08 July 2009

Beach huts, classic cars, and fish and chips: what more could you want out of a Sunday afternoon?

Before I give you the impression that Southend-on-Sea is nothing but a live reenactment of Sybil, let me tell you about the rest of my lovely day there...
This is me pretending to drive a 1953 Austin named Archie. (Deee, please note the fabulous kickin' awesome birthday bracelets you got me! They made this car look GOOD.)

Archie had a bit of trouble getting started. First, he had to be cranked, then he needed his spark plugs lovingly caressed, then he needed his bottom wiped. He was a darling.

Please note: in England, a wrench is called a 'spanner.' And instead of referring to idiot guys as tools like we do back home, they call them spanners, as in, 'I went to this dinner party and got stuck talking to a total spanner all night.' I thought it was interesting that calling a guy something from a toolbox was universal and that the English chose to specify which tool.


Archie, beaming merrily and innocently away:

The best part of Southend-on-Sea is of course the beach huts...

Except maybe the fish and chips:


Which came wrapped like this...


And blossomed into heavenly this, by far the best fish and chips I've EVER had:

Please note the grease on the paper. That's how you KNOW it's good...

7 comments:

alison mc said...

love southend......sound like a fun afternoon!

Kimberly said...

Ok, now I'm really hungry. Too bad I don't have a fish n chips stand in my back yard.

Anonymous said...

Oh Please, may I caress Archie?

James said...

glad you enjoyed our town.

Interesting to note your thoughts on the "identity crisis"...often thought about this myself...it's extremely good in places, and extremely bad in others.

Thinking of doing a feature on this theme for my blog in the near future - would welcome your input.

www.longpier.com

Gina said...

Good God! I want fish and chips now, and it's only 10:30am here. Have you ordered curry chips yet? Please do, and enjoy the wild technicolor splendor of the curry sauce. Think of me when you do.

Alissa said...

Those little beach huts are so cute! How fun!I just can't see them on the beaches of old Keystone Lake though!

deee said...

it kinda seems like your life is one big vacation over there... :) lurv the bracelets!