23 | May | 2024 | The Cannon Family's travel blog

Today we would be prepared. That was the plan. No getting caught in drastic downpours. No shivery, soggy dog. We studied the weather forecast and carefully mapped out the day. And we got it wrong anyway. 🙄

Having done our homework, we “knew” that Canterbury Cathedral allowed dogs on the grounds but not in the building. Because the forecast was for rain all day, we figured that wasn’t a good combination so we got the puppy all cosy in her crate with treats and toys and set out to fully check the cathedral box.

And we arrived to find out that the rules had recently changed and dogs were allowed in the building. So she could have gone in with us to avoid the rain that had yet to materialise. {Sigh} Nevertheless, it was nice to have the peace and focus to appreciate the magnificent building without the constant sniffing and tugging that our inquisitive princess is prone to.

And the building is magnificent. At the spot where Thomas Beckett was murdered – the troublesome priest of Henry II – there is a very cool art installation to commemorate the occurrence. We got all kinds of interesting details from one of the docents who happily told us all about how the event unfolded and what happened to Saint Thomas’s body after the event. We saw drawings of the tomb in which it was encased before the dissolution of the monasteries in the “new church” (circa 13th century instead of the 11th century “old church”).

I definitely got my stained glass and history fix for this trip. I especially loved seeing a small day care group walking through the building and hearing one of the teachers explain the significance of different things to 4 year-olds. I wanted to follow them all day! Instilling the love of learning and appreciation of the past in young people is a great calling!

When we had our fill, we wandered through the old town a bit (still no rain) to see some of the shops and things that had been closed on Monday. But tour buses and less than attentive tourists made the experience less enjoyable so it was time to be off. We headed to Faversham to see the Shepherd Neame brewery, the oldest in Britain. Unfortunately, it is another instance of British understatement in marketing opportunities. We didn’t want a tour but Frank would have loved a tasting and a commemorative tchotchke or two. But the shop is the size of a closet and there is a pub rather than a tasting room so we were stymied in that part of our adventure.

A light lunch at a cafe – outside because still no rain! – and it was time to free the princess. We headed back to the cottage for a cup of tea and some play time with the puppy. Then it was off for part 2 of the day’s adventure: wine tasting. Yes, they make wine in England and I have read reports of how the sparkling wine is giving Champagne a run for its money (thanks climate change!) Now it was time to render our own verdict.

First stop, Biddenden winery. It’s closest to where we are staying and recommended by the hosts. It purports to be the oldest winery in the area so we stopped in for a tasting. It’s a small endeavour with a shop and some outside tables (because still no rain) where we tried 6 wines from a range of grapes, some I was unfamiliar with: Ortega, Bacchus, and Dornfelder were new to us. I wish I could say they made good wine. Well, they didn’t make wine that was to our taste. But they were selling potted grape vines so we are now the proud owners of one Chardonnay plant! Let’s see how long it takes me to kill it.

Next stop: Balfour Winery. Now THIS was an operation. Large, glitzy tasting room with outdoor space and a restaurant. Very Napa Valley worthy! With a price tag to match! No choosing your wines here: there is a set tasting of 3 or 6 wines (which they don’t tell you in advance). We shared the 6 wine flight – with bottle prices ranging from £25 to £55. And the verdict? We’ve had better wines in Kansas. All white or rose and a mix of still and sparkling, there was either an odd finish or no body to the wines at all. The tasting notes for the most expensive wine has this gem: “Hints of methanol combine wonderfully with wild strawberry jam…” WTF?

This was not a dog-friendly establishment so Casey napped in the car while we giggled our way through the expensive tasting. And then the promised rain arrived. In torrents. We took this as a hint to move on. A quick stop at a local Sainsbury’s for dinner supplies and we were off. Until we stopped again. Because the sun came back out. And there was a cute village with quirky shops. So we had to stop. Frank picked up some vinyl he had been looking for. And then it was REALLY time to head home. How did we know? It started raining again.

This was our evening to stay in. After the very bland pub dinner last night, I was happy to spend a few minutes making something that had no gluten but lots of flavour. So a pasta bake with meatballs and a nice bottle of red wine (not local) with garlic bread, salad, and a meringue roulade for dessert. Just the the ticket. As the rain started again, we cuddled with the puppy on the couch for the next installment in our MCU viewing: The Avengers. We were full, dry, and content. A good day.

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