Our guests arrived by coach at about 11 pm on Friday, 21^st May, having travelled by ferry from the Hook of Holland to Harwich.  Their hosts were there to meet them at the Ramada Hotel and whisked them away for the start of the long weekend.  Everyone went their separate ways on Saturday, but all met up again on Sunday night for a social gathering in the Town Hall, transformed for the evening into the "Crown and Bucket" pub.  As the Club was founded in 1978, the theme was the 1970s.  Accordingly there were candles in bottles on the tables and the menu was chicken or scampi in a basket with apple pie or spotted dick with custard or ice cream to follow, all prepared and served by the Flying Chef and her team.  Games were available on the tables, and parties could soon be observed poring over dominoes, shut the box, and cards.  There was even a dartboard with magnetic darts.  Two other activities were also introduced during the evening: an upside down bingo session and heads and tails with a difference. 

Penny and Brian Harrison and Ann and Ernie Foreman had worked extremely hard to make the evening the success it turned out to be, and were responsible for the informal and friendly atmosphere which prevailed.  Formalities were kept to a minimum, despite the presence of the newly installed Mayor, Councillor Ziffa Christopher, who made a welcoming speech and subsequently visited all the tables.  The chairmen of the two clubs, Brita Weber from Emmerich and Brian Harrison from Lynn, also made short speeches endorsing the spirit of twinning and welcoming the fact that, despite a decline in membership on both sides, new friendships continued to be made.

The next day, Monday, 23^rd May,  saw most of the party assembled again in Hunstanton for an adventure - a trip on the Wash Monster to see the seals on a sandbank in the Wash.  This was a first for many of the hosts as well as the guests and some of us were a bit apprehensive, as the weather which had been wonderful all weekend threatened to break.  However, all went well, no-one was sick or fell overboard, although a few people did get wet, and the sighting of the seals was most impressive - apparently we saw about 350 seals.  Once back on dry land everyone repaired to Searles Leisure Park for a traditional fish and chip lunch and then dispersed to spend a final evening with their guests.  It was a short night, as the coach was scheduled to leave the Ramada Hotel at 5.30 am the next morning to catch the 9 am boat from Harwich.  Another successful twinning weekend was over.

21^st January 2010: "Cocktail party" in the Town Hall

A cold January evening was enlivened for some 30 people at this innovative event.  Guests were greeted with a glass of Glühwein and then treated to some amazing canapés, provided by the Flying Chef.  The Mayor, Councillor Mike Pitcher, and the Mayoress were the guests of honour, but said that they would continue as members of the Club once their term of office was over.