Lon-done? Try Canterbury

by Sean McLachlan on

If you’re looking for a day trip away from the noise and pollution of London, head out to Canterbury just a 90 minute train ride to the southeast.

We’ve all heard of the Canterbury Tales, a series of stories by Geoffrey Chaucer told by pilgrims on their way to Canterbury Cathedral. It’s a cornerstone of English literature and well worth reading. Even if you weren’t assigned to read it in school, a visit to Canterbury will be an interesting diversion.

The most important site is, of course, Canterbury Cathedral and St. Augustine’s Abbey, which together constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There’s been a church at this spot since 597 A.D., when St. Augustine founded one here to convert the pagan Anglo-Saxons. Like many early Christian churches, it was built atop an old Roman temple to assert the dominance of the new faith. The church has been extensively remodeled over the years, especially by the Normans in 1070. The soaring Gothic roof and the dazzling stained glass are the most impressive features, but pilgrims come here to see the spot where Archbishop Thomas Becket was martyred in 1170 for opposing the Crown. There’s a small chapel here where Becket is buried.

Also worth a look are the extensive crypts, with dark chapels, flickering candles, and the cathedral treasury. After seeing the interior, be sure to visit the grounds, a quiet series of gardens and squares that are soothingly beautiful in the fading light of evening.

The other half of the World Heritage Site is St. Augustine’s Abbey, founded in 598 A.D. and now in a state of elegant decay. It’s the oldest Anglo-Saxon Abbey in England. It was the only abbey to survive the Viking invasions of the 9th century and became central to the religious life of the region until Henry VIII shut it down in 1538.

Canterbury was an important Roman town and some of the these early remnants remain. The Roman Museum on Butchery Lane explains the development of Roman Durovernum through artifacts and recreated rooms. The star attraction is part of a Roman house uncovered by a Luftwaffe bomb during World War Two. One room had a heating system under the floor, a hollow area where warm air flowed from a nearby furnace. Also preserved is a hallway decorated with mosaics.

%Gallery-83609%Canterbury is a fine old town for a walk. The River Stour cuts right through the center and lining its banks are timber frame houses from the Tudor era. Rough medieval towers and ornate Victorian buildings compete for space with more modern buildings to give a quick lesson in the history of English architecture. Just around the corner from the Cathedral is the Canterbury Tales Exhibit, which sounds like a literary tourist trap. Since I haven’t been there personally, I’ll refer you to a blogger who has.

For dining you simply must go to Kashmir Tandoori at 20 Palace St. This local favorite has been serving South Asian cuisine since 1966 and has won a entire wall of awards. The balance of spices is masterful, emphasizing flavor over fire in a way that makes you appreciate Indian cooking as more than an endurance contest. They offer regional dishes from all over South Asia.

If you stay overnight, you can’t get a better view than from the Cathedral Gate Hotel at 36 Burgate. When I was there in 2007 the hotel was a bit tattered and in need of a remodel, but being located right next to the cathedral gate with splendid views of the Cathedral itself, you’ll barely notice. Make sure you get a room facing the Cathedral and not the street.

Up for another day trip? See another cathedral and more Roman ruins at St. Albans. You can even drink in “England’s oldest pub”!

5 tips for spicing up your travel journals, or how to get beyond “Today I ate breakfast at…”

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Every time I re-read that dog-eared journal I kept during my first trip abroad, I know that it’s not as good a memento of my travels as it could be.

Tell me if this sounds familiar: Every day I’d write the date at the top of the page followed by nothing more than a chronological recounting of that day’s events. The journal was, as Tolstoy wrote of Ivan Ilych, “most simple and most ordinary and therefore most terrible.”

Over the years, I’ve come to rethink everything I thought I knew about how to keep a travel journal. Here are a few tips, applicable to old-fashioned Moleskines and travel blogs alike, that will help you write better than I did my first time around…

1. Don’t write every day.

Who says you have to have an entry for every day? If writing in your journal begins to feel too much like a chore, if you’re not enjoying or learning anything from putting your thoughts and observations down on paper, then take some time off. I had always thought that if I neglected to write a journal entry one day, the record of my trip would somehow be incomplete. It’s not.

