ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY

After the heat yesterday, this morning it had cooled down and the sky was cloudy. I was a little disappointed but nevertheless decided to go to the seafront alone, as my friend was feeling very tired. Fortunately the sun came out a little later.



I had a sandwich and tea at my favorite place just beneath the Kiosk where I lost my wallet. Behind me a couple was sitting and the woman's phone rang; I heard her saying "I'll call you later I am in a business meeting " ! I had to laugh because sitting at the seafront in a café with a boyfriend is not really a business meeting unless the lady has a special job !

The seagulls were diving on the sandwiches and managed to take a whole sandwich from one of the  two ladies sitting in front of me ! They were so surprised and so was I. Then I met two ladies from London who complained about the children throwing stones at the seagulls. I told her to give them bread  instead a stone and watch what the seagulls would do, and then of course we laughed, because she had done so  and was bitten in one finger quiet badly. We talked about Europe and the new immigrants from the Eastern countries and finally discovered that all European countries have the same worries about jobs and money.

After nearly 2 h I left them and decided to take the Eastbourne sightseeing bus, which I had never done.



It was a beautiful tour up to Beachy head and the beginning of the South Downs National Park. At one moment there was a whole class of Japanese teenagers stepping into the bus and they all had an Ipad to take pictures, which looked rather funny. Unfortunately as all teenagers of the world they chatted like a bunch of geese and I could hardly hear the explanation of the tour. But I did the tour twice as it was so nice to sit on the upper deck, enjoying the sunshine and the beautiful landscape, it was the same price I could have started in the morning and sit on the same bus the whole day !

This evening my face looks like a ripe tomato !

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

1. 



Now it is a week that I arrived in Eastbourne at the English South East coast. After the first two days, unfortunately the weather changed and I had one awful day with rain and strong wind. But then although it wasn't very warm I had at least some sunshine in the afternoon and could enjoy the lovely seafront. I just sat there and watched the seagull mummies teaching their kids to fly. The funniest thing was that the baby was bigger then the mother !

2.



My friend where I am staying has a severe kidney disease and has a dialysis machine installed in her home. Each morning her husband prepares the machine connects the tubes settles all the buttons, and then connects her to the machine. When I saw this for the first time I was quiet impressed, but now I am used to it and I called it her "Washing machine". She has to stay for 2 h until her blood is completely cleaned.

3.



Of course when we went out for lunch, I had the traditional fish and chips. The fish was so fresh and good !

I bought a weekly travel card so whenever I want to go to the seafront I take the bus and in not even half an hour I am at the seafront.

4.





The highlight of the week was the meeting with a blogfriend who lives in Eastbourne ! Hilary from Positive Letters ...inspirational stories. She picked me up at my friend's and took me to a beautiful pub where we had lunch. Of course I had my beloved backed potato and she this impressive fish ! We spent the whole afternoon there, chatting and exchanging our blog experiences and time flew by so quickly that suddenly it was already after 4 pm. We had a coffee in the Pub garden and then she drove me to the seafront where we said good bye, and promised to see each other again next year. It is always so nice meeting a blogfriend ! I picked up my lost wallet (see post below) and then returned home. 

5.





Just for one day suddenly the weather became very hot  ! I went for the whole day to the seafront, got a chair and sat there first in the sun but after 10 min I cooked and moved under the band stand where it was shady. I even fell asleep after lunch ! Before going home I had a creamed tea on the Pier in a beautiful old Victorian tea room.

THE HONEST KIOSK LADY

more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday

When I walked along the seafront in Eastbourne I stopped at a Kiosk selling ice cream. The lady there has the best ice cream along the whole beach  at least for me. I sat in front of the Kiosk and enjoyed my icecream while watching people walking by and seagulls trying to steal food. Then I strolled along the main street with all the souvenir shops, charity shops and stores. As I didn't find anything to buy, I decided to have a coffee before I would take the bus home.

The coffee was ready and  when I wanted to pay, my wallet was gone ! The girl who had given me the coffee told me to turn over my purse which I did  and all my stuff dropped on the counter except my wallet. It had disappeared, I couldn't even pay my coffee ! The waitress was very, very kind and said that I should drink the coffee anyway, which I found really nice, others would probably have thrown it away as I couldn't pay. She even comforted me and we tried to trace back where I had been.

