Dover

"...the cliffs of England stand,/
Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay."
Matthew Arnold, Dover Beach

The weather forecast called for sunny, high temperatures the day we drove from our hotel in Nutfield, Surrey to Dover. At the castle and during our brief walk along the White Cliffs – brief because Kassie had had enough by then – we nearly froze from the combination of cold wind and spray from the sea.

We spent most of the day exploring Dover Castle, a stronghold since November 1066. Situated on the soft chalk of Castle Hill, it is dominated by ditches and steep-sided mounds, with imposing towers and walls rising above and networks of tunnels beneath. We found one of the most interesting spots to be Henry II's Keep, its two upper floors set up to depict how medieval and Tudor monarchs travelled from one royal palace or fortress to another, complete with not only their retinue but furniture and furnishings as well. The re-creation of the extravagant and frenetic preparations for the arrival of Henry VIII in 1539 proved the highlight of Kassie's visit to the castle.

John and I found the Secret Wartime Tunnels fascinating with their multi-level and labyrinthine military headquarters with barracks, kitchen and underground hospital (set up to resemble conditions during World War II, complete with a bloody operating theatre); however, Kassie found disturbing the idea of war and of a country preparing to battle another with force. Our walk along the White Cliffs did little to improve her mood, until she decided to take home a souvenir of the chalky cliffs to show to her classmates.

Date of Our Last Visit: April 2004