Saturday 2 June 2007

The Mystery Trip ..with pictures !

Good morning everyone ,now we have the 'add pictures ' backI can tell you about our trip and show you the pictures I took with thanks to Donna for the graphic this morning .                                                            A week last Wednesday May 23rd, It was a lovely sunny and warm day, (we haven’t had many of those of late), and since then it has been rain rain and more rain, and cold too. We boarded the coach and were soon driving along familiar Fen roads, Under the big East Anglian sky’s beside dykes and drains; Ernie Hall our guide was able to tell us, which drain was which, there is the Forty foot near us, and there is a Twenty foot and a fifteen foot and so on these are the width of the Drains that were dug when the Fens were drained back in the 163o’sand master minded by Dutchman Cornelius Ver Muden ,who had gained his experience in his native Holland a country with similar problems as ours here in the Fens ,The main key to all this masterpiece of mans ingenuity is the massive Denver Sluice on the river Great Ouse not far from Downham market which is known as the ginger bread town due to the colour of much of the distinctive local stone to be seen on the older buildings  ,we passed through Downham Market ITV have been showing a programme called ‘Kingdom ‘ ,it is about a small town lawyer called Peter Kingdom played by Steven Fry , who practises in the fictious town of Market Shipborough  but based on this area ,last weeks episode touched on a legend that Ernie our guide had told us about ….Back in the 1500's A peddler  John Chapman nfrom Swaffham Norfolk had a dream, if he stood on London Bridge a stranger would tell him how to make his fortune, so off he went to London, where a stranger came up to him and told him to go home and dig under the Oak tree in his garden, he did this and found a pot containing enough money for him to build the Church, and if you visit the church St Peter and St Paul’s, you can find carvings of the peddler on the pew seats……On we went covering many a long Norfolk mile ,past Houghton Hall, towards a place called Bircham Ernie explained that though we had come the ‘scenic’ route he knew where we were ,even though lots of sign posts had been taken down during the war and hadn’t been replaced ,I did see one that said Cromer 9 ,and got all excited ,thought I might buy a dressed crab ,for which Cromer is famous ,but no we were nearly at our destination Bircham windmill ,a working mill, with a delightful restaurant serving cream teas ,and tea in big brown tea pots ,though I don’t drink tea I was served a coffee ,whilst I played Mum to the ladies on my table wielding the brown tea pot for them ,,after wards I went out side to see the little farm animals ,and some ancient implements ,and of course take my pictures ….and then before I boarded the coach for the return trip  I popped into the little on site gift shop ,and bought .well you know me ….a book Millers Daughter, by Nancy Potter ‘A portrait of a Norfolk Miller and his Family ...There we are now we have our 'Addpictures' back  I am able to share the day with you.....Have a good weekend every one with love from 

  Janxx

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Second attempt at a coment...first one dissapeared !! ANyway thanks for these lovely photo's Jan, I am glad we have back the orignal stills show (though no doubt some liked the video viewing)  The scenery round the Fens looks nice it has given me an idea for a holiday area for Mary and me next year.  Hope you have a good weekend.  Love Sybilsybil45

Anonymous said...

Nice pictures Jan. That delivery bike looks in better shape than some of our royal mail ones.

B. x

Anonymous said...

What an interesting place to visit.  I love it when you tell us all about the history of the places that you visit.  Thanks for sharing the pictures as well.  Yes, I read about Stephen Fry and Kingdom.  He lives in that place or very close to it and suggested it as a location himself to the makers of the programme.

Anonymous said...

Good to be able to see the photos properly again, without them floating found as if I was drunk! It looks a lovely place and I adore that little foal. Thanks for sharing the photos and information, it was like a little armchair tour. (Well, office chair really, as that's what I'm sitting on)

Linda x.

Anonymous said...

That looked like a really good day, aww at the foal, just so cute

Anonymous said...

What a lovely trip!  I'm so glad you are able to add pictures again.  I love the windmill and certainly see the Dutch influence.  I also love the bakery and delivery bicycle.  We have a pizza shop here in one of our old original buildings.  They deliver the pizzas on an old bicycle with a box on the back.  It's funny but cute.  Have a lovely weekend!  Love xx Chris

Anonymous said...

Great graphics as always!  Sounds you had a lovely trip and I did enjoy your pictures!  So lovely and clear!
Marie
http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariealicejoan/MariesMuses/

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you had a good day, and very interesting too..Beckie.xx

Anonymous said...

What a lovely place Jan! I remember the old zinc bath, we had a big and a small one for our parents and us kids! It was lovely bathing in front of a roaring fire! Isn't it nice to be able to look at pics at our leisure again rather than having them wriggling and jiggling at funny angles then disappearing?! It sounded a very interesting trip, thanks for taking us along! Jeannette xx  http://journals.aol.co.uk/jlocorriere05/Welcometomytravels/  

Anonymous said...

