Day 9- Sightseeing in Canterbury

Lauren
Hop Onto The Ghost Tour!
Today, we all slept in (Thank god!) and at about 11:00, we all departed toward Canterbury, which is a cute little historic town. We went into the Cathedral and walked around, taking in the history. It was actually really cool. Since I'm not Catholic, I wasn't expecting to be that interested in all of it, but I actually really enjoyed it. In the Cathedral, there were a lot of statues on top of the coffins along with the remains of bishops and priests. After stopping to get some lunch, (I ate tomato soup) we went onto the ghost tour. We didn't really know what to expect at first, until the tour guide started making sexist and ignorant remarks.He was trying to be funny but instead, he crossed the line with us. This is why we left in the middle of it. Even though after that tour, we were all really angry and upset, I'm glad that we didn't let it ruin our day because that would be unfortunate. I feel like throughout this trip, the students as a group our bonding and becoming closer than ever. Overall, our day was good. Whenever stuff like that happens and gets me down, I like to think that a bad day on vacation is still a great day.


Betzi
Canterbury Ghosts
The Canterbury Cathedral is architecturally astounding, especially considering that it was built around a thousand years ago. The crumbling outside walls and spires are encircled by a carapace of steel lifts and equipment for reconstruction, but much of the original sculptures and glasswork still remain on the inside- as well as what is left of the bishops who preached there when they were alive. The bodies were entombed within ornate stone blocks carved to each bishop's eternally-resting likeness, their cold, white hands carved to cross in front of their chests in a way that was wonderfully macabre. Next, we followed an extremely boisterous and not very self-aware man on a tour of the places in Canterbury where ghosts had been spotted. He told us about the various ways Canterbury citizens had been killed by others or by themselves, and about the witch hunts that spread through the town, before the British humor started to cross a line with our particular group and we decided to silently retreat. We hung out by the edge of a canal used for transporting water through the town, and saw a brown-feathered duck with eight ducklings in tow. The best part of the day was when we saw this guitar-playing eye-patched street performer sitting in the town square at a fountain, playing Muddy Waters with great skill. Matt started singing and dancing with him, the two having a great time, and when the man went to go take a break in a nearby restaurant, he let Kaylee take over for him with the guitar. It was a long day. I am pretty excited to sleep tonight.

Diana
So Happy
Today started out by me looking over toward Lauren's bed and not seeing her. This is unusual because I always wake up before her. We went to Canterbury and had some fun looking in the shops. The food was good, I had a lovely view of a panini and then ate that same panini. Some of the stores were cool to look at and there was this one store that had a lot of Buddha stuff. The Cathedral was beautiful and one of the archbishops was killed there. Later, we were waiting for the bus to come and saw a person that played guitar really well. Kaylee and Matt were singing and playing it as well. When we got back we ate dinner and I had a bruscetta yummy delight, and risotto that was really yummy in my tummy. Also Kaylee and I went down to the gym and worked out (me running on a treadmill for 10 minuyts on 8.1 or as Betzi is telling me, I ran a little more than a mile.) Now I am blogging. Also I want to say thank you so much dad and papa for allowing me to get the tattoo, Betzi for designing the tattoo, Cheryl for helping me think more deeply about the tattoo, and to everyone else. Love you all.

Faith
Canterbury
Today, we were all allowed to sleep in. However, the one day I actually am allowed to sleep in, I wake up at seven! Nevertheless, I still had a fun day. All of the girls are getting tattoos to represent them swimming the English Channel. I am not, however, but that is fine because I am only 14. Betzi is going to give me a copy of the design, and she will draw it on my ankle after all of the other girls get theirs. When I'm 18, I'm getting that tattoo, and Cheryl said that she would be with me when I get it! :) So, today we all went to Canterbury, and had a ghost tour. This tour was interesting... and when the jokes went too far, we left. We didn't feel it was appropriate to listen to young girls getting pushed off buildings etc.! Anyways, I am now blogging, and I have to end it, so... I LOVE you mom and dad!! :)

Maddy
London Ink
Today we went to Canterbury, a small town outside Dover. Our taxi driver was very lively and funny. Matt and I talked to him about how much he hated the Queen and how amazing Princess Diana was. When we  got to Canterbury, we went to the Cathedral and wondered around. Dad, I left a prayer for Nana for it to be read on Sunday Mass. (I also left a prayer for Louie Zamperini...) We then had lunch at a small place by the Cathedral. We then had three hours to kill before we would have our Canterbury Ghost Tour. We walked in and out of many shops that were super TOURISTY and had the same items in each shop...TOURISTY. However, I found a couple posters for my dorm in Chicago!!! Anyway, we found a grassy knoll and sang songs together. Finally, when 4pm rolled around, we dragged ourselves to the tour. Maybe 30 minutes into the tour, we realized that the tour guide was a messed up man. Cheryl rallied us and we slipped off into the alleyways, away from that weirdo. Good Night. I can't wait for my tattoo! Thank you Mom and Dad!!!!!!!!!!!

