Castles, Cantuar and Margaritas

Today has included significant amounts of travel as we have made our way to Canterbury and are now on our way back to Winchester, where we still have another two nights. We set off early, around 8am, and headed for the home of Anglicanism, Canterbury.

En route we stopped at Leeds Castle, where we spent several fun-filled hours exploring the castle, having lunch and getting lost in the hedge maze. The grounds are just beautiful, even in the starkness of winter. It was cold. VERY cold, as we walked from the bus to the Castle. Clear days will do that. This was the first time that I had used my sunglasses since we left Adelaide. We had a good look around, then after a lovely soup and sanger lunch we went out to the Maze. Getting there and back was again cold, but being in the maze was not as bitter, as we were protected from the wind.  We all had fun getting lost and being found again. The maze succeeded in doing something that nothing else has done, separating Ed J and Alana. At least briefly.

 

After trekking back to the bus again and accounting for everyone, to ensure that no one was left in the Maze, we headed to Canterbury via the more scenic route, through little towns and hamlets, past oaste houses and farmers’ fields.

Heather Thomas in Leeds Castle

The one in the middle reminds me of Miss Lavinia

I don't think many people collect their missing golf balls

Nareen catches up on etiquette before her Gold Medal Exam

On top of the Maze, Maddie, Nareen and Kate

The Alices look happier than Sophie to be asked to look over the top of the Maze

Kate in the Grotto

Now the holly bears a berry, as blood it is red

The Case Captains and Crate Carriers carted the Body Bags (robes) through the gardens of Canterbury Cathedral in the absolute bitter cold. One of those lazy winds that tries to go straight Thereafter we had less than an hour before choir practice, so Alice and I headed off in search of *real* coffee. We found some in a coffee shop in the High Street, called Boho. Wonderful.

Back to the Cathedral and into the Choir Stalls to rehearse for Evensong. This evening’s menu included Howells Collegium Regale and Mathias A Babe is Born, as well as the Hunt responses and the psalm for today – can’t remember which one right now. We also sang a hymn – appropriately Eve of Epiphany but I can’t remember what it was. Had a lot of Ds for the altos. If anyone has a New English Hymnal you can tell us what Hymn 48 was.

The Compass Rose

We have another of these Canterbury Crosses in our Cathedral

This lists us as a Cathedral which has a Wall-stone

After rehearsal the Virger took us across to the Canterbury Centre, where they obviously run residential courses and other programs. They provided us with tea, coffee and biscuits, although the latter did not last the treble onslaught. Taking tea before Evensong in their lovely library will remain one of my tour highlights. There are pictures to prove it.

Glen and I swapped cameras in Canterbury
Great idea, Glen!

Robin, Glen and Sampson relax

The Ladies take tea

Altani

(an Altano is an Alto who sings descants, therefore plural must be Altani)

Hmmmm - enough said

The service was lovely and the Dean and his fellow clergy and staff were very welcoming. They specifically asked that their good wishes and prayers be conveyed to the Vatican but more especially and importantly to St Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide. So Dear Reader, if you are one of the SPC folk, consider yourself greeted and remembered in prayer. That has been a feature of many (but not all) of the Cathedrals we have visited. They have asked that we bring greetings to you...

The CC &CCs returned the robes and music to the coach then headed off for dinner in a Mexican restaurant. A margarita was included in the price of dinner. This was much needed for the CC&CCs who had found themselves a little lost in the backstreets of Canterbury, discovering this door and the view from our restaurant window. 

Now we’re back on the coach returning to Canterbury. Just dropped Ed A-C at Gatwick. He’s off to Vienna for an audition (as you do). Still at least 1.5 hours from “home”.

Having added the photos we are nearly there. Night All.

Cxxx