he is not near the coast.  

More Walking around Brighton

We leave the front behind and stroll through the retail area

Brighton has over 400 restaurants, cafes and bars.

One of my favourites - a Jamie Oliver

Lots of designer shops

in all a great mixture catering for many different needs and tastes

We made a visit to Kath Kidston

stretching down an alley

into a square

seaside coloured taxis

The chimneys on the centre horizon are part of 

The Royal Pavilion

visiting there in the next post

a complete mixture of the old and the new

The Pavilion Theatre with The Brighton Dome behind

Now this is interesting - the stage door to The Theatre Royal

manoeuvring the props in such a narrow space apart from the trucks negotiating the street

buses everywhere 

Now off to Pret-a-Manger to pick up a take-away lunch which we will eat relaxing in our hotel

before a walk along the front (last post)

An October Walk along the front at Brighton and an approaching Storm

Two weeks have past since our trip to Brighton to see the brilliant musical Love Beyond
So glad it was not this week as a serious storm is heading our way across the Atlantic driven by 200 mph winds in the jet stream
It is scheduled to hit land in the West Country around midnight and sweep across the South of the country and as far North as the Midlands. These storms lose power over the Atlantic but 90 mph winds are forecast inland. It is said that most disruption will be felt for commuters tomorrow as roads are blocked with fallen trees and public transport suspended. 
We have battened down the garden as much as we can

For now back to Brighton beginning with a late afternoon walk along the front after walking around the town for most of the day (another post) with a break for afternoon tea in our hotel which we see on the left of the photo  

Here we see The Grand Hotel that was bombed by the I*R*A* while Margaret Thatcher was leading a party conference

A typical Regency Square

The Promenade is full of hotels

I thought this was fun

Such a contrast - the following photos were taken the following day when the sun was shining as check out was not until noon

Parking fees incidentally in this town are astronomical 

£50 for 48 hours ($80.86)

Looking back having walked along the pier

I know that lots of piers have a fair ground at the end but it was the old fashioned Helter Skelter that caught my eye 

Really enjoyed our hotel, part of The Thistle group

The service was outstanding, the staff friendly and extremely helpful and the beds so comfortable. Apparently the company has a Royal Warranty as they supply the Queens homes.

The food was excellent and the house keeping staff so generous with goodies when I told them I did not need our room servicing for just 2 nights. As busy as we were, I even managed a swim

We did not want to eat in the restaurant as food could be ordered in The Atrium 24 hours a day

Before going to the show we ordered what we thought would be a quick and light meal (soup and sandwich). There was a slight communication mix-up when ordering and we had far more than we could eat. We were immediately given a discount of 50% off everything.

The next evening being Monday we were given 25% off food and drinks  

The view from our breakfast table and I have to say the best buffet I have ever come across with so many choices. About ten different items for full English breakfast, different variations of Continental breakfasts, 6 different juices, about 10 cooked fruits including fresh figs, a large bowl of fresh fruit, numerous breads and croissants and spreads and yoghurt and an array of different teas.

Yes, I would go back

and lastly we booked in March and the tariff we were charged for room and breakfast was quite a bit less than we were quoted on our reservation invoice   

A quick coffee before leaving

We hung around a bit after check-out as we had planned to visit a garden on the way home that did not open until 2.0 pm

We will wander around the town in the next post