Brighton: A Pebble By The Sea

CEBU, Philippines - With the scent of fresh fish and chips that fill the air, the sound of waves that brush the pebbled beach and the refreshing smell of the sea, I take you to Brighton, a bustling city located in the southeast coast of England.

Standing on the beach seafront, the first port of call, from a distance, I spot the reputable coloured beach huts that never fail to attract the masses. At the other end of the promenade stands the Fun Fair on Brighton Pier with stomach churning rides, a major seaside attraction. Combined together with the sunny weather, it gave me such a kick, certainly making my day a lot brighter!

Brighton’s fresh seafood is legendary where tables by the beach groan with food! Found along the lower promenade, the Sea Haze is a specialist seafood stall where cockles, mussels, prawns, scallops, oysters, clams, crabs, lobsters and eels are on display for sale at very reasonable prices! Get advice from friendly professional fishmongers and they’d be more than happy to help you out.

Visiting museums is always important on my list when arriving at a new place. I’ve made a point to do so by venturing to the Brighton Fishing Museum located directly by the seaside, making me appreciate that the fishing trade is not as easy as I thought it was.

Towards the main city centre, around a 15-minute walk from the beachfront, I find the Royal Pavilion singing out to be explored. Inside, I found that it even boasts more impressive collections. It is an Indian-style pavilion that offers fantastic tours, which I highly recommend. Across the pavilion gardens lies the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, a historical building where pieces of Brighton’s remarkable reputation are put together. Then, there is the Sea Life Centre, the oldest operating aquarium in the world where you could meet the star of the show, a giant turtle called Lulu.

Delving a little deeper into the local nightlife, chances are, you’ll find it in Brighton at any time of the year! There is a bit of everything at the Brighton Dome, Brighton Centre or at the Theatre Royal, whatever suits you.

Elsewhere, you will find many personalised shops, markets, convenience stores, restaurants, hotels or bed and breakfasts – there just seems to be more than enough room for everything; you would even find all these in the narrow streets of the old town! One tip any local would tell you is to choose a location by the beachfront as opposed to the city centre to make it easily accessible by foot.

What I like most about Brighton is that there are bits of everything and no shortage of anything at anytime of the year. It is very easy to stroll around, making me feel every inch like a local.