Especially on long trips, some days may not truly merit an entry. Think to yourself: Five years from now, am I going to be glad I wrote this down? If not, leave it out. Really, it’s okay.

2. Leave out the boring stuff.

You’re not getting paid by the word, so leave out all the boring stuff. Simply recounting events chronologically makes for some really tedious reading. When I look back at my old journal, I cringe when I read the same things day after day: “Today, I woke up and got breakfast…” Really? You woke up? AND you got breakfast? Bor-ing. I promise, if you leave out the fact that you ate lunch at a mediocre restaurant and the food was “decent,” your head will not explode.

Honestly, you’re not going to remember every meal, or every traveling buddy, or every time you went to the bathroom, even if you write all these things down. So don’t try. If you do, you’ll end up merely recalling the words of your journal rather than the memories themselves.

3. Pretend like you’re writing for someone else, even when you’re not.

Some people never show their journals to anyone, ever. Fine. But when we only write for ourselves, we have a tendency to become lazy writers. We don’t always search for the right word or phrase because, well, we know what we meant.

Instead, act like your best friends are going to read your journals– make them dynamic and interesting, include dialogue, find the right word and the perfect expression. Ten years from now, you’ll be glad you did.

4. Mix things up a little.

Writing paragraphs about where you went and what you saw is fine, but why not be more creative? Recently, I’ve gotten into making lists, such as “Arabic Words I Know How to Write” or “What Guatemalans Really Mean When They Say…” (e.g. If you’re told something will take over 20 minutes in Guatemala, come back the next day”) or “My Favorite Reggaeton Songs” (okay, that list was empty). If you’re artistic, throw some sketches in there. If you’re a collector, hang on to old train tickets, receipts from memorable times, and notes from new friends.

5. Look outside yourself.

Too often, writing in a journal becomes an exercise in wallowing in your own (usually negative) emotion, as in “I feel so lonely/guilty/depressed I could cry!” Sometimes it’s tough, but do your best to leave this stuff out. When you read your journals five years from now, how are you going to feel about all that drama? “Boy, I’m sure glad I remembered to record how depressed I was for those three weeks in a row!” No. Instead of doing this, look outside yourself. How does the food taste? (And you can do better than “good.”) What does the landscape look like? What does the language sound like? How’s the music? And, hey, what’s that smell?

No, really, what’s that smell?

Buy local art – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

Every traveler has been subjected to the blitz of souvenir stores filled with junk. A better option is to purchase an original painting created by street artists who, for a few euros or dollars, capture the location.

Since the picture is unframed and flat, it takes up virtually no suitcase room (a big consideration with all the “baggage hoopla” nowadays). Arriving home with your treasure, go to the local craft store, buy an inexpensive frame and viola! You have a pictorial memory that was easy to pack and will bring back memories for a long time.

Pro tip: Take a photo of yourself with the artist, paste on back.

Shop local dollar stores – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

My favorite places to check out for souvenirs are equivalent to dollar stores, flea markets, and book shops.

When in Tokyo, for example, I stumbled upon a 100 yen store called “Daiso Harajuku,” and I found a trove of Japanese pottery, ornate chopsticks, and beautiful stationary papers.

In Paris, “Shakespeare and Company Bookstore” offers an array of books, new and used, and each book purchased is stamped with the logo of the store. Flea markets are great for scarves, wraps, and other wears, and deals can be made with the merchants. These types of souvenirs speak volumes to the recipients, and will not leave you broke.

Collect rocks and stones – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

There’s a scene in The Long, Long Trailer where Lucille Ball sentimentally refuses to get rid of the souvenir rocks she’s collected and hides them all in her trailer cabinets instead. Hilarity ensues.

While taking the biggest, heaviest rocks from every place you visit is hardly recommended, searching for small stones as souvenirs from favorite destinations is a great way to make wonderful memories as a family — and will cost you absolutely nothing.

Start a tradition now of selecting rocks together, and then researching and identifying them when you get home. Set aside a special shelf for your efforts, and you’ll soon build a treasured collection of memories that you’ll remember long after that bumper sticker has faded.