Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!

Unexpectedly and slightly unwillingly I went to Hastings today. The unwillingness was because I hadn't a very good impression of Hastings as a seaside resort. Seedy, tacky, run-down - just three adjectives that came to mind.

NOW, however, I could be on the Hastings Town Tourist Board...

I'd obviously been visiting the Wrong Part of Hastings. Old Hastings is absolutely charming, with narrow winding streets, house fronts painted every colour of the rainbow, quirky little shops...Wonderful fish and chips too.

So very British - the part of what it means to be British that makes me feel proud to be British - especially on this Diamond Jubilee weekend. (I wish I had shares in red, white and blue bunting!)

We went up and down the hill on the funicular railway...





Didn't go to the much criticised (but I thought tasteful and unobstrusive) Jerwood Gallery...

...but will go back.

All in all, a completely lovely day.

Should have had an ice-cream though...