That looked a great place to visit and the photos were lovely. I love the wee gift shops that come with these place too.
luv bella xx

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the lovely pictures this morning and the bits and pieces of history too!  It is nice to have our add pictures back.  I've always like this feature when I've lots of pictures to share too.  'On Ya' - ma

Anonymous said...

Jan
I really enjoyed reading about this trip and the pictures were great!  That was one cute pony, wasn't it?  Now I want to learn more about the Fens area.
Sam

Anonymous said...

Lovely trip..thanks for the pics..
Lyn

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your photographs.  Really enjoyed reading about your day out.  Ah the little foal!!!!!!!   Eileenx

Anonymous said...

That was an interesting trip. That foal was so cute. You got some terrific shots of the windmill. Thanks for sharing. I am glad the AOL picture thing is back. I had much rather view pictures this way. Helen

Anonymous said...

Great entry, enjoyed the pics & hearing of the trip!
Sugar

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful trip! I'f love to go on one of those. ;o) I love the pictures. :o) Have a great week end!
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Jan how lovely to see proper pics again! I said the same to Jeanette (travels) last night. Thanks for sharing your day I really enjoyed the pics. Do you know, I have never seen a chicken drink before! lol The zinc bath brought back memories too! Linda xx

Anonymous said...

Although we don't come from down your wqay you know that i know a lot of the countryside well as we have holidays there for a long time. Have been watching Kingdom and knew a lot of the places Well for instance was always very prominent from the air.  Glad you had such a great day and you may even have passed us as we were down your way at that time. Love Joan.

Anonymous said...

Yeah!  Pictures are back the way you all like 'em :)  I'm thrilled as I've missed seeing what you've been up to.  Love the pictures... looks like it was a great day!  Thanks for sharing
love ya
d

Anonymous said...

Don't you just love Mystery Trips? Especially when you have these kind of countrysides to enjoy.  Loved all the pics and happy to hear you had a wonderful time. Thank you for your visits and comments. Hugs to you, with hopes for a wonderful weekend! Take care of you!

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the beautiful pictures. they sure turned out nice. I wish I had been with you on the journey but this is second best. Thanks for sharing.
sandra

Anonymous said...

What lovely pictures..oh it's so good to have the picture thing back to normal !  Isn't it wonderful that people have preserved things from years ago for us to enjoy in this modern time?  Linda in Washington state  

Anonymous said...

I did enjoy these pictures Jan.   The baby foal was lovely!   Even though it slept for England.  Lol!  Its so nice finding out through each other's pictures what our contryside looks like.  we are so fortunate...aren't we?  Thanks again.
Love Jeanie xx

Anonymous said...

What a FUN day!  Wish I could have gone along for the ride and adventure.  By the way, those are the biggest Guinea pigs I have ever seen.  The ones here are at least 1/2 that size.  
Beautiful place!
Hugs,  Kathy

Anonymous said...

Jan that sounded like a great Mystery trip and so interesting your guide Ernie Hall certainly knows his job well ~ and I loved the Pictures (How lovely to have our old Format back)  and isn't that little Foal lovely ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

Hi Jan ,you sounded like you had a really good day on the mystery tour, thank you for making it sound so interesting and showing us all the photos .That little foal was lovely ,hope you enjoy reading your book ,Have a good weekend .........Love Jeanxx

Anonymous said...

Loved your pictures! I would of loved to have seen the old mill. Glad you had a chance to get out in lovely weather and enjoy yourself. (Hugs) Indigo

Anonymous said...

Jan have a good weekend:)

Deb

Anonymous said...

Love the pics brought back memories of childhood for me, I nearly drowned twice in the River Ouse lol. They used to have some good open air rock concerts at Castle Acre too.
Debbie
xxx

Anonymous said...

Lovely Jan, what a super day out.  Yes I remember the zinc baths have lots of them in my garden with plants in them :-)

Super pics, thanks for sharing.

Freda

Anonymous said...

That sounds like a good day out, especially the cream tea!
http://journals.aol.co.uk/irisclyde/LaDolceVita

Anonymous said...

I did enjoy that trip, Jan.  I need a zinc bath for washing Fleck; bid up to £30 for one at a sale before giving up !  Bunny xx

Anonymous said...

I love seeing your pictures, made me feel like I was there.

Anonymous said...

Loved the pics ~ bless the ickle pony :-)  Glad you had a good day sounds like an interesting place to visit.

Jenny

http://journals.aol.co.uk/jmoqueen/MyLife/

Anonymous said...

Wonderful!  I love it! : )  Love, Shelly

Anonymous said...

Lovely photies, sounds a very nice day :o)
Sara   x