I read, or at least tried to read, The Canterbury Tales in my 9th grade World Civ class, but all I really recall is that a lot of colorful characters traveled to Canterbury on a pilgrimage to the cathedral. And that Middle English is nearly impossible to understand. As members of an Episcopal Church and parents of students at an Episcopal school, it seemed fitting that we make our own journey (albeit an easy and short one) to the Mother Church.
Both Google maps on our iPad and the GPS in our car told us to drive into the heart of Canterbury, which was a giant mistake. The center of town was built in the Middle Ages long before anyone ever dreamed of accommodating motor vehicles. We had a tense 10 minutes of trying to squeeze through extra narrow streets, with other poor lost drivers coming at us the other way, and sidewalks packed with tourists on both sides. In order for two cars to pass each other, both cars had to have one wheel on the sidewalk. It reminded us of our babymoon in Spain six years ago, when Mapquest told us we could drive down alleyways and stairways in the old part of Granada and we were stressed and lost for nearly an hour.
A typical street in downtown Canterbury. Imagine two cars passing each other on this road.
We finally managed to park, and since the morning was gray and chilly, we started with warm drinks and a snack at a little coffee shop. Malcolm couldn't get over how tiny it was, with room for just three tables. I was more interested in the age of the building, with these huge wood ceiling beams.
Teeny tiny coffee shop
Note the patriotic bunting for the Queen's Jubilee
Next, we headed to the Canterbury Roman Museum to see some of the Roman ruins found underneath the city when the town was bombed during World War II. The museum was actually built on the ruins of an old house, and we saw intact floor mosaics, as well as lots of other Roman artifacts found in the area. The last room in the museum was a kids' play area, where the kids got to try on Roman costumes.
Soren as a Roman soldier
Canterbury is surprisingly modern for a city with so much ancient history. There were tons of restaurants to choose from for lunch. We tried a Belgian place that was a total score. It was one our favorite meals so far. Erik's steak frites probably won the prize for best choice, but the kids shared an enormous and delicious croque monsieur, devouring the whole thing. We were big fans of the Belgian beer, too. We haven't enjoyed the beer here as much as we expected to. Maybe we're ordering the wrong thing, or maybe it's because most beer here is served room temperature. I like my beverages good and cold. Sean, if you're reading this, help us out with some beer recommendations, please!
You've got to love a restaurant that brings you this.
After lunch, we headed to the cathedral. Being in a building that old is pretty humbling. Even walking through the gate to the cathedral grounds is impressive.
Looking down the street toward the entrance gate and the Cathedral
Looking up at the entrance gate
On the outside, the cathedral shows its age and is undergoing renovation, but inside it's just stunningly beautiful. As with Salisbury Cathedral, there are beautiful stained glass windows, art, and artifacts everywhere you look. In the basement is the oldest part of the church, called the crypt, where all visitors are asked to keep silent for people in prayer. It was much simpler than the main floor above, but it was amazingly peaceful. And even more amazing, our children mostly kept quiet as we walked through.
The cathedral grounds are not very large, so it was hard to get a good full-building shot.
Definitely in need of some repairs
Photos of the interior don't really do it justice, because it was so dark in there. This photo gives a sense of how big the space is.
The pulpit
One of many stained glass windows
After Canterbury, we made a quick trip to the coast to get a glimpse of the English Channel in the town of Whitstable. The beach was rocky, and the boys threw rocks in the water and pocketed a few.
The English Channel
Whitstable
After a day full of new experiences, we asked the kids what their favorite part was, and they both answered, "Getting to the hotel!" They were thrilled about their sleeping arrangements on a cot and a pull-out sofa, and they explored every nook and cranny of our room. We stayed up late watching the concert at Buckingham Palace for the Queen.
Our Jubilee celebration
Tuesday, we spent the whole day at Leeds Castle. There's so much to say about that outing that it deserves its own blog entry. Stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment