American Studies Abroad

The cathedral is ever in a state of building. Some of the orginal walls were never repaired after a fire and others are being repaired in a part of the 50million pound restoration project. Even when it was new it was not finished. The building is ever a changing, growing space that still welcomes pilgrims to worship 30 times each week.

The American Indians are now abroad and working the streets. I missed the opening of the preformance, so I do not know which tribe and the English seem to think it doesn't matter, all Indians from America are alike and very different from India Indians. Fancy a curry?

Cultrual Education Abroad

This weekend Canterbury has invited the world to Dane John Gardens for a food fest.

The Germans brought sausage, the French the cheese, Italy the leather goods, then there was Kent's own produce. Wine and beer flowed liberally. Special demonstrations were held through out the day starting at 10:30 AM.

To continue my study of cultures I volunteered to help the Brew Master, making me a brew mistier. Of course the sampling was part of the job.

The French sent their own Chocolatier Madame Iforget to tempt the audience with dark rich Belgian chocolate. It is because French chocolate is not fattening it should be part of every diet.

Viva la France!

The gardens were lovely as well.

The play in the Cathedral was the frosting on the crepe.

Dallas Sweetman written by Sebastian Barry is a work that was prepared for production in the nave of the Cathedral with pipe organ accompaniment and live musicians, thou unseen by the audience.

The production so stirring I will return tomorrow for service, just to hear the organ again, the acoustics are profound.

Dover Castle

The castle in Dover is a really big open space with limited furniture. Really only a few tables and a chair for the king. I think the people before this were really attached to things so they moved and took everything with them. You can find a place to sit, but there are usually bars involved.

The view from the top of the hill is amazing, but the climb leaves muscles begging for a lift.

Castle Walls

Although Canterbury doesn't have a castle the early people built a wall around the city. Part of the wall is Roman and part Norman, and part is restored by the English.

The daytime shots were taken from the street level. the night time shots were taken from the top of the wall while the guards were on break. Because of the new buildings it is impossible to see more than one block in any direction, so an invading army would be able to sneak up to the wall, but not get over it. the rocks are very difficult to get footing on. The stones are flint and smooth like glass, but very jagged.

City of Ember

Double decker buses are in full service here in Canterbury. I have not yet been brave enough to ride upstairs. The buses have been pressed into advertising service here. It is illegal to have signs or billboards on the roads, but on the side of a bus, that's OK. the City of Ember opens here October 10 not a word about the Twilight movie, but the books are here!

Amazing Walls

The walls of Canterbury have been here for centuries in the background cranes are building new buildings that will not last as long and are built not by hand by machine. As far as we have progressed we still cannot match what was done in respect to durability.

Drawing Rupert

As part of the Big Draw I tried my hand at drawing Rupert at the Canterbury Museum. I will stick to writing about my trip not illustrating it.

The Best of Both Worlds

Canterbury offers the best of both worlds, city and country. The big difference is the direction people send you in. Going down the hill from the uplands is going uptown. Going up the hill to the university is going up to the university. Kent boasts of two universities, Kent and Christ Church. I geographically am closer to Kent. The two campuses are open and I can visit Kent, there are no walls. Christ Church has walls surrounding it but the front gate is open 24/7.

Services are held on the Kent campus by New Life Church and they are open to anyone.

They did caution today that some of the folks, who were only here for a short time, had been here for five years and they are just traveling through. The congregation is very welcoming and the music is just like home, except with a world accent. Students from around the world are studying here.

The assumption is that at my age I must be working on my Masters or PHD, yeah right.

Shall I admit I am working on my mastery of life? I have been telling them I am studying English and they all wish me well. Even the English have trouble with English especially when I speak it.

Canterbury and Canterbeary

Libeary met a new friend today, Canterbeary. Canterbeary was waiting in a thrift shop for us to pop in. We toured the city center and found Rupert, a bear of Canterbury circles.

To see and be here.

The cathedral was built by Rome, converted by Portestants and now serves the world. What a wonderous place of prayer this monument is . Having survived from 600 AD through wars and fires and hostile takeovers, it remains a place for pilgrims to enter and rest and profess the wish to see Jesus.

Theater stop

Christopher Marlowe was a playwrite and some say a spy for the crown. Canterbury was his home and many tales have been told of him. Some say he was killed in a pub fight while others say he was a spy and was smuggled Italy and sent his plays to Shakespeare to be preformed under William's name. What say you? In any case Canterbury built the Marlowe theater to honor one of their own authors.

The next photo was taken in secret at the library checkout. There are no pictures allowed without permission in the library. When I asked for permission, the staff was not allowed to give me persmission or to whom I could ask permission from. Silly rule, please don't tell any one you saw this picture or Libeary and I will be in trouble and have to be smuggled to Italy like Mr. Marlowe.

Canterbury Tales

Today the tour was of Canterbury and the cathedral. Libeary visited the Quire and the library, mixed in a little theater and chocolate for good measure.

Chocolate Book Review

To prove I am really studying, here is a review of the book by Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl's Incredible Chocolate Box is a whipple-scrumptious book of facts about chocolate. Doctors treated coughs and indigestion with chocolate. In an effort to releave my cough and queasy stomach I administered Freddo a product of Cadbury which is available at the chemists.
In 1936 Mars candy company exploded a piece of flavoured dough in a vacuum then covered it with chocolate, the product was called the Energy Ball.

The name was changed to Malteser and today they are sold at the chemists for whatever ails you.

I believe in being proactive, so I had a bag with lunch. During my research I uncovered the fact that the UK beats the US in consumption of chocolate. I will do what I can to make you proud of me. Whenever the opportunity presents itself I will consume.

New Libeary Friends

Libeary made new friends today. Students from New York and The Cat Who Went Bananas. The students are Stephanie Meyer fans and there was much rejoicing. The presale copy of Brisinger is available here, the book and breakfast 8:30 Saturday morning. I will wait for breakfast to get my copy.

The Rose Garden and the Libeary

Libeary was doing a little history in the garden today. CCCU is built inside the walls of the Abbey at Canterbury Cathedral.

Everywhere you look there is a church!

I apoligize for the darkness of this photo, it was dusk when I was passing by. The sign at the top states it is open for visitors. The sign on the door says closed. Can't be sure if they just don't like pilgrims or they only like pilgrims.

The view from the chapel is one of the Cathedrel, in fact the tower of the Catherdrel is visible all over town. The chimes play on the hour I think, but there are so many churches they could each take a turn and only have to chime once in awhile.

Just hanging around.

Libeary was just hanging around the chapel today.

Please add a prayer to your list for my mum and dad. He has suffered a stroke an will need rehabilataion.

Where's the teddy?

Libeary did a bit of site seeing today. Can you find him in the pictures? What else do you see?

New Libeary Friends

Limestone Libeary has made new friends in the airport and the UK. Libeary was sharing a book with Jade a local Canterbury resident. JOE gave Libeary a boost at the airport before departure and Ginny's granddaughters are a bit camera shy.