Lack of updates due to trips/being overtired and lots of work at end of term.
Canterbury Reflections, Nov.25th (written Wednesday Nov 28th).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay so I need a break from papers, or even thinking about papers. I probably shouldn't, but apparently the humanity is suffering at the moment.
So on Sunday, and this is Wednesday, I went to the land of Chaucer. Let me just say that these tours are half off for General Course students at LSE (as in the school really wants us to take advantage of this so they actually subsidize it, basically a can't miss opportunity). On Sunday morning I walked down to the school with a friend from my dorm who went also, climbed on the coach, ate my pastry from Costa Coffee, signed in and promptly fell asleep, I've been tired lately and apparently I still like drives for sleeping, I have since I was a kid. I do know our route out of London was along what was the original route the pilgrams traveled from about 1000 AD to 1500 AD when King Henry VIII (he comes into history everywhere around here), basically destroyed the shrines etc that the pilgrims went to visit so they stopped going.
Anyways, I woke up when we got there. First off, I like London a lot, let me be clear, however towns, or small cities like Canterbury, oh my goodness. There are very much my style coming from the Berkshires and then ya know cow pastures in Vermont. Okay so arrival, then a nice little jaunt by our tour guide Simon (who is quite the entertainer) around the city so we could get our bearings. He gave us lots of little tidbits. Essentially the highlights are:
1) Many of the buildings, although they have modern faces are actually still mostly original structures behind those modern exteriors. There was a bit of bombing during World War II (horray for Hitler's desire to bomb England's history into the stone age...not), much of the reconstruction was done hoping to fit in, then again some just wasn't. That was cool to know anyway.
2) Then he showed us this little place with a sign mentioning pilgrims, apparently here was where the charter to get the Mayflower ship (to MASS) was originally drawn up. Trivia
3) Christopher Marlow was born in Canterbury.....playwright/spy, and there is a theater there bearing his name.
4) There's a library built that's fairly modern there, like 150 years old, and yes that's modern...but even though it was built to look 15th century, the windows are clearly way too big and as Simon said "it's really just ridiculous." Hah, he's right.
5) Many of the stores there are regular shops, but they are in buildings that are 13th and 14 century, way coool...just way cool (forgive historical geeking out!)
6)There is also this pub, where at one point there was a chair hanging off the edge into the river that was a dunking chair and if a woman opened her mouth too much she was dunked into the river (which has lots of yucky stuff in it). My how times have changed, the glee on Simon's face telling that was priceless.
7) Then a hopsital, which actually was not a "hospital" but a place that offered hospitality for weary travelers coming through town and just arriving so they could rest before going to worship Becket. What's cool about this building is the door on the main street is actually partly covered up and the bottom of it is actually what was street level back then. Over the centuries, the street level has risen about 2 or 3 feet. Sigh, oh history.
8) My personal favorite, ready for it?.....was the building that said on the front (on what was the second level, 1573 AD....Queen Elizabeth something....) and the bottom was a Cafe Nero (regular coffee chain here). Apparently Queen Elizabeth stayed there when she came to visit the Archbishop, today it's a coffee shop, ridiculous. Just ridiculous.
The town is just classically quaint, once we did that walk around then we sort of split up into smaller groups to do our own thing. I went with some people I knew to check out the Canterbury Tales exhibit, good fun. Reminded me a bit of 10th grade English class as they outlined some of the more well known ones, Miller's Tale, Knight's Tale, the one with the fox and rooster. For those of you who've read it/remember it, you'll remember Chaucer was considered pretty crude and apologized on his deathbed for the crudity of the "Tales" which he actually never totally finished. They had the statues, life sized figures of the various players, and those narration headphones (crappy quality) but it was fine. That was about forty minutes then I finally got GOOD FISH and CHIPS. Best in the city apparently but goodness!!!! Oh yum, too bad it wasn't London. Sigh, just a little shop on one of the streets, not greasy or anything, crisp batter, drools* After that we ambled around the market on one of the streets that was primarily for pedestrians. Think Church Street up in Burlington. There are walls surrounding parts of the city and the only gate that is left is the West gate that still stands from way back when (see pictures below). Okay what else what else....
