July 24, 2014 -- Day 39, Canterbury

Canterbury is an interesting mixture of ancient and modern. This morning I spent three hours walking around, marveling at how centuries old buildings have been adapted to all sorts of commercial enterprises. The large commercial center has everything from quaint bookstores, produce and butcher shops, to trendy upscale retail chains found in every shopping mall, to downscale junk stores selling typical souvenirs, purses, and dry goods. Mixed among all that are more eateries and drinkeries than I could count – with most of them having sidewalk service.

Canterbury commercial center

 

 

I was neither hungry nor thirsty, and I wasn’t about to buy anything that I would need to carry, so I concentrated on the buildings. One hotel that looked fairly modern claimed to have been built in the early 1500s. Other buildings looked much older, especially those that seemed to be collapsing on themselves.

Westgate Towers
(at least six centuries old)

Lopsided bookstore

 

The River Great Stour flows through the heart of Canterbury, and a very nice riverwalk creates a park just outside the commercial district.

 

My plan for a morning tour of the Canterbury Cathedral was abandoned when I encountered at least 100 school children passing through the entrance. As the morning grew hotter and more humid, I returned to my B&B for a salad lunch I picked up at Sainsbury’s supermarket. There’s a nice garden at the B&B in which I planned to have lunch, but it’s not open to B&B guests.

Later in the afternoon, I walked to the cathedral to tour it without school children. A cool breeze lowered the temperature and humidity, so it’s possible that tomorrow may be a good walking day.

© 2014 Ken Klug