Brighton, UK

Brighton is located in the United Kingdom, on the southern coast - just a few hours south of London.  Being on the coast, it's famous for its beaches - although you have to remember that these beaches are not anywhere near a tropical environment ; )  However, they're a beautiful part of the culture of Brighton.

I have traveled to Brighton a few times, mostly to attend a videogame conference that is held there annualy.  The tourism trade does well, as many industries hold events in this location (it gives the English an excuse to get out of London for a change).  On one trip, I was able to take my wife with me...and I was able to be more of a "tourist".  The nice thing was that she was able to scope out all of the interesting sites, while I sat in meetings all day ; )

The most interesting site is the Royal Pavilion.  It's a royal palace - the former summer home of King George IV.  He began visiting the town (as a prince) in the 1770s.  The palace has a really interesting mix of traditional European architecture with Indian and Asian influences throughout.  

Can you see the Indian influence?  I knew you could...

Just to prove that I was actually there...

Part of the entrance to the Royal Pavilion

Brighton's West Pier, opened in 1866, has always been one of England's finest seaside piers.  It was restored in the 1970s and housed an unusual collection of carnival attractions and shops.  If you've ever been to the Santa Monica Pier or the Santa Cruz Boardwalk...you'll understand exactly what I mean.  

From what I understand, the Pier actually burned down a few years ago.  They're still working on restoring it - based on a wealth of old photographs and drawings.

As I indicated above, Brighton has an abundance of beaches:

As I recall, the weather wasn't that warm on the day we took this picture, so that's why all the beach chairs are vacant ; )  You'll notice that it's a rather "rocky" beach...not a lot of sand to be found.  However, people love to lay out at the beach - even if the weather isn't totally cooperative.

In town, my wife found some quaint and lovely streets to walk through.  It will transport you back to the 17th and 18th century, with cobblestone streets and specialized shops down the lane.

In the middle of town, you'll find the Brighton Clock Tower.  It was built in the 1880s during Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee:

One last thing to see (I'm sure there is plenty more that I never had the chance to reach) is the Peace Statue, located right next to the water:

Brighton is indeed a lovely place - many Londoners make the quick trip down there for a fun weekend.  I can certainly see why ; )