Monday 12th September 2011

There are many things to lament on the modern world, how values we used to hold dear are sacrificed, and how we would all do so much better in living like they did in the past; like sending children up chimneys and the such.

But, the modern world in which we find ourselves is, for the most part, a wonderful place full of things that we, in our childhoods would really image what the future would be like. But without silver suits and food in pill form, of course. Some of these wonders include, carrying all the music I owned, in digital form, in a box the same size as a packet of fags, and another such box with dozen of films and TV shows on it, electronic mail, the internet, and so on.



But even better is that the people we meet online and in the virtual world are real, and that sometimes we actually meet them. And the odd thing is that even though it may be the first time we meet them, we know so much about them, their life, its like meeting an old friend.



On Thursday, one of my Flickr friends and his wife came to stay. We had met them when we visited Germany in May, and we said if they wanted to come and stay, they could. And so they took me up on that offer and arrived just before dinner time. Geunter and Martina spoke very good English, which is just as well as my German is at best, rusty.
Sadly Jools and I could not take the time off to show them round Kent, but they had a car and guidebooks and so they on Friday, as we headed to work, they headed to Sissinghurst in search of gardens and sunshine.

Friday night we took them for a meal down at the Coastguard in St Margaret’s Bay; we all had fish and chips followed by a cheeseboard and then Geunter and I had whiskies. Sadly, the good weather and the anticipated views to France failed to materialise, and so we made do with the sight of the rising near full moon as we sat on the patio of the pub sipping Glenmorangie.



Saturday morning, we were up with the larks, as our guests had to be up to drive to our mutual friend, Bob, and he was going to show them on a whistle stop tour of London. Jools and I had a fine day planned, as it was the annual Heritage Day as organised by English Heritage, and we had a list of places to visit. First up we both got haircuts, and then I walked into Dover snapping some pubs and interesting buildings along London Road. I sat down in the market square, waiting for Jools, and watching England labour to a last minute win over Argentina in the rugby world cup.



We then walked up to the Unitarian Church, which is a wonderful building, and not very often open. The church is an octagonal building, and is a delight. We were greeted by what is the Unitarian version of a churchwarden to show us round and give us a brief history of the church and the organisation. I dutifully snapped it all, and I think it came out well.
Next we walked to short distance to St Edmund’s Chapel. St Edmund’s it a tiny building, and yet has survived since the 12th century. It’s history is astonishing, click on the picture to my Flickr stream for the full story. Once again we were met by a friendly person who told us the history and points of interest. The building is beside one of the main roads into the town, but you can so easily miss it, it being the same size as a garden shed.




It was midday by now, and so we called into the Prince Albert for a drink before heading off to Dover College for more photography. The pub is a popular one, and caters for some of the dodgier people in the town, but friendly enough. We sat at the window and watched to world go by and those in the pub studying the racing pages in the paper and filling in their betting slips. Just like this has been done for decades, really.



And then out into the sunshine again for the short walk to the college. Dover College occupies the site of the old Dover Priory, and parts of it date back to the middle ages, and it has some very fine buildings indeed. The chapel is very fine, lined with memorials to former pupils who died on may foreign battlefields. The chapel pre-dates the college, as does many of the buildings. We heard piano music coming from one ancient looking building, and looking inside we saw it was the refectory, with trestle-tables set ready for lunch; the pianist saw us and stopped playing. I snapped the scene and left.

We headed back home for lunch, and were thinking of maybe going out later, but thanks to a disturbed night’s sleep, I was shattered and the thought was to lie on the bed and listen to the football on the radio; in a while I climbed into bed and slept the afternoon and the football away. Our guests did not arrive back until half ten, and whilst we waited we watched that Great British anachronism, Last Night of the Proms. Even if I do feel the jingoism of Land of Hope and Glory and Rule Britannia uncomfortable, the sheer passion and quaintness of it is wonderful.



Sunday morning, after a better night’s sleep, I was up before seven watching the recorded MOTD and drinking lots of strong coffee. I made bacon butties for us all which smelt really good, good enough to bring our guests down the stairs without having to call them. And then, out in the car for a short blast up the A2 to Canterbury, as they had wanted to have a look round.

We did the usual stuff, walked to the Cathedral, but being a Sunday was closed for a service, before taking them to the Kings School building and then along the city walls to the castle, where there was a display of Viking crafts and fighting skills. We carried on back to the city centre, stopping off in a pub for a pint of Hobgoblin before taking them to the cathedral so they could look round. It is £9 to get in, and Jools and I did not going in with them. Instead we went for a bite to eat and then went to a cookware shop to get some stuff for the kitchen; and then it was time to head home, and for me to start Sunday dinner; we had a huge joint of beef, and it needed nearly three hours to cook. But was worth it, as we sat down in the early evening with a couple of bottles of wine.

And today, our friends are leaving us for the wilds of Wales, and we get the house back. Not that they have been a burden on us, quite the opposite in fact. Although I think the cats will be pleased to have their lives undisturbed again.