A Day at the Seaside


Norwich is very close to the North Sea so I decided to spend a day at the seaside.

I thoroughly enjoyed my ride on the top of a double decker bus. It takes 40 minutes to reach Great Yarmouth and there was so much to see: forested areas and fields, stone churches and old-fashioned windmills, shaggy ponies and a very self-assured rooster. There were glimpses of the canals and boats of the Norfolk Broads – happy memories of the Swallows and Amazons books by Arthur Ransome.


Great Yarmouth used to be a major fishing and shipping port when Norwich was the centre of England’s cloth manufacturing trade. It now services the natural gas industry and is a tourist centre.


To an outsider, there is something quintessentially tacky about England’s seaside resorts. I cringe imagining the full English breakfasts being cooked in row after row of guest houses. The streets are lined with souvenir shops and restaurants of every nationality imaginable – not to mention Flutterbie’s Tea Room and the Fallen Angels Lapdancing Club. There’s a fun fair on the pier, a rollerskating rink and several mini golf courses.


For the British, I’m sure it brings back happy childhood memories. And I delighted in the sunshine and fresh breeze. Almost half the stands at the market were selling chips, and I couldn’t resist buying a cone – hot chips on a frosty morning followed by a hot chocolate at a beach café. What a great way to end the year.

Comments

Sue said…
I remember going to Great Yarmouth many, many years ago. I loved the roller coaster so much that when my boyfriend suggested staying on for a second go I agreed. Big mistake! I felt so queasy that when we went with friends for something to eat and drink afterwards all I could do was sip water! Apart from that, happy memories.
December 31, 2014 at 12:24 PM
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