Slice of Adventure: Canterbury Tales #1

Welcome to episode #1 of Slice of Adventure (TAG) Make sure you stick around to the end of the post to see how you can take part in the latest blogging tag full of adventure.

Recently I visited Canterbury, for the first time in 8-10 years. I had no real memory of the historic city, so I was excited to create new memories.

After a hop across the Dartford Crossing and an hours drive we arrived in Canterbury. It was lovely to be met with out city walls and 'look outs'. I immediately noticed a few similarities to Winchester.

We were planning on parking at the Park and Ride, but as it was Sunday; timings were different. We opted for a small car-park in town (Dover St.). After paying £6 for 5 hours, we headed towards the high street.

There are a wide variety of shops and cafes. As well as well-known stores there are also niche, quirky shops. Unfortunately not all were open, one disappointment was that the comic book store was shut. No!

One shop I've been in love with for about 6 years is: Tiger. I feel it's Denmark's answer to Ikea; on a small scale. There were so many quirky items available I wanted to buy it all. But instead I walked away with small pegs with fruit slices on. 

After Tiger we decided to have a bite to eat. Which is a nightmare, when no one in the group is good at making decisions. Finally we decided upon a delightful old pub, that was now a lovely Italian style restaurant. The food was delicious.

Facts About Canterbury:

1. St. Martin’s Church is the oldest in England still in use.

2. During the Middle Ages, Canterbury was a place of pilgrimage.

3. In 1348, the Black Death killed thousands of people in the city.

4. Danish and Viking invasions began in around 797AD.

Next, it was time to be adventurous and discover an area by the river. Tempted as we were we declined on having a Punting trip along the river. Somehow I feel it would have ended in disaster. The area in Canterbury is built up, but the delightful hidden treasures are even more endearing and magical. Particular the enigmatic old buildings and old, old trees.

A few more shops along it was soon time for a good old fashioned cup of tea. We visited Susan's Cafe, a delightful place selling cakes and tea. We had a scrumptious Cream Tea which was just as lovely as the tableware.

With our day done in Canterbury, I decided to drive on a little further to visit Broadstairs. A place that has always had a place in 3 generations of my family. Each family holiday would be magical and full of adventures. Broadstairs is a quaint and bustling seaside town. It has beautiful beaches with actual sand, not pebbles! Donkey rides on the beach, and a milkshake from Morelli's = perfect.

Facts About Broadstairs:

1. Morrellis is the most long-running popular 'milkshake shop' (as I call it) in the area.

2. Charles Dickens visited Broadstairs regularly from 1837 until 1859.

3. The Isle of Thanet was one of the first places where The Vikings settled.

4. Viking Bay is one of the nicest tourism beaches in England.

Alas this time there were no Donkey's and it was time for a luxurious hot chocolate from Morelli's, not an ice-cream. While I basked in the nostalgia, I proudly showed off this piece of childhood to my friends. After dipping my toes into Viking Bay's sand once again we headed on home.

I hope you enjoyed this post today. Have you ever visited Canterbury? For readers outside of the UK, how different does it look compared to where you live? Join in with the Slice of Adventure TAG! Click this link to find out how to do the Slice of Adventure Tag! Go and have an adventure, no matter how small.

xxx