I'm finally getting around to writing about our trip to Norwich. Our first full day there, the lovely L suggested we go to the beach. She also reminded us to rug up nice and warm as it was pretty cold. She was right. Very cold and windy, but “bracing” - which in English terms means fucking cold, politely of course!!
This shows the overall greyness of the day. What it doesn't show is the strength of the waves and the wind and the brownness of the water. In Australia, our oceans are really blue/greens. This water was incredibly brown. I guess that's why they have the groynes, as the waves seem to pick up a lot of the sand and move it around. This was the first time I had heard of groynes. They are apparently used to reduce erosion.
Here's a photo of the waves against the groynes.
The next thing that caught my attention was the row of beach houses. You can see the tops of them in the first photo. They are all painted different colours, many of them have names. They were originally bathing machines, used by beach goers so they could get into the water without showing naked body parts.
Here's one with wheels. They are very small wheels
and this one is from the net and shows bigger wheels.
http://www.beach-huts.co.uk/imagery/bath_machine.jpg
The idea was that the bathing hut was rolled into the water until it was deep enough that the people could get into the water without showing their bodies. There's a great article on them at http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3371591
Nowadays they can cost up from ₤10,000. I've just found one on the net that is going for ₤140,000.
Although the day was mainly overcast, there were patches of blue. I managed to photograph the sun shining through the clouds. I like these two.
As at many English beaches, there was a pier. I'm not sure of the purposes of the piers on the beaches. Often you can't fish from them, so that rules out fishing as a reason. I do know that doing a Google search, turns up piers as being an attraction. Then when I search a bit further, Wikipedia says:
“Pleasure piers were first built in England, during the 19th century. At that time the introduction of the railways for the first time permitted mass tourism to dedicated seaside resorts. However, the large tidal ranges at many such resorts meant that for much of the day, the sea was not visible from dry land. The pleasure pier was the resorts' answer, permitting holiday makers to promenade over and alongside the sea at all times. “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piers
This was it from a distance.
Maybe I should get a job taking pictures and comparing all the piers on English beaches. How fun would that be??!!
These were some of the attractions on the Southwold Pier.
These include:
-
Being frisked like you've never been frisked before
-
Unravel the secrets of your DNA
or
-
immerse yourself in a total eclipse
just to mention a few attractions available.
Here was one of the possibilities
I must admit, I don't get the attraction. The others thought it was great. I think it's cultural.
On this pier, there was also a water clock. I found this fascinating but the others didn't.
It is a crude metal sculpture featuring two men wearing metal trousers. On the hour and half hour, they perform by dropping their trousers and watering the tulips below. This attracts quite a crowd in anticipation!
This sign explains the clock:
I waited to see it work, but must have been one of the days the wind was too strong. Here's the whole thing:
I took pictures of the details of each part of the clock. I really wish I could have seen it work.
From the beach, we headed into Southwold town to find some lunch. Spotted the “Corn Chandler”. I loved the look of the shop. I have no idea what a corn chandler is so time to do a Google search I think.
That makes sense, a corn chandler is someone who deals in corn and meal. If you want to read a Norfolk tale, check out this site:
http://norfolkcoast.co.uk/myths/ml_aclebridge.htm
We didn't go in, but I reckon it would be a great shop to browse around in.
This is St. Edmund Church in Southwold. Just across the road from where we parked the car.
From there we went to a town called Dunwich. That's another blog.
Madeleine
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
7 comments:
Hey, how about a mini English beach scene! I reckon that would be great with those little houses in there. I must admit I looked at the photos of the beach and just felt cold!! I do love having breakfast or a meal beside the beach, just watching the waves when it is winter. I loved the look of that little shop!! Any shop with Corn in the name must be okay. LOL
I never knew what they were called - groynes!!!
Well i never.
I like to use the word "parky" rather than "bracing"
"parky" seems to have an englishness to it, dont you think?
I really enjoyed reading this. I grew up by the sea.
And yes, beach huts are well sort after. In summer people also sit outside them and have a cup of tea!
Hi, I still say that 'Groynes' are called 'Break-waters'. One thing I do know for sure, however, is the original purpose of piers. They provided a discrete and efficient means by which the English working classes could drown themselves, having drunk a little too much of the old babble juice (an early form of Eugenics!).
By the way, talking of babble, just been playing on my new blog. You're welcome to pop over and check it out!
~ Colin aka Mr. Rook
PS As ever - amazing photos!
Mr Rook, yes, maybe they were named as break-waters to me.
I grew up in Southend. Loved looking at these photo's here which M took by yours.
Lovely pictures to remind me of the east coast.
(I deleted above - sorry logged in on the wrong account.)
Hey Madz,
We have groynes in the lovelly WA as well. South beach and Cottlesloe beach have them for the same reason as the poms.
Lately though the trend is to build god awful 'marianas' so that stupid rich people can live on houses actually on the ocean. I just hope global warming makes all their posh carpets wet so that their shoes squelch and they smell like mould.
Theres my rant.
I like the bathing house machines. Very cool.
See you soonish.
Nx
Morning Kazza. I might just think about a mini English beach scene. Making the little beach huts could be quite fun.
Kahless, I've never heard of "parky". Yah, I gather the beach huts are where the English have their cup of tea and sit and watch the world go by.
MrRook, I gather that they are technically two different things, but used interchangeably in general english. Don't ask me the difference. But I have proof that the things I saw was called groynes, cause there was a sign !!
Nadia, we must tell Marianna about the "mariana"s by the sea. And I really like your insult, it's a goodie. Do I really have to come home? I really want some more adventures.
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