Day 6 - Friday March 31
Canterbury
This morning we took an early train out of London to spend the day in Canterbury and Kent. The weather was blustery and rainy, but we braved the conditions for a 90 minute walking tour around this historic city. Some things I learned from our guide: The high street was built by the Romans and is one of the few things we can see (above ground) of Roman influence. Also, there were originally 8 gates around the city in Roman times, only one gate remains, but it is not original, it was reconstructed in the 1300s. We also found the statue of Chaucer, famous author of the Canterbury Tales. Our guide also shared the history of Christopher Marlowe and how in addition to being an author and playwright, he was also a vocal atheist (not a good thing to be during the Reformation) and was recruited as a spy for the government.
Karen and I needed to warm up, so we found a wonderful spot for afternoon tea at the Abode Hotel on the high street. It was such a beautiful set up and we enjoyed all of the sandwiches and desserts. My favorites were the berry scones with cream and jam!
After warming up and fueling up we took a taxi to Chapel Down winery. The setting was absolutely beautiful with vineyards over rolling hills and alpacas dotting the countryside. We sampled a variety of wines, but my favorites were the sparkling wines, which this particular vineyard is famous for!
We really enjoyed this day in the countryside, it was such a wonderful way to experience more of the English culture and history.
We concluded the day with a train back to London and a stop for fish and chips!
