Monday, We Are Out For A Couple Of Days, To Hastings,

Diana actually had two days off in a row,

so that was it, another parcel to post for me, Diana had gone directly to the station,

parcel dropped off, then back past the graveyard, 

over the road and past the locksmith,

to the station, 

fighting past the commuters on their way to London,

until we had the bridge,

and the out of town platform to ourselves as we headed out of town,

a coffee for the journey to Hastings, 

we were soon hurtling towards Hastings, 

well actually here first,

we changed trains at Orpington,

thankfully,

not much of a wait, 

and we were soon completing the last part of the journey,

it is not often that Diana has two weekdays off in a row, so we thought we would take advantage of it,

a few ZZZZ's for Diana the way,

and here we are,

at Hastings train station,

the near by college,

and the boat on the roundabout, 

the sign says it all,

we made our way into the square,

where this statue of a cricketer is on display,

the legend says it all,

I had forgotten my hat, and having suffered sunburn to the top of my head before, it was a trip for Diana to Primark to buy me a hat,

past perhaps the smallest cooked food outlet we have seen,

the shopping complex behind us,

we made our way to the underpass,

that leads to the seafront,

I like looking in fishing tackle shops, not that we will go fishing in the UK, for freshwater fishing here is so much paperwork, waterboard licences, and the fishing rights to lakes and rivers is normally controlled by clubs that always have huge waiting lists to join, and sea fishing is just so expensive when the hiring of a boat is taken into account, 

we were soon walking along the seafront,

pasting Pelham Place, which was designed by architect Joseph Kaye in 1824-8 and built for Sir Thomas Pelham as housing, 

we passed the gayly coloured ice cream shops,

not many customers, 

which was strange, we tried booking at the 2 hotels we had stayed in before, but both were fully booked, we tried others and in the end the nearest hotel we could find that had a room was literally a mile from the town!

a nice mural on the corner of this pub,

the amusement park closed, 

which we both thought strange with hotels fully booked and it being June, but there it is,

I just had to take a photograph of the Cod Father!

and a few of the other buildings we passed,

many in converted fishing net stores,

over the road a café where we would have breakfast, 

Diana looked at the menu,

whilst I popped inside to take a photograph,

outside Diana had moved table,

which was in the sun and surrounded by flowers,

time to order,

so inside,

a ice coffee for Diana and a cheese and ham panini, with,

and with out sunglasses,

for myself a latte coffee,

and a croissant,

the café was housed in the old customs building, 

the café named La Delizia, our breakfast came to £15.00,

outside I noticed this monkey bike, so popular in the 1960s, they have started to be remade again or this is a really thorough restoration,

the Old Town Fryer, I just love the names of shops that use a play on words,

this part of the seafront,

looking like a ghost town,

which was great news for us,

as we made our way towards the net sheds,

in the distance,

the vernacular railway terminal,

the Hastings meeting point buildings,

opposite converted net sheds,

the blue one made into a pub,

we continued walking,

I was lagging behind,

as I took a photograph of a boat that is used for display,

this blue building looks like a private house,

moving on, we were soon,

at the RX Fisheries, where we will be calling into our our way back tomorrow to pick up some seafood,

the entrance to the vernacular railway,

in the distance some building work going on at some of the net shed homes,

over the road to the railway, 

only to see this, now here is an idea, why not do essential maintenance in the winter and keep the railway open for the summer? 

back over the road,

we kept walking,

past more unused boats on display,

and a little about the net sheds,

we neared the building work,

on our side of the road, a reminder of how dangerous, 

the job of a fisherman is, to all RIP

we decided to go into the Shipwreck Museum,

in we went,

we had made a booking for a table for lunch, 

thinking we would use the railway to the top of the cliffs and a walk up there before it, so we had some time to spend here,

looking at this canon,

 something you do not see in the films made representing the times,

 

and not often recovered,

the cover for the touch-hole,

the museum features a number of wrecks,

with artefacts on display,

some from the Stirling Castle, these items on loan,

these from the Anne,

which was beached and burnt by her captain,

but before that she was at one time a floating palace,

we listened to and watched a fascinating video, 

surrounded by artefacts,

from the Amsterdam,

and here she is a Dutch East Indian ship,

and her history,

a part of the video was playing as I was looking into a cabinet,

a setting of how dress and a part of the ship may have looked,

there is also a display of local fossils,

this one makes the fossil fish I have look so small, 

in another display,

about a Thames sailing barge,

the keel and ribs on display, 

as well as this part of it raised in 1969,

this display was interesting, 

showing the mechanical advantage of pulleys,

using one, 

and two pulleys, 

a last look,

before we were out at the back of the museum,

where another boat was on display,

as well as canons,

and a big ring,

at the end of a very big anchor, 

looking towards the cliff tops, 

back inside there was a touch screen, where ships can be tracked, there are the details of each ship that is travelling through the English channel,

outside we continued walking,

this net shed converted into a shop,

we had not walked along this far along past the museum before,

so it was interesting looking at this antiques shop, which unfortunately was closed,

the walk opened up onto a pebble beach,

a pose for the camera,

well I just had to!

