Sunday 12 August 2012

A relaxing 10 days on the Kent Coast.

Well, it's been too long since I've last seen my parents, who have moved out of London into a nice retirement bungalow on the Kent Coast, so this year we decided to combine a long visit with our Summer break.The Kent Coast used to be the favourite summer holiday destination for us growing up and many a holiday was spent in Broadstairs, where we dug holes in the sand outside our beach hut and swam in the cold sea, when the heat got too much.
We spent most of our holiday in and around Birchington, where my folks now live, where we walked along the coast line, cycled to Reculver Castle and also took the plunge in the Channel (and it is as cold as I remember it). We did however also spend a day in Broadstairs and had lunch in Bleak House (of Dickens' fame), or as Jemma and I called it Beak House, home of Darles Chickens.
I must confess to not recognizing much, but I guess that's because my sister and I were always either building sand castles or swimming, we weren't much for taking an interest in the local shops and buildings when we were kids.
Jane and I also visited Canterbury, Jemma deciding to stay behind with her grand parents, and had a great day discovering art galleries and an amazing little book shop. No visit to Canterbury would be complete, of course, without a visit to Whatever Comics, and a chat with store owner Manny.
It was great to see Manny as passionate about comics as ever, and my wife even popped in to suggest a school bag for Jemma (a Marvel one no less), Jane's first comic shop visit in many a year.
Leaving Manny with a Magnificent Seven WesterNoirs (the number seemed appropriate) it was soon time to leave, but I'll pop into that great little store whenever I'm in the area, which is all the more likely now.
The only other 'time out' from the holiday was taken to watch the new Batman movie. Jemma and I went to The Vue at Westwood ( a retail park). All I can really say is 'Wow', what a great end to the trilogy.
No rest for the wicked of course, as we're all off to Carlisle next weekend fopr the MegaCon, which I'm really looking forward to.. be good to see you there.