The Ende

Just a few final snaps in Norwich. I finished out the day in the city centre exploring and shopping. I made a few purchases in the cathedral gift shop and then browsed a few stores - clothing stores, a toy store, book store, outdoor equipment stores...I bought Kazi a couple of things at Topshop but they are tucked away until Christmas. I really really really want to come back to Norwich again someday. There is a walk in the area that I'm considering...among many others :)

I miss you BBC!! I'm watching (again) all of the old Morse episodes on Netflix while riding my bike!

Although Norwich is a cathedral town there are many other imposing churches...

I found a little fish and chip shop- they put your choice of spices on your fries from a long list - best I had during my stay!
Oh, and I forgot the previous evening I ate at a Pizzahut and they were playing Shania Twain music - a rather surreal experience!

The open market place drew folks from all walks of life - I wish cities in Canada kept their city centres intact like Norwich - such a vibrant downtown experience.

I cut through a catholic church to get to another part of the market...

I wasn't the only one...

a quiet oasis in the middle of the hubbub!

 ...enchanting...

...the ancient and the new(ish) joined together...

 The whole time I was away I felt a strong link to the past...

Shania Twain and now a cowboy singer? I had no idea that country music was alive and well in Norfolk County!

 Lloyds Bank - thriving as always...

Stately homes looming over the market....a church looming over the stately homes!

 The Royal Arcade - I explored the toy store on the right.

While checking the time of my bus back to Mulbarton I discovered an unusual bench!

My personal oasis! Right across the street from the bus stop - had a coffee, yogurt and berries and made use of their free wifi and washroom - just what i needed!

Waiting for the #37 one last time!

 A gorgeous sunset!

 But I need to stay focused! Don't want to get lost on my last night!

 Here's my road - no problems tonight!

 There's my crooked sign...

...for Brick Kiln Lane...

 ...and now I need to get packed one last time...goodbye Norwich! goodbye Mulbarton! Thank you to my host at the B&B for driving me to the train station in Norwich!

 ...back to the business of making connections - train to tube to a second tube to a second train to Gatwick Airport. A very handsome young man carried my suitcase up 2 flights of stairs :) bless him! While at Liverpool Station I went to my "secret" restaurant where I managed twice now to squeeze my luggage and myself into the tiny washroom stall (oh my!) and then sit at their outer counter area without being noticed (or having to order anything!)

 Gatwick is a great airport - everything is well marked - I loved their shuttle service. Press a button, the door opens like an elevator and onto the shuttle you go and get whisked away to your terminal!
The terminal was full of great shops - I purchased a little Paddington Bear for Kazi at Harrods.

 Waiting to board my plane to Iceland...

And ta da! I'm in Iceland! I listened to my iPod the entire flight as the young couple sitting next to me used the word "f-ck" continuously as a noun, verb and adjective!! Here I am enjoying a meal of a lettuce, tomato and egg sandwich, yogurt and cereal and a Viking beer! I made a few purchases at the Duty Free - Icelandic wool socks, a little green elfin creature, lots of chocolate. I ended up tossing the running shoes in my backpack into the garbage (the blister inducing ones) so that I'd have room for my few purchases.

The most amazing part about my trip home was flying over GREENLAND!!!!!!! 

 I

 WAS

THRILLED!

 Followed by a fabulous sunset...

 As the sun was setting we flew over Newfoundland/Labrador and then....

 we flew over Anticosti Island in the St. Lawrence River (although 1.5 times larger than PEI it is home to only 200 or so people who care for and operate the many lighthouses. It is not a very hospitable place.)

That is the end of my photos. It was dark when I landed in Halifax and after a short wait I was on a plane to Toronto where I had to wait 2 hours for Robert Q to whisk me off to London. By this time it was close to 2am and my very lovely daughter picked me up at the Robert Q depot at 3:30am. I spent the next few days feeling jet lagged and disoriented and wondering...what's next?

I'll bring you up to date on my goings on since my return to "real life" in my next couple of posts.