Day 2.

we were out for breakfast,

into another bright sunny day, 

just a touch of cloud, 

a quick photograph of Diana as what I think is a Westfield 11 behind her went equally quickly past us, 

another by the harbor, 

we started our walk to the Royal Victoria Pavilion, for our breakfast, 

Kai, 

and Diana, 

I carried on, 

snapping away, 

as we passed the boats in the basin,

some of the owners sorting the flags for their vessels, 

some more craft had arrived, 

the line up impressive indeed, 

a closer look at the flags to be used today, 

and one more of Diana,

and the hero's, 

not room enough for all of them, 

berthed at pontoon after pontoon,

near the pontoon a memorial to a often forgotten display of courage against overwhelming odds, 

Operation Fuller, slow, aged and fabric covered Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers of the Fleet Air Arm, would be ordered to attack the Scharnhorst which was over 38,000 tons when fully loaded, the Gneisnau was the sister ship to Scharnhorst, and the Prinz Eugen which was smaller than the other two massive ships, as a heavy cruiser of 18,710 tons, the aircraft were from the base at RAF Manston, without adequate fighter cover, the airmen knew that their chances of success and survival were slim, but pressed on regardless. All six aircraft were shot to pieces by the intense German defenses, including up to date Luftwaffe fighter cover, with only five of the 18 aircrew surviving,

this is to their memory, and their often overlooked act of courage,

looking back to the basin,

and towards the Royal Victoria Pavilion,

inside,

flags everywhere, 

we were trying to find a table with a sea view, none downstairs, 

none upstairs either, 

so this table it was, 

eggs benedict for the girls, 

a English fry up for myself, for Diana and myself including unlimited tea and coffee £20.00,

outside we started a walk to the tunnels,

past the ice cream shop,

and not yet opened beach burger bar,

the new seafront development now starting to be used, 

with cafes and lounges opening on ground level,

hardly a soul here today the weekend crowds now gone,

and here we were at the Ramsgate Tunnels, 

they were in fact Victorian railway tunnels built some 150 years ago,

but were also in later life a network of deep shelter tunnels which would provide shelter for 60,000 people, 

and after the plan was finally given the go ahead and the Tunnels opened on 1st June 1939, 

life for the people of Ramsgate and those who made the Tunnels their home, and did in fact become a underground city with over 1,000 permanent residents,

back outside another staircase up the cliff to the beach road that runs along the top of them,

looking back to the Royal Victoria, 

a quick pose before we were back in town, 

where I noticed the Royal Enfield Meteor 350cc motorcycle, 

we made our way back,

 

past the vessels in the harbor and basin, 

it was turning into a glorious day, 

we passed the Tuk - Tuk Thai restaurant, 

as we made our way into town, 

to the taxi rank,

and station, 

inside we were pleased to find the trains running as normal,

above the entrance the towns coat of arms,

nibbles and drinks bought for the journey home, just one change of trains at Bromley South and we were home after wishing Kai a farewell at Bromley South, 

then I was back out again, past the green on a number 54 bus,

I alighted at This 'N' That,  

opposite the shop, I had a few things to pick up there, next back home, I started on the blog, it took some time as there were so many photographs, I will continue tomorrow and hopefully post it then, after our evening meal it was feet up for a Deadliest Catch followed by a Midsomer Murder, one we had not watched for some time I am happy to say, after which it was a It Ain't Half Hot Mum, the series had started again with one we had not seen before, after which we were off to bed.