Above: The gardens of Canterbury Cathedral Lodge with Canterbury Cathedral in the background.
July 2nd (Day One): CANTERBURY
- I made only one firm plan for today and that was to see the Roman Canterbury Museum. It is a small, but informative museum built over the remains of an ancient Roman house. Hint: Check Groupon in the country you'll be traveling to. I found a 50% off coupon for this museum and it worked. My other "unplanned" plan was to buy a pair of shorts. At the last minute, I took out my pair that I had packed in my suitcase thinking it wouldn't be hot enough to wear in England. Wrong! It was over 80 degrees. Fortunately Marks & Spencer had some that fit. Marks & Spencer also sold great lunch meal deals! I then walked part of the Canterbury city walls and found a sandwich shop on a quiet side street for lunch. After lunch, I visited the Hospital of St. Thomas the Martyr and then did some sketching from my day in the Franciscan Gardens of Greyfriars Chapel. On my way back to the hotel I did a quick visit into the cathedral since the hotel was literally a few steps away. I appreciated going at my own pace today. The tour group met for the first time at 5 p.m. and we soon headed for a lovely welcome dinner together. The day ended with a short walking tour of Canterbury.
MUSINGS ABOUT DAY 1
- Drink a lot of water and take it slow: I took it slow today but didn't drink enough water and I developed a splitting headache by the time the group met at 5 pm. I should have known better from living at altitude in Colorado. Fortunately, it went away during the group dinner.
- Scouting ahead worked: I researched my possible free time activities in advance. This really made a difference during the entire trip. I used the Rick Steves England guidebook along with TripAdvisor to search for sites and places to eat. To save space in your luggage cut out only the pages of the places you'll be visiting from the Rick Steves England guidebook. Hint: I starred sites and restaurants on a map in the app, CityMaps2Go, so I could see how close I was to any of them when I was out and about. It saved time and allowed me to feel like I had a plan for when I wasn't with the tour group. It also helps you find the less trafficked sites like the Hospital of St. Thomas the Martyr or Greyfriars Chapel and Franciscan Gardens that I visited in Canterbury.
FAVORITE SPOT OF MY DAY
Greyfriars Chapel: You can only view the outside of this chapel unless you are there for Eucharist at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.
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Gardens around Greyfriars Chapel: I decided to search for gardens on this trip after photographing this field.
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Franciscan Gardens around Greyfriars Chapel: This appeared to be a favorite spot for the locals. It was quiet and secluded space.
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A Sketchable Moment
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Taking time to sketch on a walk naturally builds in a rest break for yourself. This wall was a challenge for me because of its perspective and the fact I don't normally draw walls. But, it created a good learning experience.
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Canterbury city walls: watercolor and ink
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Solo Travel Tips |
Slowing Down |
Stepping Up |
It may seem obvious, but just say "Hello" to the people around you at the group dinner. It breaks the ice. Also, there were five other people that were on this tour by themselves. You are unlikely to be the only one. Even if you are, I find that people are much more likely to approach and talk to you if you aren't part of a large group. I felt welcomed immediately at dinner. |
This worked out well today. This afternoon, I spent a few hours in the Franciscan Gardens sketching Canterbury's city walls, from my photos, in my watercolor journal. It was nice to have some quiet and to see everyday life. |
Walking + Running: 8.3 miles Steps: 18,837 Flights Climbed: 10 floors Wow, walking just in the morning and evening really added up! |
