The notion that we might have exhausted travel destinations by now could not be farther from the truth. Still plenty of places to go and see. So, today, we made a visit to Canterbury, the medieval spiritual center of England.
The chief attraction is the soaring cathedral that dates back to 11th century. It is an impressive architectural masterpiece, easily holding its own in comparison with other grand Christian edifices that we had the opportunity to see in the past. The cathedral is surrounded by peaceful gardens and atmospheric ruins, which make for a pleasant stay.
The city itself is very walkable, with many examples of medieval architecture. Absence of motorized traffic in the town center is a tremendous plus. There are a number of minor museums, including one full of animatronic figures that bring to life Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, but we skipped museum-going this time around, limiting ourselves to the exploration of cathedral and its “precincts” and then just strolling around town.
The weather was not great – what else is new? – constantly threatening with showers and being generally on the cooler side, so we also decided against taking a boat around narrow (and shallow) canals that circle the town. Nonetheless, it was a good little day trip, of the kind that we have not taken for a while.
I got back home just in time for the opening game of the Euro-2008 football championships. My attention will be largely devoted to that for the next few weeks.