Friday, January 13, 2012

Day 3-Castles, Cathedrals, and Coventry


It's day three of our exciting international adventure and I am exhausted but in satisfied sort of way. We spent the day touring various sites, including the ruins of Kenilworth Castle. It was gorgeous! Standing outside the gate staring up at the three buildings I could picture the castle in all of its formal glory. Following this site our fabulously funny bus driver Vince filled us in on the more serious aspects of the village of Coventry. In its former glory it was an industrial city that manufactured many goods for the British Military during World War II. Tragically, it was bombed by the Luftwaffe during the war. This city was so different from all of the other parts of England that we've seen so far. Much of its historical buildings were leveled during the attack so it is much more modern that I had anticipated. I have read a lot about this particular bombing and I was half expecting the fires to still be burning from where the German's dropped their bombs. While I tend to have an overactive imagination I was in someways correct in imagining the destruction; you can still see the shrapnel and the craters in the buildings in that survived the war. Coventry Cathedral was an awe-inspiring sight. It had been mostly destroyed during the attack but was later rebuilt. There is such a contrast between the old and the new sections. From there we traveled to Warwick Castle. What little girl doesn't dream of growing up in a castle? It was everything I imagined it would be and more! I could almost picture the women in their elaborate gowns dancing around the Great Hall with the most handsome and wealthy men in all of England. I climbed all the way up to the tower of the castle and strolled along the walls were armor clad men once stood. My legs are still trying to recover from the trek. I wish we had, had more time to spend at this site. I could have stayed forever! Tonight we are off to the Dirty Duck Pub for fish and chips. I feel very English just thinking about it! I'm very excited to see what adventures tomorrow will bring; I know for certain that they will be everything I hope for and more.

Laura

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