A Castle and A Mustard Shop - Norwich, England

It was wet, cold and windy so obviously a perfect day to visit a Castle and listen to the wind whistling through the turrets.  Oh the things that me and Mumsy will do.  However, we didn't let this dampen our spirits.  So, grab yourself some mulled wine and a mince pie, pull up the portcullis and I will begin.

I will start at the end of our trip as the sight of a mustard shop will make you feel warm and snug inside.  This is the Colmans Mustard Shop and Museum and what we had set out to visit as soon as we arrived in Norwich.

The displays in the enticing shop windows were both nostalgic and inviting.  The beautiful ornate till with its tactile buttons just waiting to have just one more sale ring through the mechanism again.  I could imagine pressing these and hearing the comforting sound of the tapping and dinging from the sales.  Music to my ears rather than the manufactured bleeping that we get nowadays.

The shelves of rich yellow lusciousness of the instantly recognisable mustard pots was a spot of sunshine on such a grim day.

With presents bought it was time to get back into the Royal Arcade and continue with our lists, along with disappearing into the crowds.

But rather than bore you with the delights of Christmas shopping (I am sure you don't want to read about that!), let me take you back to the beginning of our trip to Norwich.  Norwich Castle.

The Castle is a magnificent building, but maybe a little pricey for entrance.  However, not to worry, it was dry and relatively warm (we needed to thaw and dry out!).  The wind was howling through the rafters so we were grateful to be inside.

As well as beautiful stone walls, the stained glass was a welcome splash of colour in the dark surroundings.

One thing that we absolutely love is to see the worn down steps of these buildings.  Centuries of foot steps all sharing the same space and the steps dipping with the weight over time.  Just a little disappointed when we found the twins 'Elf and Safety' had visited before us and filled in this history.

How about this for a toilet with a view.  Some of the sections had a couple of holes in the benches so that the occupants could discuss the daily affairs while going about their business.  I bet some conversations were quicker than others!!

The views from the narrow windows showed Norwich in the brief sunshine, a reminder that the castle was dark from the protective walls.

There were many exhibits on the ground floor but very shiny glass - no good for the camera!  Now have you ever heard of Custard Cups?  Apparently they were used to serve desserts similar to a syllabub.

Aren't they gorgeous?!

I had to share this case with you though, especially with Christmas knocking on the door.  Just a little whistle that tells such a huge story.

In the basement however, there were bars... prison bars.  Can you imagine the conditions back then?  A lot harsher than now.

So that's a little starter to Norwich.  Next time onto beautiful Cathedral, and Edith Cavell's final resting place.

Thank you so, so, so much for your comments on my last post.  You are all so incredibly kind and will keep the smile on my face as I head for the operating theatre!