And So Off To Margate Kent

 

This past weekend I took a trip out to Margate in Kent which always becomes a nostalgic

journey for me as it was the resort that our Foster Home took us to during many August

Summer holidays during the long School breaks.

Of course it's not the place it used to be. And back in the 1950's, 60's and 70's it was thriving

as well as being the must place to go for your August Summer Holidays, that is until the surge

in Spanish holidays became popular in the 1970's.

The golden sand beaches were somewhat sparse and empty on Saturday, but then that's because

the Schools are back and the Season is practically over.

And so just like I did in Hastings the other week I made another video. Just hope it wont take

too long to edit and put together.

Above is the house that we stayed in each year that we visited Margate. And still called

Westbrook Lodge, the Guest House is now run by Tracy and Colin. And to my surprise

the house featured on Channel 4's popular makeover show 'The Hotel Inspector' last year.

And just down the bottom of the road the sea is visible from the house (picture below).

Now I love to be anywhere by the sea, but as part of a Foster family of eight noisy excitable

children, it was almost as exciting as Christmas itself.

WESTBROOK LODGE

Jung Kook for Calvin Klein

How do Asians in particular Koreans, but mostly K-Pop Idols have the knack to look so

androgynous and dare I say at times genderless? You only have to see how we

Westerners can be fooled so easily by Thai Ladyboys who in outward appearance seem

to be able to swap genders with such ease. 

Without paying full attention to this Calvin Klein promotion video from 2023, I almost

thought for a moment, and with a further twist, that I was watching an Asian tom boy.

But alas no, it is actually Jong Kook from BTS. I suppose it was the open jacket that

gave things away.

And just months later towards the end of 2023 Jung Kook began his 18 month military

service along with BTS Bandmate Jimin.

More on this story at THE FASHIONISTO

Below: Jung Kook Looking more familiar in

another Calvin Klein promotion.

My Day Trip to Hastings

So here's the Hastings day trip video at long last. It did take a while to edit and put together.

And it seemed to come out okay. What was odd though was that I filmed it with my stills

camera using the video option. I do wonder if I'll ever use my actual Panasonic video camera again.

There's definitely something wrong with it. Sometimes cameras come with their own factory settings 

and it's not always easy to adjust them.

So with our Summer running away I had to head for our South coast. And it was either Hastings

or Margate. So I ventured along the front shingle beach then had a look around Hastings Old Town

followed by a gruelling trip up hundreds of steps to reach the top of the Cliff known as the East Hill.

And so while up there I couldn't resit a short coastal walk. And while up there I noticed that the

tricky and steep path to the famous Fairlight Glen Naturist beach appeared to be open. Last time

I was here the path was closed off due to falling cliff rocks.

There are other safer paths to reach the beach that locals know only too well.

But as it was getting late on the Sunday I was recently there I thought it best to climb back

down the cliff and head for the train station and return to London.

So it does possibly leave me the option for a full on visit to Fairlight Glen next Summer.

THIS GORGEOUS NUDIST BEACH IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE U.K.  

AND IT'S ONLY 90 MINUTES FROM LONDON.

SECRET LONDON

Below:  Some pictures plus a video of one of my earliest videos of when I first visited Fairlight

Glen Naturist Beach.

Below video:  One of my earliest visits to Fairlight Glen 

Naturist Beach in Hastings.

So I actually managed to find some old Video Hi8 footage from one of my earliest visits

to the Naturist Beach down in Hastings. I simply filmed it off a screen using a foggy

filter as well as adjusting the colour, giving it an almost retro film look. Of course

I have a whole draw at home of Video Hi8 tapes that I just never got around to transferring,

most of them featuring hours of footage filmed in Cornwall as well as my half dozen

visits to the U.S.

Plus below some archive video footage taken

in Cornwall on one of my earliest visits

before mobile phones had cameras,

which became a little invasive.