A Dazzling Place I Never Knew

This week was a day trip to the coast. It was about time this landlocked Midwestern got to see the ocean again. Straightway, in my first days here, I was told Canterbury isn’t too far off from the coast (half hour bus ride come to find out), but I was able to figure this out fairly quickly myself by the amount of seagulls. I can paint you a picture: trade these birds for some critters, and it’s like campus back home where you can practically step on a squirrel! Catch my drift? The bus took the scenic route from Canterbury into town and, low and behold, we passed the notorious White Cliffs of Dover. We came in on an overcast morning, but after a few hours those cliffs were shining and something to see! When am I ever going to see White Cliffs again? Oh, that’s right, this weekend when I go across the English Channel to France! But other than that, really, when am I ever going to see White Cliffs?

THEE White Cliffs of DOVER

I love the English’s sense of time (and when I say love it is a love/hate relationship). If the world all ran by their internal clocks, we could do no wrong - and mom - you would never be late anywhere! We were told to get to the library Augustine House at 8:45 sharp! The bus would by leaving us behind as it pulled out at 9:00. Well, bet you could guess it, we didn’t leave until after 9:30. I don’t know why I bother to get anywhere early (besides that day I missed class - that is my one time exception!) because now every time we’re given a time I know when an English University says one time they really mean 15-30 minutes later…

Sunlight peaking over the Fortress

That last slight sidetrack is completely relevant only because once in Dover, all of us on the bus actually had to sit inside for over 15 minutes! I seriously had ants in my pants (I might still be 8 in that regard). I was so ready to see a castle I was bouncing off the walls and literally plastering myself to the bus windows like one of those flies you smush driving down the interstate… What? I wanted a better castle view? When we FINALLY got off the bus, we began our trek up to the castle. Did you know they place castles on a hill? Yeah, total common sense knowledge until you have to hike up to it. The glimpses of the city and the outer walls were unforgettable. There really is no comparison, especially when you’re coming from the farmlands of little Iowa where though we have an abundance of character we definitely are lacking in castles. After this experience and my many exposures to Disney movies, I think it is safe to say: I like castles.

Dover Castle in full splendor, I mean you're
missing the walls around the place but this the keep.

After a snack of hot chocolate and cappuccino cake, because storming a castle uses up some serious energy, my group went up to the overlook with our guide to hear about the WWII history here. Even though the castle was used centuries earlier by English royalty and first built by the Normans, it is most famous for its guardianship of the Dover Port and the English Channel and the Dunkirk evacuations planned by Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay. His operation was to evacuate British and allied soldiers after Hitler’s power spread to the edges of France. Did you know that although the city of Dover and many other English towns were affected by WWII destruction and bombings that they say Hitler left the Dover Castle untouched because he wanted to stand from its towers and look out at his European Empire? That gives me chills.

Taking in the view of the city

I was able to go into some of the Secret Wartime tunnels like a communication post to monitor the English Channel and the Underground Hospital as well as climb an overlook tower for the views. The castle was by far the best. I kind of lost myself in the Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment Museum, so I had to rush through the parts where the English Heritage staff set up recreations of what the castle may have looked like during Henry II’s reign. The recreations were fairly silly, but I did like the multi-leveled spiral staircase. It proved to be the best workout I’ve had since I ran to catch my flight in Canada! Once at the top, the views of Dover were spectacular. It will be days later, and I’ll still be waiting for the wonder to fade.

In other news, I still have yet to try the tea.