I'm a shameless tourist

I have a problem. I'm addicted to Jane Eyyre. I'm listening to the audiobook as I type.  This is probably the 3rd time, though first in awhile.  Over the past few weeks I have been watching different film and tv adaptations of the story, trying to find the perfect one. After watching quite a few of them I think the 1983 miniseries is the most true to the book, but not my favorite. That version of Mr Rochester looked too fair, but behaved more abusive than the character in the book.  I think overall the 2006 miniseries was my favorite overall, though I did like some bits from the 1997 movie.  I love the story, can't get tired of it.  Hmm...how times have changed though.  No 18 year old I know behaves and speaks like Jane. She acts more like she's in her 30's.

Back to the real world, last weekend I did some touristy things locally in Norwich.  On Saturday I went to the cathedral with Sophie and her family who was visiting. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me, but I'll go back to get some pictures.  As usual with cathedrals, the ceiling was very nice, in fact while we were admiring it, a lady who worked there came up to us and asked if we'd like a tour.  We requested a focus on "touchable" things, and there were quite a few them scattered around fortunately. There was a tomb where a priest was buried, and during the English civil war the metal ornamentation was stolen.  Another tomb was against one of the walls vertically, and I found the reasoning for that quite funny. Turns out the bloke who was buried there wanted to be first into heaven, so he requested it be vertical so he was already standing up. lol I also got to touch some very ornate wooden benches which were carved in medieval times.  I'd love to be in that chorus and sit/stand there. : ) There was a statue of a pelican ripping open it's own breast to feed its chicks, and there was a very large intricate drop of blood protruding from that area.  On the wall I got to run my fingers over some graffiti that was carved there during the 1600's. Just the year and initials, but it was cool that it survived all this time.
The next day I went to the castle, which has been converted into a museum.  My favorite part was the room full of animals (stuffed). It reminded me of the Natural History museum back home.

After we got done with the animals, we moved on to human cultures. Most notable were the giant dresses and entire rooms devoted to showcasing teapots, further proving true the British stereotype.

There were even giant Hagrid sized teapots.

For all of their enormous teapots and hoop skirts, they sure had tiny doors.  When this castle was built people must have been so short.

Here's the view of the entrance.

After leaving the grand castle, we went to the not so grand Subway sandwich place...all that walking made us hungry!

Other than that my week hasn't been too exciting, except for the night Sophie and I booked tickets for our Easter trip.  We're going to Barcelona and Rome for 10 days! I'm so excited! I've got something going pn pretty much every weekend until I leave, which is fantastic. : )
Tomorrow (well later today) I'm going to Cambridge for the weekend to tour the colleges and meet some new people.  The camera is coming too, so stay tuned for pictures when I get back.