Our Tale of Canterbury

July 4, 2013

                  

The ruins of St. Augustine’s Abbey painted us a picture of how segregated life was between the parishioners and common people. There were two graveyards, two mess halls, and separate entrances to the church which worked to keep higher ranking officials more comfortable than the peasant’s who lived and worked outside the abbey. 

The ruins dated back to Roman times, although there were different eras of construction found throughout the grounds. New construction versus rebuild from destruction is a common theme we have noticed at the heritage sites we have visited. From outside enemies to the King of England each abbey, chapel, and castle has experienced some form of expansion or regression.

                          

 After our tour we sampled the abbey’s mead… also learning that all mead is made from honey. This stuff was 14% alcohol and still tasted just like honey. With the mead being so strong it is hard to imagine a monk drinking his day away, yet still able to do the detailed scribe work of book making.

  

Quaint square in Canterbury

Next, we strolled through the very English historic town of Canterbury. We saw the cathedral from the outside but did not pay the 15£ each to see inside.  In the square just outside the cathedral entrance we heard awful beatboxing, followed by a choir of at least 25 people singing religious hymns, which sounded much better.   Did you know that there are sister stores like the Dollar Tree, even in charming towns like Canterbury? It was called “Poundland;” it was much nicer than the Dollar Store’s I have visited in the states.   

A repurposed English home 

                           

    

Pebbles and flowers all the way to the shoreline 

As the evening sunset rolled in

we pulled over and walked down a beautiful beach side public park/ walkway.  Walking along the pebbled covered beach we found 3 starfish in the surf.  Then we made up a rock throwing game….if you hit a solitary brick on the beach you got a kiss, but if you hit the metal chain on the brick you got two. It was a win win for both of us because I am a terrible aim.

I had never found a living starfish in the wild

                                   

P.S. My husband makes me put these silly
pictures on here!

Mexican was for dinner!!! Which made me SUPER happy; I have only been craving it for 3 months…. I ate every bite of my fajitas as if it was my last meal before execution and washed it down with my beloved Patron silver.