Hastings-- Old and New

From our arrival at Gatwick Airport in London we followed the signs to car rental and got our little Citroen, C1.  Then with all the bravery we could muster, we installed the UK chip for our GPS system and set off  for Hastings.  First challenge was getting out of the crowded car rental center.  Second, was staying on the left side of the road.  Third, was navigating the narrow streets with cars parked both sides half on the sidewalks.   Terry did a wonderful job and I was a nervous wreck.  The only time I screeched was when we nicked just one mirror on the hilly streets of new Hastings.

Streetside Cash

Since it was a Friday we needed a bank and cash for the days to come. ( Cash at the airport is always very costly.)  Terry carefully navigated several city roundabouts to find parking near a bank,  while I grabbed my "Global Card" to get some Sterling.  Well...... the only way to get cash in the UK is with a card that has a pin number.  Panic set in as I realized that 2 of my 3 cards had no pin numbers  and my debit card in the ATM machine was my only option.  So there I stood on the street getting money for 4 days worth of expenses.  Enough to make me a little nervous about the street people around me.

Foyle's War Locations

Finally at our lovely B&B, we could hardly keep our eyes open until 7 pm.  Our wonderful hosts, both London natives,  gave us a tour map for Old Hastings and the Foyle's War locations the next morning.  If you haven't seen this BBC Series, don't miss it!  The location area is like stepping back in time.  So different from the busy seaside town of new Hastings crowded with shops, cafes and rows of Victorian hotels.

In the series Foyle was the police superintendent living in this house during WW II.  The cases he has to solve are mostly war related and full of history.

The town streets twist up to the cliffs above the sea with narrow lanes and alleys.

Terry hardly fit in this alley that led to a house door.

In one of the episodes a bomb fell on the local Pub and Inn.   I thought of this as merely another scene in the story not a reality of WWII in Hastings.   We found a memorial sign and garden that mark the spot where the tragedy occurred.  All the other buildings around it were not damaged.

The local church is in many episodes that depict the loss of lives in the town.

Of course, we couldn't leave Old Hastings without a' spot of tea'.  Our hosts get all their bread from Judges Bakery and advised we stop in for a tea and scone.  They were so right!!!