Back. With Blackpool.

Hi! Remember me?! I sometimes blog here! I really wasn't planning on a looooooong break, but it just seems to have turned out that way. I was plainly not feeling very inspired. I didn't write blogs, I didn't read blogs, I feel like I have a lot to catch up on. So what's new with you peoples?
You better brace yourself for quite a few photo-only posts (if I really should get back in the swing of things and show up here more regularly...), as I have so much backlog lurking on my hard drive. It goes all the way back to last summer, and then some. There'll be some Nottingham, some Legoland, some Stonehenge, some Brighton and the sweet Lord knows what else. Don't count on anything being chronological!
Let's start off with some photos from my time in Blackpool last November. I had been meaning to visit there for a few years, and even though Blackpool is an infamous a famous beach resort, I always wanted to go in the colder fall months to see the Blackpool Illuminations. Every year, from September to November, the complete length of the Blackpool seafront is lit up by hundreds of bright bulbs, fairy lights and illuminated displays, which makes the whole beach front look magical after dark. The promenade is busy with people walking to look at the Illuminations, and you can get on a vintage tram for a tour.

Marco and I only stayed for one night, so we walked around a lot to make sure to take in all the sights, including groups of stag dos and hen parties in various fancy dress get-ups. Blackpool is a famous destination for people saying goodbye to their single life and having one final wild time before getting married.

Right in front of the Blackpool Tower, there is a giant monument to the town's comedic history. Many well-known funny people have performed on Blackpool's stages, and many of their quotes can be found on this fantastic Comedy Carpet. Marco and I were walking all over it, chuckling and reading out the best jokes to each other. It's really well-designed, making use of a variety of different fonts and graphics.

Then it was time for a spot of lunch, and whatever else would you eat when beside the seaside than fish and chips. We went to Yorkshire Fisheries. The meal was tasty, and served by really, really friendly staff.

After lunch, I made Marco come and see the beautiful Tower Ballroom with me. I love dancing, and religiously watch Strictly every year. One show is always filmed here, in the magnificent room with vaulted ceilings, chandeliers, a sprung dancefloor, and several Wurlitzer organs that appear from right out of the stage, complete with organist heartily hitting the keys. 

You can pay to have tea on the floor, but access to the balcony is free, and you can sit as long as you want and watch the dancers. Every one of the couples was amazing, dressed up for the occasion and so, so good at dancing! I imagine that coming here of an afternoon is every bit as special and exciting now as it was a hundred years ago. The ballroom atmosphere gave me such happy vibes.

The rest of the afternoon, we strolled around town, having ice cream, visiting the pier, and waiting for dark to fall and the Illuminations to be switched on.

At dusk, we went back to the Tower and went all the way to the top. This gave us an awesome view of the Comedy Carpet and the lit-up town.

I don't have any shots of the actual illuminations, because we took a touristy tram tour that went on a round trip of them all. You can also just hop on one of the regular public transport trams, and I kind of wish we had done that, to be able to get off along the route and look at some of the really good installations for longer. There is a bit slightly out of the centre of town especially, where there are big, special light displays, and I wish we'd had the time to go back there. 

We also did not have time to go see Pleasure Beach, Blackpool's famous amusement park. But I took a picture of The Big One, one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in the world. Knowing me, I probably wouldn't have wanted to ride it anyway. Probably definitely not.

The next morning, we had a bit of time before heading back south, and walked around town a bit more to look at some of the street art. Our B&B was on a street with some great murals, and there is more graffiti all over the place.

Some rather artless leftovers from the night before....

Hope you enjoyed your little tour of Blackpool. See you again in a few months! 

Just kidding. 

I think...

© Text & Photos - Annika - All The Live Long Day (unless otherwise stated).