Brighton

By Rachel Path

With our British Life and Culture class we had the opportunity to take a day trip to Brighton.  I had just gotten off a flight from Prague and was dreading the journey, but a day at the beach and shopping in the charming town ended up being just what I needed and one of the best days ever.  There are historical landmarks that are a must see: the Brighton Pier, the Royal Pavilion, and the Grand Hotel.  After seeing Meryl’s portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady and learning about her era as Prime Minister in class, I felt I had to go see this last location.  The Grand Hotel is where 1984 bombing by the IRA took place during the Conservative Party conference.  The Royal Pavilion is a former royal palace built for Prince Regent and is known for it’s fabulous Indo-Saracenic architecture.  Beside the Pavilion you will find a bunch of college aged kids scattered about the extremely well kept lawn (but actually it was the best quality of grass I have ever seen) just hanging out, and I highly suggest you join them if it is a nice sunny day.  Where I enjoyed spending the most time in Brighton was the pier.  I almost felt as if I was in California while wandering about the pier.  There are ice cream shops, arcade games, lounge chairs, and even rides.  We even wandered down to the beach and had rock-throwing contest, like any mature college student would do.  You must also check out all the unique shops.  They are filled with hidden treasures such as art, jewelry, books, and other one of a kind items.  This is must be on your list of destinations within the UK.