Canterbury

Canterbury looks just the way I think it should!  The whole old downtown area is walking only (no cars or bikes) so we strolled up and down little winding streets with an occasional glimpse of the cathedral in the background.  Very easy to imagine the early pilgrims coming in from all quarters to give their offerings at the cathedral.  

We spent several hours  in the cathedral, toured the monks herb garden, and then had a fabulous picnic lunch in a sunny courtyard.  There is a private school right next to the cathedral and the high school aged kids would walk 2 by 2 in uniforms with their books on a string through the courtyard between their classes.  

It made me happy for homeschooling!!!

This is just one of MANY stained glass windows in the Cathedral.  Each circle depicts a different  scene from the bible or a Catholic Saint or an event from early Catholic history.  There is so much history, history, history, that after awhile you get immune to it and just walk from room to room looking at gold and silver chalices, altars where Thomas Beckett was murdered, statues of old saints, burial statue for the "black knight", Stained glass windows like this, monks quarters, etc.  I was actually happy to emerge from the dark building into the bright outdoors where things were alive and growing.

This is the Monk's herb garden where the monks would grow their herbs for medicinal use.