Food and Drink Is a Delight in Norfolk
Whether you are staying in hotels or holiday parks in Norfolk one thing you can be sure of is that good food and drink is just around the corner. Norfolk is farming land and nowhere is that more prevalent than in the food and drink. There are organic vegetables, turkey breasts and fine ales to be found right across the county in restaurants, pubs, cafes and B&B’s, and each and every one will use fresh produce farmed only in Norfolk.
Norfolk Food Festival
To experience a true showcase of what food Norfolk offers to the people of the county and beyond it is worth paying a visit to the Norfolk Food Festival. The event is run each year by the Eastern Daily Press and Bidwells and aims to show off the importance of local food in people’s well-being and the rich food heritage of Norfolk. The festival is not confined to one part of the county and features more than 300 events in every area, public favourites include Norwich’s Moveable Feast, the EDP Food Awards and the Food fair which is held in The Forum in the centre of Norwich. The public are encouraged to vote in the annual “battle of the bangers” competition which butchers from around the county compete to be the public’s choice for best banger.
Norwich Beer Festival
Not content with just a food festival the county also holds the Norwich Beer Festival which is currently in its 33rd year. Each year St. Andrews and Blackfriars’ Hall is transformed in to a venue that hosts over 200 cask- continental Real Ales from independent brewers across the UK along with draught and bottled beers for the farthest reaches of Continental Europe.
Norfolk is home to various kind of cuisine’s from all over the world, there are Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Mexican restaurants aplenty in Norwich and some of the UK’s best fish and chip shops are within easy access for those staying in the many holiday parks in Norfolk.
Pubs that litter the waterways of the Norfolk Broads house some of the finest local ale alongside obscure beers from across Europe, they are also a good place to sample excellent home cooked meals.
Norfolk is very proud of its heritage of producing succulent food and drink and the record of excellence has been backed up with five local producers winning in the 2010 Great Taste Awards. If you are a visitor to the county then one thing you must do before you leave is check out a farmer’s market and take home some beautiful fruit and vegetables, that way you can experience the taste of Norfolk from wherever you are!
Travelling From Village to Village
One of the best activities for a tourist in the UK is to travel from village to village to experience rural English life at its best. There are many villages with interesting histories that involve the Roman Empire and the two World Wars and you are sure to find an interesting character or two,
Of course you will need some guidance as to where to go and what to see. There are some villages that are just run-of-the-mill villages that don’t have much more than a lively market to offer a visitor. Therefore you need a guide to show you the way.
There are plenty of guides around to help you choose your route. Everything from holiday villages UK to National Trust buildings is covered in these guides. Depending on your taste, you can follow any one of these to find the little treasures that you’re looking for.
With your guide in hand, you should always make sure that you know the route that you want to take. Some villages have several roads leading into and out of the main road. Some of these roads lead to the farms surrounding the villages and you may spend a lot of time trying to find your way back to your planned route.
Getting lost has its own benefits though. You may find that in your quest to find your way back you will meet with some interesting farm folk who may welcome you with open arms and offer you a traditional meal or tea. This is one of the best ways of experiencing the real life in an English village.
Then there are the pubs to explore. Many villages have more than one pub and you can travel from village to village in search of these popular watering holes. Here too you will find a collection of interesting characters that can liven up country life for you with many stories of the goings on in the village.
No matter which route you choose to take, you are sure to find something that will pique your interest and keep you fascinated for quite a while. Make sure to try out the local cuisine and meet as many of the local inhabitants as possible, as they will be able to point you in the direction of the real treasures of the village. They will also be able to show you the best place to rest your head when it’s time to call it a night.
Adventures are few and far between in everyday life. When on holiday you will need to make your own little adventures and be prepared for whatever they bring into your life for you to enjoy.
The Benefits of Engaging in Voluntary Work
Many people choose to perform volunteer work as a way to interact socially, learn new skills, gain experience, or simply because they enjoy helping other people or the environment in some way or another. There are many different forms of voluntary work that you could engage in. From lending a hand down at animal shelters to being an assistant to dentists in third world countries, there are plenty of options available for you to choose from. This means that you are likely to find an organisation that is fighting for a cause that you are passionate about.
