Seaside Boardwalk at Sunset

Sunset gilds a seaside boardwalk where painted stalls line both sides of the planks. A carousel of horses turns under a scalloped canopy at the centre, snacks, souvenirs, drinks and an arcade trading beside it, all strung with bulb lights and pennant flags. Families walk the deck with ice creams, couples sit under striped umbrellas at metal tables, and a worker sweeps by the far counter. Beyond the railings the sea runs flat and pale to a low green headland and a small red-and-white lighthouse. Shells and pink geraniums crowd pots along the front edge, and two rowing boats rock against the pilings below. The planks run one way while every awning stripes another, so the deck and the stalls sort themselves apart at a glance.