The story of the pilgrims. Basically King Henry II (and yes it was him, but I honestly can't keep them straight, too many) came to power and in order to reduce the tensions between the crown and church (oh yes that age old struggle) he decided to make his good friend Thomas (A) -although the a isn't used much anymore- Becket archbishop of canterbury to reduce the tensions (that existed primarily because there were two separate court systems and the Church tended to be more leinent gasp). However once Becket was in the position he was a bit more uppity and the friendship well, it went away. Apparently (and Simon our guide acted this out on a random sidewalk in town at ten AM on a Sunday morning, as I said, quite the entertainer)....Becket's name came up at a dinner party and the King (in an unguarded moment) in response slammed his fist on a table and said "oh who will rid me of this troublesome priest." Four knights decided to follow up on that. They went to Canterbury and once Becket was warned he headed to the Cathedral there to seek protection and sanctuary because who would dare violate the church? Turns out the knights were willing...yep, bad news. They followed him into the Great Cloister (basically a courtyard with four walk ways around it, elegant place....pictures below. They pushed him around a bit and called him names etc, Becket who grew up on the streets of London pushed back and he was a decent sized man, tall and heavy boned, still four to one. Anyways there was like a three hit process, he was knocked down, stabbed in the back and then the top of his head was chopped off and the brain...anyways...apparently he was made a saint some years later because people believed miracles happened where he died...the blood or something I don't quite get this part. Anyway so now there's a shrine where he died, or there was on that spot, originally, then the single candle was moved upstairs eventually, in um, 1490 something I think. Dates not so important. So that's the mostly complete story of the famous pilgrimages.
Next: The beautiful Cathedral. This place is absolutely stunning! Just wow. You walk in, it's huge with outside architecture reflecting several different periods of construction, gothic, roman etc from over the years of being rebuilt (from fires) etc, and added on to, I believe the oldest surrounding walls are from the late 800s, the church itself has parts dating to the late 1000s. Could be a little off there, but clearly it was there when Becket was killed so at least that old. When you get inside it becomes this ancient place. I mentioned it smelled old and historic and a couple of my friends were like "huh what?" I compared it to that musty smell which they sort of understood, tried the like steamer trunk in the attic smell, they didn't know what a steamer trunk was (not totally out of date is it?) and I gave up. However, for the record, I still claim that cathedrals in general, especially ones this old really do have a distinctly old smell. They also feel really historic, like the stones are worn down from centuries of people walking on them. The cathedral has a huge stain window, the largest one in the UK I think, and it is a marvel (see picture below). We walked around in there for a bit and saw the famous places where Becket was pushed around, died, his original shrine, the new location, the window, etc etc.
Afterwards we walked around the town a little bit more, I met some more general course students I hadn't met before which was awesome! One of the girls, two actually go to Wellsley, but one of those girls knows the Berkshires really well so that was fun. The five or six of us got these warm milk shakes with various candy flavors, I know it sounds gross but it was chillier there than London and they really are quite good! Thinner than a milkshake, but still good...I got a Malteasers....they don't have a London branch yet (to which I internally thought, crime!), but hopefully soon. The girl who rang us up of course knew we were American by our accents (groans, that never ends), and she asked where we were from etc, turns out she is going to a Clay Akin concert in NYC in a few weeks on vacation. She's soooooo excited about it, she's loved him for years and was surprised we'd heard of him. I don't watch American Idol (although I have many friends who do) so unforunately I do know a bit about him, anyways I hope she has fun, really sweet. It's interesting about how many British folks view the States. To many, it actually seems pretty exotic especially if they haven't travelled there, an odd realization...anyway I diverge, back to Canterbury. Basically after that we continued to wander around for a half hour or so and then got back on the coach and I slept again...sigh. Got back and headed to the dorm to get some work done....okay so that's the end of the day, pictures are below. I will probably not have time to update again until mid next week and that will include Germany adventures and pictures. However I shall continue to confirm here now that I am working like a well, hard. I'm working hard because I'm trying to write three papers in two days (feel free to laugh), not get sick...etc....so I can go to Germany in good health without work/chains around my neck. Good goal, we'll see. Then I come back on Sunday, survive Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, update and have literally nine days left. Wow....crazy.
