Norwich Castle Museum and school holidays at the Park.

I only realised after I'd taken about 10 photos with my cellphone, that you aren't supposed to take photos inside the Norwich Castle Museum without first asking permission - no wonder I kept getting funny looks from some of the young female tour guides who were wandering around the place!

Anyway the kids and I had a lovely morning out - it was well worth going to the Castle and you need a couple of visits to take it all in.  I was lank impressed because the bus stops literally across the road from the museum entrance.    We took the Simonds bus in, these buses are always so nice and clean, comfy and the drivers are polite and helpful.   We got to the Castle five minutes before opening time and it was BITTERLY cold, thank god we had wrapped up warmly before we left the house but we were still freezing and had to huddle alongside the huge old Norman arched wooden doorway before they opened up at spot on 1000am.  

For those that keep a check on these things I paid £10.90 for us all three to go in (I don't think they charged me for Ewan).    The Museum is split into three levels - we went up a large flight of stairs to check out the Castle Keep and Balcony, this was quite cool.  

Picture taken when we left, blue sky and sunny!

King & Queen sitting on the throne

Ewan wasn't too keen on the Natural history section with all the stuffed animals, birds, reptiles and insects, in fact he was downright 'cary'.   I also thought it was a bit gross and so Victorian ... I prefer my wild things running around. We hot footed it outta there and went into the Egypt room (again, the kids aren't keen on Mummies and there is a well preserved exhibit, grinning black-lipped teeth and all) 

The Magical things special exhibition, was very cute, with different themes from fantasty stories and movies - like Harry Potter, the Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe, Cinderella etc. etc.  They kids dressed up and played with many of the interactive exhibits, it was a lot of fun for them. 

 

I was impressed with the Boudica/Roman exhibits and the Anglo Saxon/Viking one, I would have liked to have spent more time in there  and might go back again on  my own some day.   There are also enormous China teapots on display all over the place in perspex cases  - really huge things that you could fit a person in!   The Coleman Art galleries are very special but I couldn't spend any time in there with the kids really and any case, my feet were starting to get rather sore and I had a rumbly in my tumbly.   We also didn't go into the dungeons/prison area, not enough time really.

We had lunch in the cafe there (I got them each a sausage roll and a juice and some enormous chocolate chip cookies for later).   Then we went back to the bus stop to go home.  Well that was the plan.  But Ewan had to make a trip to the little boys room, so we ran back inside to the loos, past all the queueing people (there were loads of people coming in as we were leaving).   Toilet break over, we went back to the bus stop and waited about five minutes for the No. 36 Purple line bus back to Long Stratton.

I got Faye some rocks from the Museum shop - is this girl going to be a Geologist?  And Ewan a Knight hood, to wear with his armour and shield that he made yesterday.

Yesterday, I took the kiddies to the park down the road - here a few pictures and a little video.

Missy with her Sophie the Strawberry that you get from the Co-op from a pound each with 20 coupons!  - We already got Ewan a Ben the Banana.

Easter eggs a plenty

 Our clocks here in the UK were all put forward an hour at 1am this morning, so we are now only one hour behind you ous in South Effreeka.  

The Easter Bunny was at our house in the freezing sleet and snow round about 5am ... I'm sure he's got his feet up now enjoying a hot toddy of sorts.

We watched a movie called "Rise of the Guardians" yesterday with the kiddies - all about Jack Frost, the Easter Bunny, Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and, er, the Boogeyman ... what a cool movie!  If you haven't watched it, have a look, it's such a sweet little film. 

Kevin and Hayzel also took photos and I did a video  - don't know if it will load here though, will try later.   Have a good day off tomorrow as well everyone.
xxx

Happy Anniversary!

To Andrew and Leigh
Happy First Anniversary to you guys ... hope you had a lovely time at Cirque Du Soleil and that you have a great day today.
Love to you from all of us here (especially me!)
xxx

Happy Birthday Sharon!

Hope you have had a lovely day!   Speak to you tomorrow on SKYPE ... enjoy the rest of your evening.
Lots of love from us all here.

More pics from Bressingham Steam Gardens

Some nice photos taken by Hayzel and Kevin of the day yesterday. 

Missy had a bit of a red eye from the flu - she's a lot better today

Bressingham Steam Gardens

We took the kiddies down the road to a place called Bressingham Steam Gardens this morning - the day started off quite sunny but by the time we came to go home it was beginning to snow.  We are of the mind that we won't ever see summer in this part of the world!     We all wrapped up warmly before we went, as we knew that riding in the little steam trains might end up being a bit on the chilly side - har har ... rather an understatement that! - but nevertheless we had a great time and look forward to going back again in summer when the gardens are all in flower.   We went past the gardens on the little Nursery train, they have all been planted out for summer and go on for several acres.
 My camera battery died later in the day but Kevin and Hayzel continued to take some photos, so I'm hoping we can upload them in a separate post.   There is a museum on the property that is really well worth a visit on its own.    As always, click on photo to take you to larger images and so you can scroll through them all.

Old train at the entrance

Nursery line train coming into its station, alongside the parking area

Getting on the only train that has glassed in compartments - the first ride of three that we went on - all different tracks.

Look!   It's sunny, there are shadows!

Engine

Waving to 'Thomas' (actually St. Christopher)

Our engine driver, adding coal for the boiler - we were sat in the carriage directly behind the main engine

Looking back through the carriages- notice how busy it is

St Christopher [Thomsas] on the other line going past us - we rode on this train next, after Hayzel, Kevin, Faye and Ewan had a ride on the dodgem cars!

Inside the museum

Model Train whizzing along at a rate of knots - see video below

Food was very nice, cozy little restaurant and not expensive

Carousel - this is an original, not a replica or a fake one - Me, Faye, Hayzel and Ewan all had a go on the horsies - Kevin took some photos, so I hope to see them soon.

Here are a couple of videos I took with my camera - I keep forgetting to take my Samsung video recorder out when we go on these trips, so excuse the camera 'work' ... next time I'll use the proper video camera and the monopod - anyway you get the general idea.  These are saved for Blogger, so not in HD, better to watch in the small Blogger viewer.

Sorry to all the professionals out there, I used Windows Live Movie Maker to stitch the little individual movies of model trains together.  Steven Spielberg is so-o-o not crapping himself. 

One more little video of the tiny and very ancient amusement park - you can see Thomas waiting patiently in the background for Ewan to finish his ride on the Lear jet.

   

 

Hope these play for you guys - again, please let me know if you can't view videos on Blogger and I will  put them on Shutterfly.