Canterbury

Canterbury Cathedral is the oldest and best known of Christian churches in England. It was first founded in the year 597, and was modified and extended several times. Here is the view from the west gate.

and the view from the cloisters

this is the pulpit

Uh, even cathedrals need to be cleaned and vacuumed . . . .

A pivotal moment in the history of Canterbury cathedral was the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170 by knights of King Henry II. The sculpture below is part of a shrine to Thomas who was canonized shortly after his martyrdom.
The ghostly shadow on this pillar in the crypt is said to represent the murdered Thomas . .

English churches

Churches and cathedrals always offer the photographer some interesting angles. Here are a few of my favorite photos from Chichester

and Winchester.

Coming tomorrow - Canterbury

Brighton Royal Pavilion

An outstanding tourist attraction in Brighton is the Royal Pavilion, a grandiose palace built in the late 1700s by the future King George IV, son and Regent of the Mad King George III. The building looks like an Indian palace on the outside and has some stunning chinoiseries on the inside.


Too bad they don't allow photography inside, because in this drawing you can't really appreciate the colors and the immense dragon holding the chandelier.

The English coast in winter

Patrice and I are traveling in the south of England for a few days. We are currently in Brighton, a seaside resort. Ha! The weather is foggy and rainy. Whoever thought of coming here in January?!

Brighton Pier at night in the fog

Brighton Pier in the daytime

Miles of beach, but who wants to go into the water?

Touring in Glastonbury

I enjoyed my trip to England. It felt quite different to be in a country where people speak English! We saw cathedrals and thatched cottages:


Glastonbury is famous for its Tor and the remains of its Abbey:


As well as its cults of the goddess and the Mists of Avalon. The shops are amazing! You can find all manner of flowing robes suitable for wizards and goddesses, plus crystals and magic wands and dragons and on and on . . . There is a Goddess Temple where you can train to become a priestess of Avalon (http://www.goddesstemple.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=59&Itemid=99) plus ceremonies for the solstice and full moon and Beltane (May Day). Even the outdoor markets offer flowing robes:


On Sunday, Ruth and her friend Steve and I went out for a Sunday lunch of - what else? - Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding!


We stopped at Compton Dundon to pay homage to a 1700 year old yew tree:


After lunch, we visited Bishop's Palace in Wells. Here's the gate to get in:


Here are Steve and Ruth at Bishop's Palace:


We had to park Steve's Toyota outside the gates - unlike those who arrived in Austins and got to park inside the gates:


Steve had to take his car and go back to work in London so Ruth rented a car for us to continue our visits. Can you guess which one is our rental car?