You're Allowed to be a Tourist: Visiting Dover

A few weeks back I had some time off work and Steph and I decided to take a trip somewhere. After much debate, we finally agreed that Dover was going to be our lucky destination.  When I mentioned to a few people (mostly English) that we were heading to Dover for a couple of days, I got the same look of mixed perplex and disgust as they spit out, "But why?"!

Short answer; "Because I haven't been yet." I had yet to see the White Cliffs of Dover and it had made it's way onto my list of things to do and see before leaving England. I knew it wasn't going to be grand, or to effect me in someway once I had my first glimpse, but it is just one of those things you have to do. It's the Niagara Falls of England. Have to see them at least once in your life and once you do, you're good.  

It has also been suggested that we should avoid Dover all together and stay at one of the more charming neighbouring towns where you could see the cliffs but not have to spend any time in Dover. To that I said, "I'm allowed to be a tourist!" Not everything has to be incredibly quaint with English charm, sometimes when it's not, that's when adventures happen.

We were greeted at our charmingly outdated B&B, decorated by your grandmother back in 1985, by a nice hotelier and quickly left again to see the sights. First we booked a combo boat and bus tour of Dover. We didn't actually leave the outer harbour to view the cliffs, but for £25 I wasn't complaining. 

Captain Alfie (that's what we had christened him) then became our bus driver where he took us up to the Western Heights. We got a taste of the views of the harbour and we encountered our first military bunkers. These ones were first built to protect the vulnerable Dover Harbour from Napoleonic period up to WWII. 

Next stop was the National Trust's Visitors Centre where we took a brisk walk along a path to get nice and close to the cliffs themselves. I would have loved to have visited the South Foreland Lighthouse, but time did not permit us on this day.

That hazy line in the middle ground over the water is the pollution of France.

The last stop on our quick tour was the best one. Dover Castle. Run by English Heritage (members go free!) and at £19.30 a ticket you certainly get a lot for your pound. We spent hours here investigating almost every nook and cranny. The history of this complex spans from Henry the II to Operation Dynamo. The war tunnels were interpreted amazingly and definitely the best part of the day. Education is fun!

All in all, I give Dover a thumbs up. But now that I've seen it, I'm good.

Fun travels!

"Sir what say ye, with your fat face"* Hampton Court Palace

My real reason for visiting Richmond the other week was actually to visit Hampton Court Palace, more specifically the Secrets of the Royal Bedchamber exhibit they had on (sorry, it ended Nov. 3). 

The Palace has an admissions fee, which in my opinion is well worth the cost, but if you are on a limited budget you can wander the beautiful gardens and maze on the grounds.

I don't really know what I was expecting with the historic interpretation of the building and the people that had lived there. We arrived soon after opening to make sure we would have enough time to see every. Single. Room. We discovered a performance of sorts that ran throughout the day and took place all over the Palace, it knitted together a story about the people of the Palace during Elizabethan time. It was interactive, interesting and well done. Since it was Black History Month they focused on the theme of 'Blackamoors' living in England.

Between each performance we wandered the halls taking our time and enjoying the grand space.

I'm so mature

This vine is in the Guinness Book of World Records for 2005. Look it up! Also, did you know there is a different kind of tennis out there other than the one kind of tennis I bet you are thinking of? Yes, there is, really there is. It's called Real tennis, not to be confused with it's derivative of lawn tennis. The courts at the Palace were built in 1625 for Charles I.

Hampton Court Palace was a great attraction and I'd visit the gardens and the surrounds parks again for sure. We of course, ended our day with a couple of pints and a great meal at the Old King's Arms.


*an insult from King Henry VIII period and could be heard at dinner conversations in the great hall. It also became my favourite thing to say that weekend.


Fun travels!