Take Off!

Soviet USSR, or that most English of seaside resorts?

Yes, a rare day trip to Brighton.

For £15 you can soar (I didn't) 450 feet on the rather ill-fated and troublesome British Airways i360, 'the world's first vertical cable car'. 
http://britishairwaysi360.com/the-experience/

See the remnants of the skeleton of the burned shell of the pier in the reflection - a poignant reminder of both past reflected in the future.

Anyway, it seemed to be working yesterday BUT what my nice shiny (much shadow detail enhanced) image does NOT show you, was the weather going on behind me and for most of the day...

Having only been in Brighton before on nice sunny summery days, the gale force winds, driving rain and horizontal spray gave "interesting" and certainly 'energising' properties and challenges that I actually rather  enjoyed. It was cold, but not freezing, so a good time for such.

Took 1000 pictures. Left home at 6.15 a.m. but after 7 train changes (5 were intended) six hour round train journey time, it will be another two years before I can even think about returning. Got back home so late (left Brighton at 4pm) that I missed Salisbury's Christmas lights switch on and was so tired that I went pretty much straight to bed!