Canterbury

Monday we headed for Canterbury, home of the Canterbury Tales. Our main reason for heading to Canterbury was to see the Cathedral where Saint Thomas Beckett was murdered in the 13th century. I know I keep saying this about every place I visit, but it was amazing. We first took a river cruise up and down the river that surrounds the old city entrance. I think the cruise was my favorite part of Canterbury. We had our own private gondola and guide. The water was only a few feet deep and perfectly clear and crisp. There were weeping willows, ducks, fish and water flowers everywhere. The setting was exactly as it was in the Wind and the Willows, only we didn't get to see Toad. I felt very peaceful and inspired. I can see how Lewis Carroll came up with Alice in Wonderland in a very similar situation. Our tour guide was a lovely chap and he and Hank discussed football and the world wrestling foundation. He is an up and coming cartoonist for the WWF.
After the river tour we headed for the Cathedral. It was stunning. Each time I enter a Cathedral here I am surprised by how detailed and large they are. We spent several hours there, and were even lucky enough to have a priest and guide retrace the steps of the murder of Beckett. Hank loved it. One thing I was interested in, was the sudden disappearance of a large marble Madonna statue back in the 1980's. One day, as the priest said, it was there and the next day it was now. Wonder who stole it and how they did it? They should make a movie about it...sounds like an Oceans 14!