Margate: Seaside Special



Took the South Eastern train from Bromley South to Margate, last Wednesday 27/6.
Apart from some signal failures at Whitstable, causing a six minute delay, the journey was quiet, smooth and very agreeable.
 Alighting from the station, one walked through the entrance/exit and there in front of you was the sea; how lovely.

The beach stretched out  in  a curve, with real  sand.  The tide was out.  We walked along the main Esplanade, enjoying for once, the warmth  of the sun.



Margate has been a seaside town for over 250 years. It has been a holiday spot for Londoners, drawn to the sandy beaches.
In recent times Margate has seen a downturn in its economy. 36% of the shops are now closed.




But all is not doom or gloom, far from it. The new Turner Gallery opened in 2011 and is bringing a new art culture to the town. There is to be a grant of 100k to help in the rejuvenation of the town, and when we paid a visit to the old town quarter, we were delighted with the local shops with locally sourced food and goods.
Everyone was friendly and there was a good-natured air about the place.
We dined on a sumptious burger at the 'Greedy Cow ' cafe; served with coldslaw and a variety of toppings and layers; all washed down with a drop of Kentish cider- yummy!
We were reminded, when visiting one of the craft shops there, of the recent five part BBC TV series "True Love ," which was set entirely in Margate and helped very much in an improved perception of the town.
More about Old Town here:
M/old-town

Having looked, shopped and eaten, we made our way towards the aforementioned gallery; passing an interesting clock tower on the way.



It  was built in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee ( another one).
The five bells were replaced in 1908.

The Turner Contemporary Gallery, to give it its full name is a very interesting building indeed.



Set by the harbour, it looks engagingly upon the sea.





The exhibition presently on, is the work of Tracey Emen; herself born in Margate.
The paintings are bold, brash and striking, mostly drawn in a bright sea-blue colour.
Some look deceptively simple, until one observes the composition and setting.
Tracey has never been afraid of making a statement, in an honest and unashamed way.
Her line drawings show a great accuracy of purpose, without any unnecessary embellishments.
Worth a look ( did I mention free entry? ) I think.

more on Tracey's gallery work here:

Tracey

After viewing the art, we made our way along the harbour wall, until we came to some  old fisherman's huts, now converted into a tea-room.
We sat down, upon a deck chair provided and enjoyed a splendid pot of coffee.
As we gazed over the beach, with the tide on the turn, we suddenly noticed in the distance a big black pall of smoke.


It didn't, fortunately last long, but of course a song came to mind: yes, you've guessed it "Smoke on The Water." Here it is : Air Guitars ready !

smoke


After that excitement, it was just time for a brief paddle, ( I'll spare you the pics.) and then back to the nearby rail station for the return journey.

A great day out in the sun.

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For a poem on Margate and other words view my Tumbir at :


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Cheerio

Ck.


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please feel free to comment and point out faults.
glad to have you aboard .

Curlykale.

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