A Trip To The Beach

[lupestripe]

Went to Scarborough on Saturday for the first time in about twenty years. I thought it was just a seaside place so I was surprised by the size of the town, up the hill near the railway station, so a generally good day was had.

I generally don't like seaside towns, they seem to be drab former relics of what they once were, plus Union Flag bunting and Kiss Me Quick hats are examples of Victorian British tackiness that I loathe. Scarborough isn't like this though - yes there are tacky tourist shops and arcades on the seafront, but it's a pleasant place to stroll and I got to try two ice creams (the first was far superior to the second) so I was happy.

I avoided the fish and chips on the seafront - I always find them disappointing, largely because the popularity means the food is often undercooked. They oil they use to fry the stuff in is often a bit odd and so it proved when I tried a chip. Plus I had had eggs benedict with Panthras in the Wetherspoons in Leeds while waiting for our train, on which Enteirah and Patter were also travelling.

The weather was splendid for late September, allowing us to get an open topped bus around to the North Shore, and for us to explore a nice Japanese garden with stagnant water and pagodas in the middle of the town. Pan played Whack A Meerkat, which is a more simples version of Whack A Mole, and I nearly bought a bottle holder statuette of a dog on its back. Wolfie wasn't with me, as he was ill, so I bought him a minion plush from Despicable Me, a present he loves so much he wants an army of them. I also gorged on the usual candy before ending the day in Pizza Hut to celebrate Rab Otter's birthday, a fur I had only met that day.

We were going to go for the pizza with cheeseburgers in the crust but this reduced significantly the size of the pizza you got, so we didn't bother with the gimmick. I was having a cynical day but I hope one interspersed with humour. We then had some drinks in Wetherspoons before we got our separate trains home, with some of us convening in Leeds once again for a final drink before heading back.

Comments

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

Mm, there's a certain Spirit of Naff that seems to take over seaside towns when their defenses are down. Still, Brighton's happily escaped that - fun town, albeit with rents that wouldn't be out of place in London. (Not that anywhere's exactly cheap in the UK.. even small, perfectly ordinary towns) And definitely rather a pleasant seafront.

Actually, Eastbourne's not bad on that front either, but it's slipped into becoming something of a retiree haven.

I'm not sure I'd recommend eating in Wetherspoons. =:/ Drinking, certainly - they tend to keep an interesting selection of ales, and some of their pubs can be quite cozy. (For Eggs Benedict, you must go along to the Pump Rooms in Bath. Absolutely top-notch - delicious ham, ideal sauce, served with no skin developing, and perfect service)

BTW, if you're in London on the morrow, you might want to look into London Cocktail Week. =:) It's technically not on just yet, but there do seem to be some pre-week offers running. (Once it's underway, they boast £4 cocktails at some 160 top bars across the city, plus specials like a cocktail, two pulled pork sliders, and chips for £10 at Beard to Tail)

Stagnant water, or merely still? The former sounds rather heavy on the algae. ^_^;

Chips in the UK are ridiculously variable. =:/ Sometimes, they're just greasy and soft, sometimes nicely crisp, all the way up to the occasional delights of triple-cooked. =:9 This surprises me a bit, given it's not difficult - blanche first, drain and let the oil get back to heat, down again. Just two rounds can be enough, though admittedly, the potatoes make a big difference - some varieties are much better suited than others. Some benefit from salting after chipping, to help draw out excess moisture.

(Not actually something I engage in, I admit - I tend to make do with.. well, last time I bought chips was a while ago. Then, it was usually Waitrose's own brand oven chips, sometimes McCain's, but not any of the varieties with any coatings. None are the same as real chips, from a potato sent through a chipper, but they're at least crisp and fairly light on fat)