Once upon a time, Bath was the fashionable place to vacation and give your health a boost by soaking in the heated springs...until Brighton took over with its chilly ocean water. It became THE place to go to heal mild maladies (as well as a place to see and be seen at the right places with the right people). People even drank the saltwater as a health measure; but, since most people can't stomach that, they created a recipe that included cream and required boiling it to a congealed gelatin sort of concoction. Yummy.
Nowadays, it is a nice little vacation spot with a rocky beach (not sandy), a fun amusement park pier, and dozens of cute market-style sale booths and shops. Apparently, on a clear day, you can see France from the shore.
Here are some pictures of the area:
(Don't judge my hair. It was windy.)
The highlight of this trip was not only the fresh, open ocean air (which, by the way, was an incredible alternative to my stupid-small dorm room), but getting a chance to see the Brighton Pavilion. It was the most shockingly out-of-place, over-the-top fantasy palace. Here are some pictures, historical explanations to follow!
It was built near the end of the 1700s for George, Prince of Wales (later King George IV, who was known for his extravagant spending) as a seaside vacation home. It is, obviously, in the Indian style of architecture. However, the inside is decorated very ostentatiously in a traditional Chinese fashion.
It really is too bad that I couldn't take pictures inside, because it was INCREDIBLE. There were a lot of illusionist strategies that made the art on the wall pop out at you. Handrails and mirror frames looked like bamboo, even though they weren't. Carpet was so lush, you could feel your feet sink in a little bit. The kitchen had one of the first self-revolving spits over the cooking fire. The dining room chandelier, when lit, gave the impression that silver dragons were blowing fire, and the large dragon at the top of it was so life-like and scary that some guests refused to sit under it.
Probably my favorite palace I've visited since being here. And I've seen a lot of castles, let me tell ya.
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