A little over a week ago to Canterbury, setting off on the Friday afternoon after a light lunch organised around lentils. Much the same mix as that recorded not many days previously at reference 1: perhaps a little wetter than intended, but perfectly satisfactory for all that.
Much thought given to the route, with the first thought being to leave the M20 at junction 8 at Maidstone and take the A20 then the A252 to Canterbury. Second thought was to leave the M20 at junction 9 at Ashford and take the A28 to Canterbury from there. As it turned out, the A28 was a modest enough, old-style A-road, so the first thought which took us through the North Downs might well have been slow - and given that it was by then getting dark, not very scenic either.
The light lunch did not work terribly well in that I was yawning most of the way to Maidstone, but was kept afloat with an alternating supply of barley sugars and cold water. Several Wellingtonia, but it was not convenient to stop and score any of them. And a fine infestation of mistletoe in the vicinity of junction 4.
Took a break for fizzy orange and croissant at Maidstone Services. Decaff for her. Entertained first by a party of school children in pink, followed by another in blue. But we did not get to find out what either of them were up to.
To Ashford, then wriggled our way across to the A28, then wriggled our way to Canterbury, being impressed by the number of houses, seemingly out in the country, with serious festive lighting. Then at Canterbury impressed by the city walls, complete with towers at intervals. I had forgotten that Canterbury was that kind of city.
We were not early enough for a space at either the front or back car park at the hotel (right hand orange spot), snapped at reference 2, so I worked my way back to the car park called Holman's Meadow (left hand orange spot). Quite the maze of narrow streets, reminding me very much of Romsey Town in Cambridge, albeit quite a lot older. Lots of cobbles to bump the trolley along.
The car park might have been described as long stay, but RingGo would not let me just pay for an overnight stay and I had to do it in three chunks, which was a bit tiresome. But at least they sent me reminders when each chunk was due.
A bit tired at this point for going out to eat, so settled for something basic in the restaurant in the hotel, which did well enough. Flat bread and burger for him, something lighter for her. Plus the odd lager.
After which we were up for the short stroll to town centre. Lots more cobbled streets, with the difference that these ones were retail rather than residential. Some post-war rebuilding of bombed buildings. Lots of festal sheds, probably not long shut. Lots of young people milling about: tourists, locals and students. Plus nests of food delivery and taxi drivers.
The cathedral was still open, with the gate still manned by officers of the Archbishops's own police force. At least they were not armed. And the cathedral itself was very impressive and, inside, we caught the tail end of a brass band powered Christmas Concert. One forgets how impressive loud music can be in places of this sort. And we had a proper parson in proper ceremonial robes.
Strolling back, we passed up on the local Wetherspoon's which appeared to be doing a good trade.
PS 1: and talking of bombs, reference 3 did not make for very good reading yesterday. It seems that the Germans have rather more trouble with ugly right wing thuggery (and worse) than we do, a lot of it from young east Germans resentful of the wealth of the west. Not for the first time, I wonder at the irresponsibility of the politicians who stir this sort of thing up - and of society at large for letting the underlying problems fester; the problems that this thuggery feeds on. It also seems that, twenty years ago, the Germans had as much trouble keeping their undercover police officers under proper control as we did at about the same time, with the difference that we were on animals rather than immigrants. Reference 3 being written around the book at reference 4.
After which the piece at reference 5 caught my eye, about how Germany, again just like us, is running out of young people to work all the care services and care homes that we need. Maybe we all need to do something make care work more attractive. Paying more would probably help - provided, that is, that the more went to the people doing the caring, not to the private finance types who seem to be holding the purse strings these days. And remembering that more to the care sector means less somewhere else. A zero sum game.
PS 2: I am reminded of an underlying puzzle. How do succeed as an undercover policeman (or woman) without more or less becoming one of the people you are supposed to be helping to suppress? In which connection I believe that in the US they have rather fiercer rules about what they call agents provocateurs than we do.
References
Reference 1: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/12/winterreise.html.
Reference 2: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/12/fake-187.html.
Reference 3: Making Germany hate again - Joshua Hammer, NYRB - 2024.
Reference 4: Look away: A true story of murders, bombings and a far-right campaign to rid Germany of immigrants - Jacob Kushner - 2024.
Reference 5: Germany joins EU’s ‘ultra-low’ fertility club: Europe’s most populous country sees fertility rates fall below crucial threshold of 1.4 - Valentina Romei, Financial Times - 2024.
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