On what
couldn’t be a wetter day we made the 2 hour train journey
to Canterbury. I was extremely excited on the way down as I
saw a glimpse of a fox. I announced this to the whole carriage,
much to Gavin’s embarrassment.
Our first
stop was to the Canterbury Tales attraction. A series of story
telling models took us on our own pilgrimage from London to
Canterbury. Religion has played an important part in Canterbury’s
history and so many people made the arduous journey on foot
from on around the country. It was tradition to tell a tale
during the journey. The attraction was really well set out.
Not only were there sights and sounds, but smell also. The market
place smelled of fish and dentistry.
The cathedral
was amazing. It is the home of the Anglican faith. And yes,
Henry VIII was involved. He had Thomas Becket’s body burnt
to show how he dealt with bishops who crossed the monarchy.
Becket was murdered in the church itself and now a candle marks
the exact spot where he lay, until Henry got involved. The bad
weather means the photos don’t do it justice.
We walked on to St Augustine's Abbey and caught a glimpse through
the gates.
After a
stroll around the narrow streets we had an enjoyable meal at
Cafe Venezia. The service was outstanding, the food superb and
two bottles of wine later we were ready to depart.
Canterbury
was my first taste of life outside London and I liked it a lot.
The pace of life was certainly slower and nicer in a way.
)
)