Tristan and Yseult

Still overdosing on the culture at the Festival and the Fringe. 

Over the last few days we have seen Argentinan Tango dancers, and at very funny Romeo and Juliet where one of the actors was drunk on purpose for artistic reasons! 

We then saw two events on the same day -  Othello the play by Shakespeare in the afternoon (picture one)  and in the evening we saw Otello the opera by Verdi. 

We were right on the front row for both shows and the actors from the afternoon recognised us in the evening and came over to say hello, which was very strange. 

However, the best event was Tristan and Yseult. I wasn't really bothered about it in advance,  but Daz had read that it got five star reviews. It was a modern version of an ancient Cornish folk tale and I absolutely loved it. The rest of the audience did as well, and the couple sitting along the row from us were still crying into their hankies as everyone was trying to leave. I nearly joined them, but just managed to make it outside dry eyed. 

Excellent sunny view of the Pavilion on the way home. 

Golf and cocktails

Good round of golf today, I think that at last I am getting the hang of it. Highest score was a six and I even got a birdie and a few pars. 

Daz was on for a par in the second photo but he says that I put him off his putt with my action action shot. 

Golf was followed by the compulsory fish finger sandwiches in the cafe. 

To round off the outing we headed to the Malmaison Hotel at the Marina for a cocktail on the terrace. 

Well we do need to get our money's worth out of our Cocktail Week bracelets! 

For the birds and cocktails

Trying to get better value out of our cocktail week bracelets we set off at 9pm for Brighton Rocks and for two of their amazing cocktails. It took the barman about ten minutes to make them but it was worth the wait. 

We then went around the corner to Drakes for another cocktail before our evening event. We were getting a bit short on time but thought that it would be fine. 

Yet again the barman was a perfectionist and ten minutes later two beautiful and very strong cocktails arrived. Unfortunately that only left about 12 minutes to knock them back and even then we had to run all of the way to a distant bus stop, to meet for our next event. 

We were off on another Festival event, this time to a secret destination in a dark forest. 

We arrived and were told to follow the lights along the route. It was a very dark, still night with stars in the sky and strange birdsong and other noises all around. 

Every few metres we came across installations that were all bird related. The best one was little lights whizzing all above us on cables to look like birds flying through the canopy of trees. 

It is very difficult to describe, but an excellent unique experience. 

Brighton food and drink festival

After leaving M and D we dashed to pick up our vouchers for the afternoon event. We had three hours to visit ten different restaurants to try tapas and their own specialities. 

We started at Merkaba with a lovely cocktail, nibbles and as many macaroons as we could eat. 

Then we started to get organised and had cheese and red wine at Ten Green Bottles, a tasty Indian snack, various weird tea drinks (not my favourite), aubergine pate, chocolate cake, rum punch and Barbadian fish balls, Mexican snacks, more chocolate cake, peanut butter and something on toast I think and finally South African bobotie. 

Then home for a lie down. 

Busy weekend

Lovely, super busy weekend with M and D in sunny Brighton. 

We met for drinks and dinner on Saturday afternoon, then they went to see a load of bands at their trendy hotel and we ran to a church to listen to Tychkovsky. 

Last to arrive we couldn't sit together, but Daz used the time to nap on the shoulder of the lady he was sitting next to. 

Then it was back to M and D's hotel for late drinks. 

Sunday morning started with runs on the sea front for the boys and then a look at the hundreds of Mini cars that were having a rally on Madeira Drive. 

Finally a coffee at the beach volleyball courts before we said goodbye to them and the rest of our busy Sunday really got started. 

Boat - Brighton Open Air Theatre

Back from sunny Crete and on a very wet night we traipsed over to the Boat to watch a very amateurish version of Don Quoixte. Fortunately although wet it wasn't too cold, and at least the play was fairly short. Better luck with the next one!