almost a case of ancient and modern with these two VW camper vans, 

unfortunately there was no access further along,

as it happens the walkway was closed,

due to the cliffs being unstable,

a quick pose,

and a look at one of the signs,

before turning around to retrace our steps,

looking back at the cliffs,

as we headed towards the VW campers, striking how much the fronts have changed over the years, especially when looking at the placement of the wheels and doors,

we passed the yachting club boat park,

and club house, 

then a pose,

from both of us,

then the sign I was looking forward to seeing 'To The Trains',

and there they were,

the aroma of oil and coal smoke, 

in this case diesel filled the air,

I was busy snapping away,

this is where we will be eating, Maggie's, as it happens we have eaten here before, 

back to the trains, here is one,

of the 5 or so here,

the tunnel,

in this short video the train actually goes under the restaurant!

and here are all of the short videos of the trains we made put together, below,

this is the same video, but as it is posted on YouTube it should be better quality,

we are almost opposite the vernacular,

so up the steps to the restaurant,

and here we are,

we had booked a table for two,

the view from the window,

the bubbly arrived,

'Ta- Dah!'

gently does it,

'Cheers!'

a nice start to our meal, 

which then arrived, the portions were huge,

'Cheers!'

and one from Diana,

then our dessert arrived,

a knickerbocker glory,

which we shared, our bill came to £62.00 which considering how much food there was is fair,

outside looking to our left,

and right,

another of the trains,

and if you want to drive it, here are the controls,

this train was more Diana,

time to board the train,

lots of smoke,

as the train is readied,

as the return train enters the station, 

passing us,

a look at the cliffs behind the net sheds,

the next train arrives,

it is a single track with a turntable at each end, 

the ticket office, if you do want to ride one of the trains I should point out it is a cash only operation, no cards,

here is our train,

the other being turned around ready for the return trip,

Diana waiting for the off,

and we are under way, 

taking pictures to my right,

and later,

to my left, 

we passed another train,

at the double part of the track at the half way stage,

seafood, yummy!

off of the train,

which will be turned for the return trip,

we walked past the deserted amusement park,

as a train chuffed past,

a look at the crazy golf course, 

which we will be trying tomorrow,

it all looks like fun,

back in the hey day of the resort I guess this would be the place to stay,

the golf course on our left, 

on the other side of the road Pelham Court, 

at the roundabout Rock Salt restaurant, we had eaten at one of the chain when we visited Folkstone,

passing the sculpture in the pebbles,

we walked towards the pier,

until we reached the bus stop opposite these buildings,

after catching the bus and about a mile later we were here,

at our hotel, the Royal Victoria, 

into the lift after checking in,

the room was huge, 

with a nice view of the sea,

Diana commented the room was as big as ours in our flat, most hotels we have stayed in space has been at a premium,

it even had a vanity room,

and a bath, at home we only have a shower,

we had a coffee and relaxed, then we were out again,

it was now low tide,

into the corridor, 

and downstairs, whilst here we had a look at the bar and restaurant,

by the side of the bus stop,

this plaque, 

we arrived in town and walked to the pier, 

which was open, 

but closed if you see what I mean,

we could walk the pier,

but no shops or rides were open,

it all looked a bit sad,

almost as if it was midwinter, 

we had both thought the place would be packed,

but it was not to be,

not another tourist, 

or indeed resident in sight,

where are all of the people in the fully booked hotels?

this place should be heaving with visitors,

but it is deserted,

the sun getting lower,

as a lone cyclist makes use,

of what is billed as the UK's biggest outdoor beer garden, and we now had it all to ourselves!

the tide still going out,

as I took another photograph,

we both felt like a drink, 

and Diana was hungry, so into Casa De Pier, 

 the only place that was open, for a beer, 'Cheers!',

Diana's food arrived, 

the platter was huge, it was called the Casa De Pier seafood spaghetti, the menu is here,

as I said 'Cheers!', with another different beer,

meal finished we were soon out side of the restaurant,

although it was the only place open on the pier it did not disappoint, Diana commented the food was excellent,

the sign says it all, come now, if you want the whole pier to yourself!

we started waking back to the bus stop, stopping on the way for a photograph,

this building had a different painted outside,

if you look closely you can see a person, or two,

we caught the last bus back, the 9.24, so no late nights out and catching a bus back to the hotel,

inside,

we posed by the mirror,

and snagged a sea view table,

it was so pleasant as the sun went down,

and we had the piano player all to ourselves, 

'Cheers!', with a large white,

a coffee for Diana, and a relax for myself,

and a pose,

what a delightful way to round off the day,

as we toasted our coffee and wine with the piano in the background,

we made our way upstairs,

before we called it a day, as it happens Diana had brought along a small bottle of spiced rum for me to drink as a nightcap, a last look at the sea and we were off to bed.