Until next (later time)....
Pictures!
All that's left of the church where the playright Christopher Marlowe was baptised.
Because it was Sunday, when we arrived, the streets were pretty deserted. They retain, if you ignore lights hanging, a very historic sense walking along them because they are mostly unaltered.
Cathedral gate....very intricate and cool. There are some historical references in the figures on it, but I honestly don't really remember, the kings of old and such in England. The blue Christ figure is quite modern because when good old King Henry the VIII came along he tore down religious figures...it's totally bizarre to have this guy keep cropping up in real life.
Yes, a blend of modern and ancient here. That is a starbucks right next to the gate.
The place where the contract for the Mayflower ship was drawn up...horray for American history
Pedestrian walking area, down the far end is the Western gate, the only one of seven entering the city that still stands. A while (like centuries back) it was going to be torn down because a traveling circus wanted to enter the city with really big animals, but the ruler decided not to do that, not because of the gate, but because he hated traveling circuses. I don't know how much of this Simon makes up....honestly, but it's kind of fun.
This inn near the bridge had been around since the 1500s. Supposedly on the side of it, on the river (which used to be bigger and ships could come it, or like boats with supplies)...was that seat for dunking outspoken women. Didn't see it though
Now for this building which offered hospitality, notice the door, it's half covered up by street, centuries ago, the bottom of the door was the street level. Cool
This is the place where Queen Elizabeth was a guest and the downstairs is now a cafe nero.
This street has remained virtually unchanged in centuries and although the shop you can see on the right in the second picture is 13th century, it is currently a watch factory...I wonder how expensive the real estate was.....or rent.
Right about here in the day we went to the canterbury tales exhibit because no flash was allowed, I have no real good pictures, but essentially it was the still life version of some of the tales and a bit run down, but a flashback to reading the tales in 10th grade English. I shall spare you the blurry photos.
Fern and I standing in front of the Western gate
Cathedral pictures, I've tried to limit them. Essentially this church was built and added onto over time so the style varies from Roman to Gothic.
Note here, some windows are pointed and simple, Roman...and Gothic are more intricate and rounded.
What's left of the monks' infirmary....even if they were sick they had to be carried inside the cathedral seven times a day to pray
Cleaning is done continuously year round. Notice the church wall visible here has not yet been cleaned, all other outside shots so far, higher up are ones where the walls have been cleaned recently...and aren't they sparkling?
12th Century house that is still in really great condition
The top picture with the windows that have bars is the treasury and the bottom are just more elegant cathedral pictures(uncleaned)
Once we went inside the cloisture, we could see on the ceilings of the walkway around the open area all these shields of families who helped pay for it and upkeep.
One side of cloisture, they all look identical...here is where the monks did their daily tasks such as laundry etc.
Admiring the ceiling
The door into the church where Beckett was surrounded by the four knights
He ultimately died just inside the church....the first picture is after entering, looking towards the right, the second is if you walked forward into the church and looked to your left (a shrine where he actually died) before walking down the stairs into the crypt where you were not allowed to take pictures.
Looking up into one of those tall towers, the second one I believe...
What I think is the largest stained glass window in the UK, maybe it's just England...
One of the few clear shots I got inside the church
The sign says, "The candle burns where the SHRINE of St.Thomas of Canterbury stood from 1250 to 1538 when it was destroyed by order of King Henry VIII." (again)
And the church was truly stunning.
So pictures from Germany will go up next time I have a break. Juggling the final ten days of work or so, trying to do the essentials without getting sick etc. Cheers
