Rye

Just enjoyed a good bank holiday weekend. My parents travelled up from Devon for a visit before going on to my sisters and I've managed some gardening and a trip to the allotment. Back travelling up to London today but at least only four days this week. 

I took a coach trip to Rye and Hastings a few weeks ago and had a lovely day out. There are some lovely antique and vintage shops there and I even managed to sneak in a couple of charity shops.

On the quayside there was a lovely shop selling a mix of vintage and new kitchenware. I could have stayed in there all day.

Quite a few antique shops dotted about selling vintage and antique items. I particularly liked this wooden trug (below). Great for collecting fruit and veg or for cut flowers.

After browsing the shops and having coffee we wandered up a really pretty cobbled road called Mermaid Street flanked on either side by lovely cottages, flowers and bunting. Reminded me a little of Clovelly in North Devon.

This window display was in honour of Britain's Olympic gold  medallists. I love the scrabble letters.

Lots of bright red geraniums everywhere.

Wisteria still in flower.

Lovely old timbered cottages.  

I fell in love with this house and garden. If money was no object it would make a lovely weekend retreat!

The old clock in the high street. Lovely when the sun caught its gold decoration.

This is a view of 'Landgate' one of only four gates remaining when the town was fortified in 1329.

We only had two hours in Rye so it was a very quick visit. We're hoping to go back for the day (or maybe a long weekend) again soon to have a further explore and walk down to the coast.

Just before jumping back on the coach for Hastings I took a couple of shots of these two front gardens which I thought were lovely with their coastal inspired planting, pebbles and driftwood. I loved this trough planted up with alpines and the beautiful old tiled paths.  

'The Lanes' in Brighton

After our visit to the Pier and Pavilion in Brighton a few weeks ago we wandered through the interesting back lanes in the old part of town. This pretty vintage style dress caught my eye in the window of a lovely little shop called 'Dolly Dagger'.

There were pretty hanging baskets and colourful bunting everywhere,

lots of small coffee shops and restaurants,

a replica of the Imperial Crown in the window of a jewellers shop

and shelves lined with pretty jars of traditional sweets.

Lots of scrumptious homemade cakes in the 'Angel Food Bakery' where we stopped for coffee.

pretty strawberry topped cupcakes,

a contemporary wedding cake and the biggest chocolate cake ever!

Blue skies and sunshine...

and traditional fish and chips on the seafront.

Beautiful timbered buildings,

imposing doorways

and plenty of interesting shops to browse.

'England At Home' had some pretty floral items.

Traditional pubs

and small cottages.

A beautiful reclaimed funfair sign above an art gallery which looks like it may have come from the pier originally.

I was a little disappointed as I didn't come across any antique and collectors shops. It wasn't until I was chatting on the coach home that I found out that these are located in the North Lanes which we didn't get to. Never mind....a good excuse for a return visit!

The Royal Pavilion, Brighton

Here are a few pictures of the Royal Pavilion I visited in Brighton a couple of weeks ago. A really beautiful building and well worth a visit.

I love the combination of domes, minarets, pinnacles and chimneystacks.

The gardens surrounding the palace were really pretty too with lots of places to sit and admire the building.

The Pavilion was built for the Prince Regent, later King George IV, in stages between 1787 and 1823. A farmhouse originally stood on the land, then a modest marine pavilion which was then transformed into an oriental, Indian style palace by John Nash in 1815.  

Well I've just finished my first week of Radiotherapy and I'm really glad the weekend's here so I can have a break from travelling up to London in the heat. The trains have been really busy which I hate but I'll just have to grin and bare it for a few weeks more!
Wishing you all a lovely weekend.