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to have your portrait done or
wish to sample some of the famous Parisian nightlife you've heard about
for years. Your Tour Director can arrange this for you. [BB]
In Calais we board a
large ship for the crossing of "The Channel", which is
all that the English ever call it. It takes about 90 minutes to reach the
port of Dover on the other side. As the ship approaches Dover harbor, you
will see the famous "white cliffs" rising 400 feet behind the
port. They are actually made of chalk.
When we land in Dover,
we are then in the beautiful county of Kent, or the "Garden of
England" as the locals call it. It is a deep-green, rolling-hills
heaven, richly "clothed" in deciduous woods, some of which have
stood here for centuries. Quaint villages and thatch-roofed cottages nestle in
the valleys; every house, it seems, has a little garden ablaze with color.
You'll like the charming atmosphere and the floral beauty that
surrounds you - highlighted by the walled town of Canterbury and its famed
cathedral.
You will love the
quaintness of Canterbury and its world-renowned cathedral.
It was at this cathedral that Henry's henchmen executed Thomas a
Becket, the "hooly blisful martir" that Chaucer, the Father of
English Poetry, celebrates in his marvelous "Canterbury Tales."
From the "Did you
know that?" department...
Canterbury Cathedral
is the equivalent for the Anglican Church (Church of England or
Episcopalian) as St. Peter's in Rome is for the Catholic Church.
Also, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who conducts coronations and
Royal weddings, is the head of the Church of England, just as the Pope is
the leader of the Catholic Church.
A familiar sight in
Kent is the distinctive conical, or pyramid-shaped, oast house,
which is a freestanding kiln for drying hops. English "ale"
is brewed from fermented malt (without hops) and has been brewed in
England since Roman times. "Beer" is brewed with hops added and
was introduced from continent about 1400. Kent proved to have ideal soil
for growing hops, and an ample supply of wood for the charcoal used in
oast houses to dry the hops
This part of England
is one of its most delightful! You'll
have time to take it all in and we're not going to rush you. [BB, D]
Perhaps the most
amazing thing about Great Comp is that the entire seven acres were tended
and maintained almost entirely by two people, Eric Cameron and his wife
Joy. Incredible!
This
noon we'll enjoy yet another of those little, personal extras -- something
that will be a real highlight of the whole trip.
We'll be the guests in the home of an English family, in the
countryside of the county of Kent. We'll
join them for a light lunch and enjoy talking with these delightful people
as they show us their own garden. There
will be plenty of time to ask questions and exchange views ... not only
about gardening, but also about what life, in general, is like for our
counterparts in this part of the world.
It's just a short ride
into London and our hotel. In the evening, you may want to go to dinner at
one of the many fine restaurants and follow it with a performance at one
of the leading theaters in the West End district, the equivalent of New
York's Broadway. Our Tour Director can help. [BB, L]
What a day this will
be! This morning we'll take a sightseeing tour of London
and pass by some of the most famous landmarks in the world.
We'll see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament ... visit
Westminster Abbey (the coronation church of kings and queens through the
centuries) ... No. 10 Downing Street (an address Winston Churchill made
famous) ... Buckingham Palace (home of Queen Elizabeth) ... Trafalgar
Square ... Piccadilly Circus (London's entertainment area) ... Hyde Park
... tour St. Paul's Cathedral (where Charles and Diana were married) ...
and we've named only a few of the highlights.
This afternoon is free,
but you might like to take a half-day optional tour to the wonderful
palace of the "Merry Monarch"(Henry VIII) at Hampton Court and
the beautiful garden there. You could also consider a visit to the Tower
of London where the Crown Jewels are kept.
Or go a little way outside London to the great castle of Windsor.
Our Tour Director is always at hand to help you plan your personal
program. [BB]
One more thing-- the
mark of an experienced traveler is the anticipation of returning home --
to see your family and friends -- to relate the dozens of anecdotes and
stories about where you have been. It's
nice to go away, but always nice to return home.
By early afternoon
you'll be winging your way across the North Atlantic, and before long
you'll look down and see the northern extremities of our own continent.
Sit back and relax. Let
your mind wander back to the good times you've had.
By mid-afternoon, you'll be back on home territory! And we safely
predict you will want to go again on an adventure like this. [BB, Lunch
in-flight]
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