Everyone loves a parade!

So, despite very loud bagpipes that started tooting right outside the church door in the middle of the Eucharist on Sunday (they were disturbing in an irreligiously amusing sort of way even though it was Amazing Grace), there was a later enjoyment of said bagpipes as there was a military parade through town.

Not sure if it was a holiday of remembrance but there were what looked like all branches of HM's services as well as a contingent of US servicepersons. Parades bring tears to my eyes. Most especially the tottery man carrying the 'Norfolk Desert Rats' flag from the Northern Africa campaign, who could not keep up with formation speed and had to fall out and walk on his own by the time they got back around from in front of the castle and back around and up Guildhall Hill (or Gaol Hill -- street names are ever so confusing here).

Another highlight of the Sunday was the chance to see some of the new elephants that seem to have been arbitrarily picked to be the art exhibit token for a summer exhibit. The theme is (indecipherably) Go Elephants! I have no idea whether this refers to archaeological evidence of Norfolk once being a natural habitat of elephants (which is doubtful) or whether some artsy organiser is simply pachyderm-obsessed (which is more likely). It is deemed a 'mammoth' event... this furrows my brow, raises the left eyebrow, and purses my lips in a slightly annoyed manner. They are actually quite cute, though. My particular favourite is the one that has tulips for painted toenails (actually, do you call them toenails on creatures without separatable toes?).