Margate - Day 7







Upon first arrival to Margate, I was struck by how completely different it was than any of the other English cities I had been too. Dilapidated yet charming, a reflection of what the city used to be. The years where each summer, families would flock to spend their weekends and holidays on the sandy beach, enjoying the amusement park and meals of fish and chips on sidewalks by the sea. But for the day I spent there, fascinated by the new city in a county so foreign to me, I re-lived the dream of Margate.

Well... at least the 21st century version of it.



Nicola and David started my day off with caffeine and snacks (let it be known that I tried, and do not care for clotted cream). As we walked through the city, David provided an amazing amount of historical knowledge which really made Margate a fascinating place to be. We made our way to the Shell Grotto, an underground cave with shells patterned in a decorative mosaic around the walls. Literally no one knows who made it or how long it's been there for, making it even more strange than a shell grotto already is. Shops lined the streets, many with vintage finds including my favorite piece of furniture ever - a rug depicting the Last Supper.









We found ourselves at the Turner Museum, mesmerized by the installation in the lobby which featured books bound in dutch fabrics. The rest of the exhibits were fascinating, and I thoroughly enjoyed the architecture of it! Afterwards, we made our way to the I-think-it's-still-under-construction Dreamland. A bit of a blast from the past, the self proclaimed "Pleasure Park" (*insert raised eye emoji here*) displayed a lot of flashy new marketing material but was completely devoid of human life. Having been a popular destination since 1880, it began to decline in popularity in the early 2000's and has struggled to come back since. It really is quite a unique location, so hopefully the current work on it pays off and re-opens with all the charm it once had!

Then, in true English spirit we stopped for an afternoon tea and cake. While we were sitting in a cake shop that once served baked goods to the Queen of England, a crew shooting a new Chanel feature showed up outside. Naturally we stayed in the shop long enough to watch some male models in punk-inspired suits sprint down an alley way. Actually, we managed to run into this crew several times while we were out and about, the first time with a larger than life beach ball and two female models in the obvious Chanel tweed suit.

Our day came to an end with fish and chips, drinks, and eventually, a cold ice cream on the sidewalk by the beach.








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