Most of us headed out for our optional excursion today - Canterbury and Leeds Castle. Others took in the sites of downtown London - like the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace!
The 2 hour drive to Canterbury was very scenic once we hit the country. The town itself is a marvel.
A highlight is the cathedral; site of Thomas Becket's (St. Thomas of Canterbury) murder, as well as his crypt (until it was destroyed). The gothic architecture is awesome at this cathedral - one of the few in England in this style and it features the infamous flying buttresses.
The cathedral was huge - if you sat in the main seating area for Mass you'd never see (or hear) the celebrant. Everything was very elaborate.
There was a side door with a courtyard and a beautiful garden. Sheila, Maureen and Susan all discovered it first and then tried directing everyone else there. A favorite of their's was the yellow rose (I forget the exact name - but they'll remember!).
The town itself was terrific and we had lots of free time to explore (and stop by some of the little shops!). Little pubs, craft stores, linen, outdoor markets, restaurants, and even a Subway lined these ancient streets.
A great morning - made even better by our driver Allan, who pulled the bus up as close as possible to town center - saving us about 30 minutes of walking time.
The 2 hour drive to Canterbury was very scenic once we hit the country. The town itself is a marvel.
A highlight is the cathedral; site of Thomas Becket's (St. Thomas of Canterbury) murder, as well as his crypt (until it was destroyed). The gothic architecture is awesome at this cathedral - one of the few in England in this style and it features the infamous flying buttresses.
The cathedral was huge - if you sat in the main seating area for Mass you'd never see (or hear) the celebrant. Everything was very elaborate.
There was a side door with a courtyard and a beautiful garden. Sheila, Maureen and Susan all discovered it first and then tried directing everyone else there. A favorite of their's was the yellow rose (I forget the exact name - but they'll remember!).
The town itself was terrific and we had lots of free time to explore (and stop by some of the little shops!). Little pubs, craft stores, linen, outdoor markets, restaurants, and even a Subway lined these ancient streets.
A great morning - made even better by our driver Allan, who pulled the bus up as close as possible to town center - saving us about 30 minutes of walking time.
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