Canterbury

I could not stop thinking about Pillars of the Earth while at Canterbury.  Canterbury is a charming town with a towering cathedral and the murder of Thomas Beckett all a part of its history.  What's there not to love about this amazing place?  The weather abated long enough to enjoy a walk along this beautiful river before we headed for our tour of the Cathedral.  The views were oh so lovely and the gardens oh so English!  It was a delightful way to pass the time.
The town itself had a lot of charm as well.  I laughed when I saw this theater banner!  Seemed a good and right description!  I was charmed by the looks of this pub even though I did not have time to go inside. 
The Cathedral tour was fantastic.  Our guide, Ursula, was simply fabulous, finding the right balance between good information and just enough.  It was very interesting to hear more about the murder of Thomas Beckett as I had forgotten this little bit of church history.

This is where Beckett was murdered.

 It was also confirmed that Henry the VIII was not a good man.

That's Henry in the middle.

The Cathedral is one of my favorites in all of Europe.  It is just so lovely.  The stained glass was removed for protection during WWII.  The windows tell a great story if you know how to read them.  Check out this pulpit.  What fun to preach from that perch!  How could a place made of stone and granite be described as delicate?  The work of the architects and builders made the stone soft and the gothic arches were simply sublime.  I took a million photos and cannot post them all here but I am going to let this gorgeous place speak for itself.  

I loved being in Canterbury.  A former tennis buddy lived here for years and it was so delightful to think of her all the day long.