I remembered that the only stop I had done was at the Ice cream Kiosk. The girl suggested that I should go back there, but I was convinced that as there was only money in the wallet, business cards and nothing else, so  the one who would find my wallet would take the money and throw the old thing away. I didn't follow the advice took some money at the cash point and returned home.

When I told my friends that I had probably left my wallet at the Ice Kiosk, they asked me why I didn't go back. I said because I don't believe that it would be still there, but they insisted that I should go back there the next day.

In the evening I checked my emails and  I found a mail from the Lady of the Kiosk telling me that I had  left it there and that I don't have to worry she will keep it safe for me ! I couldn't believe it ! I immediately answered her and thanked her. I was so surprised ! I am not used to such honesty, I probably never would have got it back in Belgium  !

The next morning I took the bus and returned to the beach, but it was so cold, stormy and rainy that the Kiosk was closed ! I fought with my umbrella which turned over and I had to dance around to keep it in the right way. I was almost frozen when  I returned home. When I checked my emails,  I found again a mail from the Kiosk lady who wrote me not to come because in this weather she didn't open her Kiosk !

Who could blame her, nobody would eat ice cream when it's cold and it rains. So I will return to the Kiosk  as soon as the weather inspires to eat ice creams ! 



That happened two days later ! My Kiosk lady recognized me immediately and called me by my name, she saw my happy face and handed my wallet over to me. I thanked her again and gave her some money to buy herself something she likes instead of flowers or chocolate. She seemed to be very happy about it.

I was so angry with my wallet that I emptied it, put everything in the new wallet I had bought and throw the old thing which was an antique in the next bin ! Then I felt better !

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

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The spare costume (seen in London)

EASTBOURNE SEAFRONT

Today I went for the first time since last year to Eastbourne's sea front. The weather had cleared up and the sun came out.





The seafront was as beautiful as each year, with a new colorful  flower pattern .
I love the old buildings along the sea, if the cars would be replaced by coaches I could think I am in another century.



A view on the entrance of the pier



and the beautiful pier from one side



and the other



There were lots of people walking and sitting along the seafront.



And as each year I met my friends the seagulls still so naughty as usual. I was sitting on the terrace of a little café just in front of the sea, eating a sandwich when felt a punch on my head ! I thought it was somebody's elbow but no, it was a seagull who had taken my head as a landing strip ! The shock was quiet hard and I was very surprised, but I clinged to my sandwich ! Poor seagull had to dive on another person.

ON HOLIDAYS IN EASTBOURNE

Since Friday night I am now in Eastbourne. I arrived Friday morning in London  got rid of my suitcase in the "left luggage"  and took the Bus n° 10 to Piccadilly Circus. Now I know that from ST. Pancras where the Eurostar train arrives the n° 10 takes me in  the city. I love to take the bus because sitting on the top of the bus I have a nice sightseeing look over the streets.



The old St. Pancras building became now a very elegant hotel, and the old Kings Cross station had completely changed and is now very modern. The whole area has changed !



After quiet a long walk I had a drink in this nice pub, before I walked over to Covent garden.



It hadn't changed since last year, the only new thing was a Jacket potato stall, and I was really sad that I just had eaten a sandwich before and wasn't hungry anymore ! It was the first stall selling baked potatoes on the street I have ever seen.



At 4 pm I took the train to Eastbourne and took these pictures out of the train window. I had a real nice view over the modern "sky scrapers" of London before we were driving through the beautiful English countryside.



On Sunday we were invited to friends living in a little town near the sea. We had a nice lunch in a Pub and when we got out it unfortunately started to rain. So we spent the afternoon in their beautiful cottage house, had tea and cake and Lilli the dog was happy to have so many people around.

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Fortunately it rained over night and stopped on Sunday morning so we could go to the Ringmer Country Show. We had a lot of fun, I ate my jacket potatoe and we watched a horse and owl and falcon show. We walked around, but didn't buy anything. Lots of people were there and everybody was enjoying the show.



Late afternoon we returned but stopped underway in this beautiful Pub to have a drink. We sat outside in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine.

We all were quiet tired when we finally came home ! What a nice start into my holidays !