WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

The beautiful Pier in Eastbourne you can see in my previous posts, once had a dome on it, which burnt down in 2014. I was just there and could take these pictures. 

It was terrible but the next day people sat on the beach looking at the disaster, still smelling the smoke. 

Fortunately it had all been repaired, but the dome hasn't been rebuilt, instead there are little restaurants and shops.

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EASTBOURNE HOLYDAYS DAY 4 AND 5

My holidays are slowly coming to an end. Fortunately the last days the sun had come out and it also was a little warmer and less wind.

After breakfast I usually crossed the street and sat on "my" bench



from where I had this beautiful view. There were always people walking by and as I appeal apparently to dogs who came to sniff my feet (I swear I washed them) and so a conversation started. Then I walked along the beach, from time to time sat down and read my Kindle.

In the afternoons I usually went out.



I went with Doug to the graveyard to visit Anne's grave. It was a sad moment. But then we went out for  supper and ended the day with a last drink in my hotel.

I also met Hillary from "Positive Letters ...inspirational stories", who lives in Eastbourn. I had met her already last year and it was so nice to see her again. She proposed to take me to the Herstmonceau Castle in Hailsham, which is now an International Study Center, of Queen's University (Canada)



Fortunately we had very nice weather and we walked around in the superb Elizabethan gardens.



We also had a little lunch in the Tearoom



We walked around the castle and admired the Giant Sundial



In the ball room tables were beautifully dressed for a wedding ! It was certainly not for the daughter of a toilet cleaner ! It all looked very luxurious and beautiful;



Two men were busy to put little ribbons with the table numbers on keys, which were at the same time bottle openers so people could easily find their tables !

As I had started not feeling very well, I probably caught a cold with this icy wind in the last days, Hilary drove me to my hotel where I fell asleep ! I woke up because I was hungry ate a Sandwich and continued sleeping.

Today it's already better !

WEEKEND REVIEW JULY 25

When I wanted to leave the house to catch the Eurostar to London, it rained so much that Mr. G had to drive me to the Station otherwise I would have been wet like a cat.

But then in London to my surprise the sun was shining ! I had to go to Victoria station to leave my luggage there for the day. Carrying a suitcase up and down the stairs there was no lift, was not an easy task and I told myself I will rather take a bus next time if it would happen again that I had to change the train for Eastbourne.



Around Victoria station was big a mess, two years ago it was bearable but now you need 10 GPS to cross the street and find a bus stop ! A real labyrinth ! And what they are constructing is so ugly, when I think what a beautiful old place it was a few years ago. There were works going on a little everywhere and I did a sightseeing for cranes ! I thought building glass boxes had stopped after the Olympic games, but apparently it goes on.

Then I arrived at Covent garden, a nice place to sit and watch people when the sun is shining.



Of course thousands of people had the same idea as I. I bought a jacket potato with Cheddar cheese and found a chair to sit down.




A group of young musicians played some classical music



My intention was to visit the transport museum, but when I saw the crowd lining up, I thought it will be for the next time !



Looking up I saw this penthouse and wondered how much it would be worth, just overlooking Covent garden. Probably a fortune. Maybe it belongs to a company and this was the terrace for smokers.



Leaving Covent garden and looking for a bus to take me back to Victoria station, I ended up in China town ! Most of the people were Chinese or maybe British Chinese. When they spoke I couldn't find out if they were just discussing, fighting or telling a joke.

Finally I found a bus, I love to sit on the double deck,  and do real sightseeing. In the tube I feel like a mole !



What I didn't know was that there was a concert on Trafalgar square and the traffic was completely congested ! Fortunately I just arrived in time to take my suitcase and caught the train !

My friend Doug picked me up at the station, and it was so strange to see him alone without Anne. He drove me to my hotel and an hour later he picked me up again to show me the renovated house and then we went for supper. The house looks so nice now with a new kitchen new floors and freshly painted walls Unfortunately she only could enjoy this for 3 months before she passed away. so sad.

On Sunday morning it rained cats and dogs and on top it was very windy. Fortunately I kept myself busy with blogging and reading !

I had intended to walk and sit down at the beach,  but the weather became worse and worse. So Doug picked me up at my hotel and we went shopping together and then stayed the whole day at home. A friend of Anne came over and we had a cream tea together and a nice chat. In the evening Doug cooked for me, he was so happy to cook for somebody and we had roasted chicken with Broccolis, cauliflower, roasted potatoes and carrots. It was delicious. Often we were talking about Anne and digged out funny memories.

