Mention a trip to Blackpool and it conjures up a host of images. From the festive annual light show to its fun packed pleasure beach most people will have a view of the seaside resort.
A walk along the prom will see a string of eateries selling anything from candyfloss and seaside rock through to burgers for breakfast and obviously fish and chips. But it is also likely to take visitors past a number of fortune telling experiences.
With offers of crystal balls through to tarot cards - most are available on the promenade. Many have families going back generations including the Gypsy Petulengro family which states it has had a presence on Blackpool Promenade since 1900.
Its windows are packed with pictures of stars who have visited. It tells how celebrities from Tom Jones and Tony Bennet through to Michael Caine and The Beatles have all has their hands read.
So when reporter Rebecca Lockwood decided to try out a palm reading for herself it was there where she headed. Last August she visited palmist Leanora Petulengro to see what she had to say, then eight months later she returned to see how it stacked up. LancsLive reported what she found.
Following in footsteps of Tyson Fury
There are two of the family's reading rooms on the promenade and one on central pier too. They've read the palms of an impressive host of people including Tyson Fury. I would list more celebrities but if Tyson Fury has been there, that's good enough for me.
When I last visited, I was drawn in by nothing but intrigue. I had never had my palm read before then and thought it would be fun but as you walk away and continue with life, you wonder whether there was any truth to what you've been told at all. I decided I would return to the reading room again and see if what I was told eight months later would match up with my first reading.
First of all, it cost an extra £10 to look into my future this year than it did last year, but card payments were available so its a bit of a win-lose situation there. Anyway, I sat down and chose my future reading (£30) which involved laying out two hands in front of my palmist.
In my visit last year, my palms said I was having two children, a boy and a girl, and they would come soon. To my surprise, in my second reading my palms said the same thing.
I'll be honest - I did raise an eyebrow in surprise - but isn't saying 'two' children of either sex quite vague? I was sceptical but surprised, although I would love to hear my palms tell me I'm going to have 12 boys. Get more niche, its more believable.
Last year I was told my children would be 'coming soon' which felt a lot like a trailer for a horror film. However, now my palms said I was 'anxious' about conceiving despite my future saying the children would be a great comfort to me. Its tiring having such conflicting palms. I was asked what the anxiety was and I said "I have no idea, I'm not even planning on having kids right now." We quickly moved on.
I'm getting married!
I want to put a disclaimer in here. I did not tell my palm reader that I was in a relationship. She told me that the relationship I am in at the moment will go 'from strength to strength', I will marry once and it will be for life.
I don't know what my palms did to point this out - I wasn't wearing any jewellery that could have given a committed impression, maybe I just have a lovable face.
Last year, Leanora told me that I would marry my current partner and our marriage would be “happy” and “comfortable”. Seems this palm game is matching up.
The future is bright but only if you stop worrying about it
There were a couple of things that came up in my reading that didn't before. My palms said again that I would travel a lot and that I'd live to a very old 'burden-less' age which made me laugh.
They even pointed out again that I was 'surrounded by jealousy' and specifically said that one of my friends is 'deceitful' which makes me feel weirdly suspicious around people now - Which one of you spoke to my palm reader then ?
But there were other things that felt weirdly relevant, despite me giving no information about my life and woes at present at all. I cannot stress enough how little information I told her, I literally just told her my current occupation.
My palm reader told me that I need to move away if I want to be happier, which made me feel really weird inside. This past week I have struggled with feeling a tad lonely in Lancaster. How did she know that? She didn't even point out which part of my palms were grassing me in on my pent up emotions. Then she told me I worry too much, which is so true, but I don't think I needed to have paid £30 to reach that conclusion.
This wasn't something that came up before. In fact last time, the only place I was going was to a wedding AND a christening, of which I have been to neither. But, it was interesting because it made me feel seen.
Sure, the observations above were vague and things I assume could be presumed of anyone. For example, if you're willing to pay £30 to look into your future, you're probably a spare bit of cash and money is something easy to be jealous of. But the last one was a little to close to home. I raised more than an eyebrow - I squinted at her in a what do you know way.
I worked out last time that people go to these things because it makes them feel better or it gives them hope in a tough time. I still believe that, but now I am more suspicious than ever.
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