Bury St Edmunds revived us with a late breakfast (known as brunch - half way in time and size between a big breakfast and a light lunch). Norfolk was the country we drove through, on our way to a seafood festival at the two seaside towns of Cromer and Sheringham.
Bury St Edmunds outskirts greet you with a roundabout where the person supposed to be navigating is distracted by the impressive landmark circular towers. What are they? The British sugar factory. Take and Lyle or a rival? Look - a plant sign saying British Sugar.
We were so excited to pint this out to the driver, who wanted to see it, so to the puzzlement of the invisible policeman in the sky, we spun around the roundabout for a second time.
'Take the ... exit!' The satnav lady's voice was busy directing us to take the ... exit.
Suddenly we found ourselves in the car-trap of a one way system where all roads lead past parking signs and the town centre, where we start playing hunt a parking space.
Mollified by the square towers and walls which have been there several centuries longer than the parking meters, we pull into the nearest vacated spot, willing to feed a hungry meter before feeding the hungry passengers.
We bought half an hour on the meter, in case it turned out to be a waste of money making us drive off again. We were faced by two coffee shops immediately opposite on the corners of a cobblestoned uphill alley. Unwilling to risk further distractions, we opted to overlook the central square - and our car.
Coffee Shop Stop
The nearest coffee shop was the Scandinavia. The best part was having a window side seat. The service was friendly and watchful. The coffee and water were well served. The cooked breakfast too so long to prepare that we had no chance of finishing within half an hour. So no good for anybody in a hurry on a long journey. Nor for anybody with half an hour on the parking meter. We checked whether you had to drive away, but it looked as if you were allowed to 'feed the meter' - top up if you needed extra time.
The scrambled egg did not thrill me. I don't like lumps of white in it. At home we shirk with a hand held whisk which mixed the yolk and white.
The curved sausage, a Cumberland sausage, was a novelty. Not local, but British, so entertaining for a foreigner or youngster who has never seen one before. We were not thrilled with the breakfast.
Disconcertingly our window seat faced another coffee shop which advertised itself as being one of the best.
However, a very pleasant brief stop, suggesting that Bury St Edmunds is worth a longer trip. Certainly, if you are with overseas visitors or history buffs, a good half way stop.
Bury St Edmunds outskirts greet you with a roundabout where the person supposed to be navigating is distracted by the impressive landmark circular towers. What are they? The British sugar factory. Take and Lyle or a rival? Look - a plant sign saying British Sugar.
We were so excited to pint this out to the driver, who wanted to see it, so to the puzzlement of the invisible policeman in the sky, we spun around the roundabout for a second time.
'Take the ... exit!' The satnav lady's voice was busy directing us to take the ... exit.
Suddenly we found ourselves in the car-trap of a one way system where all roads lead past parking signs and the town centre, where we start playing hunt a parking space.
Mollified by the square towers and walls which have been there several centuries longer than the parking meters, we pull into the nearest vacated spot, willing to feed a hungry meter before feeding the hungry passengers.
We bought half an hour on the meter, in case it turned out to be a waste of money making us drive off again. We were faced by two coffee shops immediately opposite on the corners of a cobblestoned uphill alley. Unwilling to risk further distractions, we opted to overlook the central square - and our car.
Coffee Shop Stop
The nearest coffee shop was the Scandinavia. The best part was having a window side seat. The service was friendly and watchful. The coffee and water were well served. The cooked breakfast too so long to prepare that we had no chance of finishing within half an hour. So no good for anybody in a hurry on a long journey. Nor for anybody with half an hour on the parking meter. We checked whether you had to drive away, but it looked as if you were allowed to 'feed the meter' - top up if you needed extra time.
The scrambled egg did not thrill me. I don't like lumps of white in it. At home we shirk with a hand held whisk which mixed the yolk and white.
The curved sausage, a Cumberland sausage, was a novelty. Not local, but British, so entertaining for a foreigner or youngster who has never seen one before. We were not thrilled with the breakfast.
Disconcertingly our window seat faced another coffee shop which advertised itself as being one of the best.
However, a very pleasant brief stop, suggesting that Bury St Edmunds is worth a longer trip. Certainly, if you are with overseas visitors or history buffs, a good half way stop.
Bury St Edmunds Pay Parking
Through the huge gate towers are the abbey gardens.
Bury St Edmunds Coffee Stop
Coffee House on left
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