Despite the terrible weather, after all we had a very nice day !

RESUME OF MY WORLD IN 2013

As I love to travel and visit countries and cities as much as I can, I started beginning 2013 with a visit to my friend Claudie, who lives at the French Riviera.



I spent New Year with her and her family

End May, my friend Ilona and I decided to make a tour around the UK.



Before we started the tour, I showed her a bit of London. Next day early morning we took the Bus and started our tour. We were 10 different nationalities on board !




First stop was in Cambridge where we visited the town on the River cam with a punt boat.



York was a beautiful town and we visited the Roman bath.



We saw Hadrian's wall and the beautiful landscape until we arrived at the Scottish border.



We loved Edinburgh very much and stayed there for two days.



The next day we drove to Loch Ness and were so lucky because we had wonderful sunny weather



The drive through the Highlands was just breathtaking



And then we followed the traces of the Beatles in Liverpool



visited Stratford upon Avon



and arrived the next day in Bath. Where we literally took a bath, it poured and we didn't see very much of the city.



Stonehenge too, was rather wet, fortunately I had seen it the year before when the sun was shining.



After we had returned to London we spent another day there and met Marie from After 60.

Beginning August I went as I do each year, to my friends in Eastbourne at the English South East coast.



It's a beautiful place and I always discover new things to see.

On my way back to Brussels, I stopped again in London for the day,



until I took the Eurostar (train) back to Brussels in the evening.

Normally in October or November I spent 12 days in Egypt at the Red Sea. But this time I couldn't due to the political troubles there.

Instead I followed the invitation of my friend Claudie and went again to the South of France end October,



to collect some sunshine, and enjoy the exceptionally warm weather. This usually helps me to go through the dark, cold and short winter days.

Now 2013 is over and I wish you all a happy New Year ! 

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?

Helps you to remember what you have done on the weekend of August 3 . If you participate please put the little logo on the top of your post and leave your link.

On Saturday morning I went again to the seafront.



I never get tired to observe the seagulls' behaviour when somebody feeds them ! This man had fish and chips and a lot of uninvited guests !

In the afternoon I met  Hilary my in Eastbourne living blogfriend again. She kindly had proposed me to go with her to the Eastbourne Redoubt, which I had never visited.



She picked me up at the Queens Hotel, where I waited on the parking, as if I was a guest of this beautiful hotel ! I felt posh but not for long, as she arrived shortly after me.



Hilary had a lecture about the Victoria Cross. Of course being a good continental European, I had never heard about a Victoria Cross and first thought it was a street and wondered why one gave a lecture about a street ! Now of course I know that it is highest military decoration in the UK ! After all I am not Madame Wikipedia !

And while she was busy with her lecture I wandered around the Eastbourne Redoubt a fortress built to withstand potential invasion from Napoleon's forces in the early nineteenth century. There is also a museum inside and as I am apparently persecuted by Napoleon who is very present in my town from the Waterloo battle, I visited the museum and even found some medals of the Waterloo battle ! It was interesting to see the colorful uniforms from the 1800, and all these medals and decorations ! Some of the Generals looked like Christmas trees.



All around the Redoubt canons were placed. Fortunately the one pointing on Hilary's fitness club was dismantled, you never know !

When she came out of her lecture, we had a cup of tea and I had "The General's Cream Tea" but couldn't find any difference to the usual Cream Tea !



We sat for quiet a while in the sunshine and chatted and chatted until she drove me home !

On Sunday we went to a Vintage fair in a little village nearby. We walked around and had a lot of fun when we saw all the things we were used to when we were young and which are now called "vintage". I have to say that I rather prefer to be called a "Vintage" then an "Old woman" ! 



I found a car which would still be suitable for me today, we saw petticoats and dresses we used to wear, furniture like I had in my room and also old and rusty tools.



When I saw these typewriters I admired myself to have learned on these old machines and worked on them for some years, where the keyboard was so hard that from time to time I had a tendinitis ! What a difference with the once I use today !



Through the South Downs we drove back and stopped for a while to watch the cricket players. I don't understand a thing about the rules, but I like to watch !

For dinner we went out to Toby' Cavery which apparently is named after my little grandson !



We had a very nice meal and I could eat my other favorite English plate,  Gammon steak, which we don't have in Belgium.

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.