Clacton-on-Sea

Well weekends with no toys for kids, makes for long weekends for parents. (AMIRITE?!?) So, we have been taking short day trips to keep things interesting. So far, this has worked well. Yesterday, however, Miss Rian Grace was in RARE form. So much so that she actually lost the right to walk in the sand--AT THE BEACH!
The pier in Clacton was exactly what you would imagine. We could've been in NJ or CA if it weren't for the accents and weather. Cheesy rides, cheap toys to "win", and lots of people. I actually for once didn't mind. I really kinda liked it to be honest. Probably a place we will visit many more times, and if anybody comes over, you'll probably see it too. Only 30 minutes away, too. There was plenty to do, the fish & chips were amazing, and there were some decent photo ops.
After the pier we did a little shopping to round the day out and Leasea actually got something! Shocker. In the middle of the shopping center was a random Tunisian Market. Why? No clue. Even stranger? Halfway through, a Brazilian drum band and three scantily clad dancers paraded through the place. I gotta say, it felt very surreal.
So, after we'd all made it back home--Rian almost didn't, I thought of dropping her off and making her hitchhike, but that would have left a sour taste in some Brits mouth about the "Ugly American" kid--we settled in for the evening. Lamb Chops, steamed broccoli and fresh baked bread dinner. Football (European) and the football (NCAA) rounded out the night, with U o M beating the Flailin' Irish (which I watched in its entirety) and then USC beating Ohio State (did not watch).

All in all, not too bad a day.