When I told some Brits I was headed to
Norfolk for the weekend, most responded with a quizzical “why?”
It was a legitimate question; as an American living in England, there are countless places to visit while on this little island. So why had I opted for three days in East Anglia? Easy… I was invited.
It’s fairly obvious by now, I enjoy a travel adventure. So when my friend Viki invited a few of us to her hometown of Norwich, the excitement overflowed. Not only did it lay way for more exploration, but also the prospect of being in a house with a home-cooked meal appealed more than you can imagine.
Some four hours on what Viki deemed to be the bus of doom, we arrived in Cambridge unscathed. Another jaunt on a bus and then a pick up from her family, we were nearing Norwich (which for ages I thought was spelled Norridge. It’s all in the pronunciation, friends).
Now forget everything you’ve heard about Norwich. That includes any inbreeding jokes or the Wikipedia description of it being: “remote, unsophisticated, gauche, and out-of-step with national trends.” From what I could gather at my weekend visit, it’s actually a charming, practical city.
It’s one of the top places to shop in Great Britain (oy vey, I could feel the headache approaching), it has 30 medieval parish churches built of flint, and was home to the fictitious broadcaster Alan Partridge.
On day one we were greeted by the Mortimer family… possibly the friendliest of Norfolk folk you’ll ever meet. We stayed in with a meal and a movie, all in preparation for the next day’s spree.
The excellence in shopping was not exaggerated, with a variety of modern day shops lining the cobblestone streets. It felt downright American being among so many malls, each equipped with the compulsory food courts and clothing outlets.
Around noon we swapped consumerism for culture and kicked it old school with a visit to the cathedral. Built in 1096, the upkeep of this site tops off at £3,700 per day. Yikes.
Despite that sum, we skipped the donation and wandered around the inside, along with the outside labyrinth (apparently yet another site used in Harry Potter. Is there any part of this country untouched by that twirpy wizard?)
It seems like the Norwich nightlife has plenty of possibilities. That night we rocked it out at a local bar for an engagement party: food, drinks, and dancing made the perfect trifecta for the evening. If you’re in the area, park it at one of the local garages and find the club that suits you best.
The next day we headed out to Great Yarmouth for a typical seaside town experience. A walk along the water, an ice cream cone, and a meal of fish and chips at Harry Ramsden’s made it the kind of outing children’s poems are written about.
All in all, the weekend excursion to East Anglia was one of my favorite weekends thus far in England, and I got to spend it with the best of friends. Many thanks to Viki & family for the hospitality and the invite.
When I told some Brits I was headed to 
It’s one of the top places to shop in 
Despite that sum, we skipped the donation and wandered around the inside, along with the outside labyrinth (apparently yet another site used in Harry Potter. Is there any part of this country untouched by that twirpy wizard?) 
The next day we headed out to Great Yarmouth for a typical seaside town experience. A walk along the water, an ice cream cone, and a meal of fish and chips at Harry Ramsden’s made it the kind of outing children’s poems are written about. 
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