There are thousands of organisations that will gladly hire you to perform a variety of duties, and if you don't have the necessary skills or qualifications, many of these organisations will help you to acquire them for free. There are numerous benefits to working for free. One major benefit is that you can use the experience obtained from volunteer work to include on your CV. Verifiable experience of this sort is favoured highly by employers throughout the world, as it shows that you are willing to work not necessarily because of financial compensation, but because you are genuinely interested in a particular cause.
One way to find voluntary work is to run an online search based around the cause you are interested in. Another would be to head down to your local library and look around at listings to see if there are any groups in need of volunteers within your local area. You are likely to find a wide range of such groups in newspapers and ad listings as well. Just search around a bit and you will be surprised with what you find.
You may find that voluntary work could even lead to full time employment. Many organisations choose to hire full-time employees or provide certification to volunteers who participate in community projects on a regular basis. Even if you are not particularly interested in obtaining full-time employment, you will usually find that the benefits of offering something to your community or the world at large far outweigh the disadvantages, and long-lasting friendships can be formed easily.
The benefits that can be gleaned from performing volunteer work are not always external. Often you will find that if you give something for free, you will feel good inside afterwards. As most people are used to simply working for a wage or for something in return, many do not recognize that a certain sense of happiness can be found simply by offering your skills or services out of pure goodwill. A volunteer job can provide an avenue for you to find this sense of happiness, so if you think you have what it takes, then do not hesitate to step on board.
Get a Car Hire Palma and See the Splendour of Majorca
More and more people travelling to Majorca, after having soaked up the sun in the beaches of Arenal, are tempted to car hire Palma, and set out for pastures new. After all, the beauty of Majorca lies in more than just the luxury hotels and sunning by the sea- the island is something of a miniature continent that just begs to be explored.
The island of Majorca has been pushed and squeezed, and the crumpling has produced a varied landscape; the towering mountains of the north, the gentle central plains, with the main city of Palma on the west coast, and the soft limestone hills of the south. All of this is opened up to visitor by a dense road network; many lanes lead out from the 6 main roads, to small coves, lost monasteries and wonderful hilltop villages.
From Palma, the visitor is drawn across the central plains of Es Pla. This area is the main agricultural area of Majorca, and is bedecked by apricot orchards, vineyards, almond groves, and many pretty small villages. The whole landscape has it's rustic charm enhanced by hundreds of small windmills dotted around the fields. These serve a very practical need for water – much of this lies underground, and the windmills are needed to bring it to the surface, and irrigate the parched plains.
On the eastern side of the island, near the sweeping bay of Alcudia, is the National Park of Albufera de Mallorca, a wetland landscape of lagoons, sand dunes and pine forests. This is a natural wonder, formed over 100,000 years ago, and is a popular place for bird spotters and nature lovers alike. The nearby beaches themselves are excellent, but somewhat popular and crowded.
Moving inland, and to the north, the town of Pollenca nestles against the northern mountains of the Serra de Tramuntan. This town shows off the typically narrow streets and high fronts of the houses of Majorcan towns, and is home to a church built by the Knight's Templars. This 13th century church is a must-see; but only after you have climbed all 365 steps to reach it!
Once you have headed into the Serra de Tramuntan proper, you will be gifted with a spectacular landscape of steep limestone mountains, wild pine forests and alpine grasslands- the mountains rise 1400m above sea level, and are often clad in snow from late autumn. Whilst wending through the steep passes here, do look out for the Lluc Monastery, which is over 800 years old. It is still populated by monks, who will provide a warm welcome for travellers who make their way here- you can even stay in a monk’s cell!
As can be seen, a wealth of experiences awaits those who are prepared to travel and explore a little more of this wonderful island- so make a beeline for the car hire Palma, and make your holiday one of unforgettable adventures.