1. Britain has the cleanest and most well-lighted parking garages in the world.
2. You cannot put too much salt and vinegar on fish and chips.
3. Punk is not dead.
After some time lying around on Brighton's pebbles, in the shadow of amusement park and groovy and glitzy beach shops tucked beneath the boardwalk, the family abandoned me for the upper world of shopping and cafes. Pam purchased a purse that, in her words, "makes me look like the Queen Mother herself!" And Berit bought some gifts for friends. Rowan has so far saved her money - I'm betting on it emerging when we hit the Warner Brothers London Harry Potter Tour on Monday - but Griffin thought he'd died and gone to heaven with the sudden availability of seeming unlimited cheap plastic things to buy. I like his Union Jack bracelet.
I told Pam that all I wanted to do was sit on the beach, and I was given leave to do just that. Despite the cold water - you get used to it - I let the current carry me westward along the beach, and I walked back up looking for interesting rocks. Berit and Rowan both found geodes, and we found a number of rocks with holes in them - perfect holes that start with a perfect circle. Haven't figured that out yet.
My highlights included a cup full of fresh mussels with vinegar and meeting Jake, who was manning the beachside book shop - just a bunch of fold-up tables actually - where I purchased two more in the Harry Potter series. Yes, the kids are collecting the British versions of Harry Potter while we're here. We've found six so far. One left.
Jake asked me if I was Canadian. He's the third person here who, after speaking with me, has asked if I'm Canadian. I joke that I'm Southern Canadian, and the British humor me.
On the drive home, we take a detour to stop at a Waitrose for groceries. I am lost in the tea aisle for a full 15 minutes before grabbing a package of looseleaf Lapsang Souchang and a box of Twinings Darjeeling.
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