Epic England - Day 1: Dover and Canterbury

I planned to do all these posts about my trip to England last month right after I returned, but I didn't imagine being a postgraduate student is so much more work! Immediately after returning from this relaxing vacation I was knee deep in research work, writing thesis outlines and preparing oral presentations. It is a lot of fun though, and very interesting, but unfortunately it meant I hardly had time to blog or even check Facebook or Instagram :-( 

Anyway, under the motto "Better late, than never" I decided to just write about England now. Gives me the opportunity to revisit some of those great holiday memories!

On the first day we had quite the long drive from Rotterdam, via Belgium, just over the border in France, to take the ferry from Dunkirk to Dover. It was actually raining pretty bad on the continent, but as we approached England the skies cleared (it's usually the other way around :-P), and the famous white cliffs of Dover looked even prettier reflecting some rays of sunshine!

The port of Dover is built immediately against the white cliffs, which is pretty cool, but finding your way out of the port through the maze of roads was a bit of a hassle, especially considering the fact that I also immediately had to switch to driving on the left side of the road :-S

There was still quite a breeze though, so I almost lost my new Beulah 'Eden' scarf while posing for this photo (the HORROR!). For the rest of the outfit I went with something comfortable, yet classy: navy Zara skinny jeans, grey Zara sweater, Mint Velvet 'Bibi' plimsolls, Modalu bag and Mango jacket (which Queen Letizia of Spain also wore recently). 

Our first stop in England was just a short drive uphill to the top of the white cliffs, where the impressive Norman Dover Castle dominates the surrounding landscape. 

(Btw, if you ever plan to go to England en you love visiting historical places, I recommend to order a 9- or 16-day Overseas Visitor Pass from English Heritage, which can save you a lot of money, if you plan to visit two or more English Heritage sites!) 

Dover Castle was built in the 12th Century, but the sight has been of strategic importance since Roman times. 

The original Roman lighthouse with the adjacent Saxon St. Mary in Castro church

Inside the castle is an exhibition about Henry II (who built the medieval fortress as it still stands today) and various rooms are decorated the way they would have been during his time.

I really think I need to get myself an opulently decorated medieval bed.... I swear it will be the next big thing in interior design!

The view from the castle walls is absolutely amazing! You can see all the leaving and arriving ferries, and the weather was just gorgeous!

Dover Castle has been of strategic importance as recently as during the WWII, when the extensive Napoleonic tunnel network underneath the castle functioned as a wartime hospital, and was used as a coordination centre for the evacuation from Dunkirk in May 1940. 

The view of the Channel from the fortified Fire Command Post

After the extensive visit to Dover Castle it was time for a half hour drive to our hotel for the night: the Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, situated within the cathedral precincts. Talking about a room with a view....

The price for the rooms not only include a full English breakfast, but also free entrance to the cathedral (worth £10.50 per person), so I'd say that is a pretty good deal, even more so because the main attraction of the town is only a hop, skip and a jump away! 

The day ended with exploring a bit of Canterbury, looking for a nice place to eat something (and there are loads!), and really, who can refuse a sign like this:

And an exterior like this! But The Old Weavers' House does not only look good from the outside, but on the inside as well. And the food is great as well! 

When we returned to our hotel for a good night's sleep after a rather exhausting, but fun day, we saw Canterbury Cathedral was beautifully lit against the night sky. Pretty impressive sight and a good start to an amazing holiday!