Showing Paul Around

[crystalcazzie]

Paul came to visit yesterday.  He approves of the new house, which is good.  He then drove us into Hastings so I could play tour guide and show him around.  

We started at The Shipwreck Museum, which was very interesting and clearly a labour of love.  There was an outside section where some pigeons had made themselves at home:

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Probably not what the volunteers would consider the main point of interest in their museum, though!  

Following that we went up the West Hill Lift funicular:

Through a tunnel!

We emerged at the top of West Hill and took in the view:

It's Grandad's boating lake! (Or at least it used to be.)  Not much boating going on at the moment though.  

Both the Castle and Smugglers Adventure were closed, but that just means we have more to do next time he comes to visit!

Back down the tunnel.

We went to George Street and I wanted to go into Ye Olde Pump House because it looks exactly like the kind of pub I love and also because I know Mum and Dad went there when they were young.

I had a Spitfire lager.  Very nice it was too!

Yeah, this is definitely the kind of pub I love.  I hope I get a chance to go there again soon.  

We decided not to eat there, but to go somewhere where we could see the sea.  We wandered the length of Hastings all the way to the pier before heading all the way back to Rock-a-Nore and Maggie's (which often comes up as having the best fish & chips.)

I didn't get my sea view but the food was delicious.  I particularly enjoyed the chips!

We walked back to his car along the sea front and passed by the boating lake.  

At least the seagulls are enjoying it!

But it wasn't time for us to leave yet.  Oh no.  We had gone back to his car so I could pick up the tub of 2p coins that I had carefully separated from the many change pots that we brought with us when we moved and I kept wondering what to do with.  

And then it was time to hit the slots!  By which I mean the 2p Machines!

First I saw a purple duck close to falling and felt like I could get it.  And later on in a different machine I saw a yellow duck also near the edge.  

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And they are both now home with me!

I tried and failed to pick up a Christmas tree in a claw machine and then we moved on to a different arcade.

This time I wanted to get a Christmas toy from one of the machines...

And I succeeded!  Gingerbread Man Keyring joins the party!

This arcade also had branded cuddly seagulls and I immediately wanted one!  I tried and failed to win one from a claw machine (I managed to pick it up multiple times but the claw dropped it every time.  I know the machines do this but I'd hoped that maybe I'd be lucky and get the good grip at one point.)  

But also... the counter had HUGE cuddly seagulls!  You need thousands of tokens to get one and I now feel like that should be my mission!  It may take me years, but I want that seagull to be mine!  

This seagull apparently heard my wish and was waiting for us on the top of Paul's car when we returned! 

Paul gave me a lift home but didn't come in again cos Tormund was barking a lot, which was a shame.  I felt a bit guilty about the abrupt end to our day but other than that I had a really good time and I hope he comes down more often.  As well as the Castle and the Smugglers Adventure Caves we still need to do the remaining two mini golf games and experience all the fun of the sea front when it's actually in season!