For Strangers Only

[squirmelia]

Whitby was lacking in goths. This shouldn't have been surprising since it was not Whitby Gothic Weekend, but somehow I half-expected goths to linger there at other times. renegade_badger and I walked across the beach from Sandsend, stopping to inspect great clumps of seaweed strands and holdfasts and to pick up flame patterned pebbles.

Once in Whitby itself, we tried to avoid the clutter of seafood restaurants and found a cafe that sold a range of vegetarian food, before heading up to the churchyard (popular with Dracula). Perched upon a clifftop, many of the gravestones were weathered in a way that had left them beautifully textured, although the writing that once was on them had mostly gone.

Inside St Mary's Church were pews with writing specifying who could sit in them, family names mostly, but some pews were marked with the slightly faded, "For Strangers Only". The nearby abbey was splendid, crumbling and ruined, surrounded by grass.

The sky had become a shiny light blue as I walked along the sea breaks, one with a red tower at the end and the other with a green tower.

I leapt out of the unimpressive Dracula museum and onto a boat which possibly began to head towards the North Pole. Just as the sea and sky seemed to merge, having both turned the same shade of grey, porpoises came into view, swimming in the wake.

Comments

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

There's an interesting book of self-observation at our house which I think you left behind at our party. Do you want it back?

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

The book written by solitarywalker? Yes, indeed, I do want it back, but not sure when I'll next be in London and able to collect it.

[the-elyan.livejournal.com]

Whitby's a pretty groovy place, even without the Goths. I know it well - I grew up about twenty miles away, and (as I never tire of telling people) if you catch the train there from Middlesbrough, you go past the back of the house I was born in)

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

Ah, I didn't get the train, since I was staying with a friend who lives in Leeds and he drove there, so unfortunately I didn't see your house!

[gnommi.livejournal.com]

ah, i really, REALLY love Whitby.

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

I can understand why! Great place.