Kaylee
Can of Berries
Today we went to Canterbury. It had some pretty rad shops that we were able to look inside. We also saw a Cathedral that was HUGE and made me feel like I was on the set of Lord of the Rings. For a while we waited in a grassy park (that had lots of bugs). We then went on a "Ghost Tour" that didn't last very long due to the ignorant jokes made by the man leading. While waiting for the taxi to pick us up and take us back to the hotel, Matt and I watched some man with a guitar on the side of the road play Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters etc. We gave him some change because he was very good. He then took the change to get a drink and he handed me his guitar for me to play while he was gone. It was pretty cool because it was a really nice guitar and really nice place. Then the taxi picked us up and Maddy and I were able to have a cool conversation with the driver about his family, etc. He was a really cool dude.

Matt

Normal Tourist Stuff:

So today we went to Canterbury, it was pretty interesting. First, we had a bus driver that was a super nice guy who actually visits Egypt on occasion. So that was really cool. The guy also told us a lot about the English Royal Family. After that we went sightseeing in the cathedral, it was a pretty interesting cathedral. It was where Christianity in England began. The architecture was really amazing for that time period. It was pretty exciting. Then me and a couple other students went around town. I don’t know if we were supposed to go off like that but, we ended exploring by ourselves and it was pretty fun. After that we had a pretty sexist tour guide so that was interesting. After that we ate food and went back to the hotel. Alright I got to go bye.

Noah

Touring in Canterbury

We went to Canterbury in a van. Canterbury has a lot of buildings, stores, and restaurants. We got in the church first and the church is so cool. After we got in the church, I walked with Matt, Paul, and Wesley. We got lost after we got out of the store. We had a hard time finding the Arch peers and so we stayed in the center of Canterbury. We found them and we’re safe. We looked at stores and found something to eat. We got in to the army store. There were lots of clothes for soldiers and helmets. I wore a gas mask when we first arrived at the store. The peers took pictures of me wearing a gas mask. I went to the ATM and finally got 40 pounds. We visited a ghost tour man who talks about the things that happened in England a long time ago. He scared some peers but he didn’t scare me. The van picked us up late because the drivers had jobs they have to finish. After we got back to the hotel, we ate dinner at an Italian restaurant we ate before. We’re going to London next week and I miss you all.

Wesley

The Beasty man

Today I woke up, and I went to the gym and lifted weights. John was in the gym too. For some reason last night I went to bed, and this morning I woke up, and I was missing Bella. So I went into town and I got her a gift. I also got a bubble maker for Otto. I finally found the right gift for my best pal Jeremy. We went to a church, and it was so sad, we saw a coffin with a person inside, and they had a statue of the person on top. It was sad. For some reason today I was very huggy with my pals.  I just love all of my Arch pals. We went to a ghost town, and we had a not good tour guide he was dressed weird, and was scary. I was scared he was going to scare me so I had to stand by Parth. We left the tour. Dad I wanted to ask you, may I please get diamond earrings on this trip. I think I would look so good with them. That would give me extra help remembering this trip, and after the swim I deserve them. Ask Uncle Dave and Terry Folly what they think. Tonight we went out to dinner as a family. I had steak and fries. I am very excited to go to London. Tonight at dinner I was just loving all of my Arch friends. I know they all love me, and I have more and more fun to come on this trip.

Paul

Anti-mass spectrometer

I found it interesting how this church we visited is still standing over 1000 years later. I’ve never seen such a tourist-y place before, considering the large groups of people and hallways. Matt, Wesley, Noah and I nearly got lost in the crowds after we split up to get food, but we managed to reunite with the group within 15 minutes. While waiting for the ghost tour guide, we waited for 2 hours in a grassy area and sang songs.

Zach Irvine

Russian Bling

Today started our trip off by going to a very, very old church in Canterbury. It had a lot of dead people, Christians, and dead soldiers. After that we wandered around. I also wanted to mention that we found our first rock shop in London and I bought two buttons one saying “Punk's not dead” and the other being an Anarchy sign. Alright, moving on, now during our wandering hours, we stumbled upon a military shop. I found it fascinating because it had a lot of genuine WWII military equipment from all sorts of countries. Now this where I decided to call my blog “Russian Bling”, I bought a genuine Soviet Union pin. It was not a replica that was made in China. So now, I have put it on my mad bomber hat. Alright, now moving, after all this wandering, we went to this supposedly ghostly thingy. The tour was alright we stopped halfway then left and got dinner because all our comrades were hungry. End of Blog.

Parth

Antidisestablishmentarianism

Our day begins with a trip to an old cathedral, the center of Christianity in England.  I loved the exquisite stained glass windows, and the incredible murals and sculptures.  Beyond the obvious benefits of the beautiful artwork, I could feel the ancient history and religion of the cathedral.  It had been built in the late 1000’s, almost a millennium ago.  Later in the day, after a lot of wandering around, we went to a park space, and played music.  We managed to annoy half of the people around us, and people sang along with the songs, one of which was Ikea.  Lastly, we managed to have a good dinner, and we all ate good portions. 

CJ

Day: I lost count. I’m free from Dover.

FINALLY, WE LEFT DOVER. After more than a week here I do not think I could have lasted any longer before the boredom killed me. Our trip to Canterbury began with us taking a tour of a large cathedral, which was ironically being repaired by the national lottery. Afterward we had a few hours to look around. First, I had a bacon and chicken wrap, and then we found this military surplus store. Then we found several other stores which sold assorted posters and goods. Then we had a little ghost tour with a guy who was not very appropriate. So we left Canterbury after that and had a very filling Italian dinner, at the one restaurant in Dover that could actually sit 16 people.