Canterbury

The next stop on our weekend getaway was Canterbury. 

The first thing we did was go to a Canterbury Tales exhibit. It was interesting and we got to hear a few tales. The exhibit took you back to 14th century Canterbury and introduced you to "characters" from Canterbury Tales. The characters were animatronic figures and you listened to an audio guide that led you through the tales.

Inside the exhibit:

We also visited a book store and Benjamin bought a WWII British pamphlet on updated air war against Germany published in 1942.  He was very happy about this.

The next stop was a river tour of Canterbury on the River Stour. 

We passed under the 12th century Eastbridge Hospital and King's Bridge (1134) and saw some industrial buildings from the medieval period. We also saw the Dominican priories which were built by the Blackfrairs in the 14th century these led into a peaceful garden area. 

The last thing we saw was the infamous ducking stool. They used these as ways to punish wicked wives or to determine if you were a witch. You know the story, if you survive the torture...you are a witch and they burn you. If you don't survive...you were not a witch but you died anyway. There families were given a guaranteed by the church that their loved one was certainly in heaven and they apologized for essential messing up and killing an innocent person. 

Another view of the historic river tour:

We also visit the Canterbury Cathedral. The Cathedral's history dates back to 597 AD. In 1170, Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the Cathedral. Ever since, the Cathedral has attracted thousands of pilgrims, as told famously in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

Inside the cathedral:

Next Stop: 

Back to London! 4-6 Sept

Kent

The first stop on our trip was Outback Steakhouse! I was thrilled when I found out this restaurant existed in the UK! Same menu, same decor...it was awesome. This seems petty but in the grand scheme of things, we're going to be three years here and it's nice to know this is available. It took a while to get here but only because we did not have a GPS. Apparently we had been going the wrong way and it took 20 minutes of driving in the wrong direction before we could find a place to turn around. The UK highway system is very different than the US system. There aren't really any overpasses here. In the states you could just get off at the next exit, zip across and start heading in the right direction. Not here!

What you are about to see is NOT Outback food. This is what a traditional British breakfast looks like:

Eggs, hash browns, bacon (it looks like ham), sausage (their sausage is amazing! It's very creamy and just melts in your mouth), and baked beans...yuck! At least there aren't any mushy peas on the plate. We ate this on Saturday morning before heading out to Hever Castle and the Chartwell House.

This first stop of the day was Hever Castle. This is the birthplace and home of Anne Boleyn. It is definitely my favorite castle so far. The gardens were breathtaking!

Stairs leading up to the gardens

A mini waterfall!

Hever Castle:

Unfortunately, no photography was allowed inside Hever Castle.

No castle visit would be complete with a jousting tournament 

The second stop for the day was Chartwell House. Again, no photography allowed inside.

(If you can't read the sign)

Chartwell - home of Sir Winston Churchill was bought and presented to the nation in 1947 by a group of his friends and admirers who names are recorded here in gratitude by the National Trust.

Back of the house, much prettier view than the front:

Here is Benjamin overlooking the grounds of Winston Churchill's home:

Benjamin standing in the same spot as Winston:

 

Check back later for pictures of Canterbury! My internet is being foolish!