Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Faversham, Whitstable & Canterbury

Okay so the awesome thing about England is that EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!

Well, maybe not really everything...parking is difficult, food is...

well...

yes, okay, fine, I suppose the food is a bit bland, but it's not awful, it's just...um...you know, a bit odd, like today I order some french toast which tastes like it's been cooked in a sausage but it's not exactly bad... I guess Laura (& Rachel, & Robynne etc.) would not agree with me here so perhaps the food is odd but fine-so-long-as-you-eat-meat. There is kind of a pervasive meaty, cooked-in-something-that-is-not-butterfat-ness to the food here. Hopefully some exceptions can be found before I leave.

The thing about England is that it is SO awesome that sub-optimal things do not seem to matter in the wake of the awesomeness. Who knew?

Anyhow, where was I? Oh, right, awesome-ness...

My Day:

So yesterday has been dubbed "Plane & Bus Insanity"; Today is "Trains, Pubs & Automobiles".

Having slept for exactly 75 billion hours, I get myself together and head out to Whitstable to stroll about and then meet Helen after work.

First, I walk TWO blocks to the Faversham train station. Plus, It's such a charming walk that I almost wish it was longer. Oh how I am not missing Bay Area Transit at this moment.

The ticket-purchasing/platform-finding/train-boarding system is super-user-friendly. This is for two major reasons: clear & profuse signage and a tremendous number of station employees milling about being FRIENDLY and HELPFUL. Absurd Brits, What CAN they be thinking?

But then, as I reach the platform, the first major swoon:

The Train Station is ADORABLE.



Bored waiting for your train? Check out the view from the station.It's their TRAIN STATION, for chrissakes!



Go Ahead BART, Eat your heart out.

Okay, okay no more naughty train pictures. But, jeez.

I do have one more thing to say about the transit people though. So far, every last transit employee I have encountered has been absolutely JUBILANT. It's completely bizarre. How much can they possibly be paying these people? The bus conductors all grin and crack jokes, "We've got to buckle up on the buses now, everyone, it's the law!" It's so charming it's almost disturbing. As the Ramsgate train was boarding, I realized that it was splitting into two 4-car trains before the next stop, so half would go to Whitstable and half to Canterbury, and I wasn't sure which was which. I waved to the conductor at the door as I stepped onto the step, "Does this half go to Whitstable?". He smiled and shook his head, totally Izzard-style,"Oh no...no...ye've got te go te Cantabry fehst". When I said "Oh, Okay", looking disappointed, he grinned.
"Awww, o'course it's not true! jest go around there..."
It's sounds meaner as I retell it and they do all seem to be having a laugh, but it's a very inclusive laugh...they're just so friendly, I have not yet witnessed even one eyeroll at my myriad questions.

So of course the ride itself is exquisite: lush and green everywhere in January. Whitstable is tiny and effortless to navigate. Tiny adorable shops and markets litter the wee seaside town. I get excellent espresso, twice, for less than 1 pound 30. Cheaper than Julie's, even after the exchange rate! I also find an excellent chocolate shop, have lunch at a cute British diner-y spot that plays only Amy Winehouse, and check out the small modern art exhibit at the Whitstable Community Center. Helen picks me up after work and for the second time I try to get in on the wrong side of the car. Thank God I'm not driving here.

So about my Faversham Home Base: It is the home of Sarah, her daughter, Helen, and Helen's sweetheart, Simon. Helen and Simon recently bought a house together in Faversham and are living with Sarah during the remodel. (Oh Bob, how they wish they had you to consult). On the way home Helen and I stop at their house so I can get the tour. Simon and his friend Matt are there gleefully ripping apart the bathroom. Boys.

Helen then takes me back to Sarah's and drops me off (She and Simon are celebrating their five year anniversary tonight by ordering take-out and working on their house). Sarah and I freshen up and then race off to Canterbury where her son, Tim, lives with his girlfriend, Tanika, an American ex-pat who grew up in Maine. We meet up before dinner at their apartment, which is right in the heart of Canterbury (you can see the roof of the Cathedral from their porch). We walk five minutes to a cute pub, have a tasty meal and head back to Tim and Tanika's. On our walk we encounter about 30 fellows, dressed completely normally, doing the "Sound Off!" "Eggs and Ham!" style call and response thing that, while the words are completely unintelligible to me, sounds like nothing so much as someone Pete-Seeger-ing a traditional drinking song. Tim and Tanika are floored. This has never happened before. Apparently, it is just for me! Priceless...

Home to bed early in Faversham and then tomorrow I head to London! Yippee!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fabulous! Comments are now allowed! Becca you are fantastic, and I am thrilled you are blogging. Please keep it up all through your trip! I can't wait to see more photos.

I finished the Victorian day jacket... 4.75 hours later. Will post photos. As soon as I've had enough sleep to be able to work the camera!

Love you!
Suzanne

Robynne said...

You see what I mean about everything in England being built to my scale?

Anonymous said...

Great blog. Glad you enjoyed your visit to our paradise (Kent). Your view from the station included my friends house - The Water Tower. A brilliant conversion. Built about 1856 to supply water for the steam trains. Now a really cool one bedroom house. John