Walking on the White Cliffs

For an entire year I happily reminisce about how wonderful our England vacation was, and I'm so glad to be going back again this September.  I pack really light this year, and K.J. is impressed.  I tell him I purposely left lots of room for all the books I'll be bringing back.  He stops looking impressed and looks a little nervous.

My heart is light even when we miss our boat because our passports need extra attention.  The border guards are thankfully kind and understanding, and we're put on the next boat where English immediately and familiarly surrounds us.  The language changes, and the cuisine changes.  I eat an early dinner of Pumpkin Ravioli.

It's Ella's 13th birthday, and K.J. and I think a walk along the cliffs, hearing the white gulls call, while the wind whips through her hair, is a perfect gift for our girl.  She loves that kind of thing.

I immediately spot a rabbit off the path.  We must be back in England.  

I love the juxtaposition of the autumn grass and the turquoise sea and how the cliffs meet the water.  I don't love how the wind whips little hairs into my eyes, obscuring my vision, so I wear my hat.

I love blackberry season in England.  I love seeing the flower, the ripe and unripe fruit all together.

I follow the kids down a hill, which then means I have to follow them up a steep path, and my knee of the two meniscus repairs screams at me for attempting such a thing.

At the top of the hill we sit and eat slices of the cookie cake I made for E.  It's a beautiful spot to celebrate her life.

"You must remember that this 

was in the old Merry England…

when the forests rang with knights 

walloping each other on the helm, 

and the unicorns in the wintry moonlight 

stamped with their silver feet 

and snorted their noble breaths of blue 

upon the frozen air.  Such marvels were great 

and comfortable ones.  

But in the Old England there was 

a greater marvel still.  

The weather behaved itself.”

- The Once and Future King, T.H. White -

Back to the Island

We loaded the car on a sunny September morning, working up a sweat with all the trips up and down stairs making sure we didn't forget anything.  I breathed out a deep sigh when we finally made it out of civilization and green spaces surrounded us again.  I successfully ordered lunch in French on the quickest stop we've ever made.  Day one of vacation is off to a good start.

I love having access to big-city amenities.  I feel happiest with wide open spaces around me.

We drive past places I read about in Rilla of Ingleside.  I was going to write history class, but let's be honest.  Most of the history I remember first came in the form of story.

It's a good thing we gave ourselves plenty of time because we're detained at the UK border.  After waiting a while and K.J. being questioned we are finally allowed to board the boat.  After we pass inspection the officer tells K.J. we raised a red flag because we left the country before our visa expired.  Perhaps they thought we left because we'd done something illegal and were running from the law?  I wasn't really surprised to be stopped.  I've heard of lots of people being stopped at UK Border Patrol, and I don't blame them.  But I'm glad we were allowed through because missing our vacation would have been sad!

I am really surprised you can see the White Cliffs of Dover from Calais, though now that I think about it, I think I might remember something about that from The Three Musketeers.  Even my geography I learned in books.  We laugh because behind us France is bathed in sunshine, while before us, England is clothed in cloud cover.  The wind is fierce, and the kids jump in the air with glee to feel it push them back.  I hover anxiously to keep them safe and from running into people.

It's so thrilling to see the white cliffs up close for the first time.

We feel so giddy to be back on the island, reminding ourselves to drive on the left and feeling surprised that we can read all the signs and make small talk with strangers again.  We order fish and chips and find a place to sit and eat.  I take the picture below and wonder why this place is so unbearably beautiful.

After we eat we drive down to the beach.  Pro tip for ordering take-away fish and chips in England:  Bring your own bottle of ketchup.  You'll want a lot, and it usually costs extra to buy the little packages.

I've never seen a beach covered in black rocks before this.

While reading the sign in the village green I notice something that makes me laugh out loud.

If this sign is real and anywhere near by, I have to see it.  Thanks to Google and my accommodating husband we drive through fields into the middle of nowhere and laugh and wonder about the origins of this sign.

 

I still can't stop laughing.

We drive through the Kentish countryside and a spectacular sunset, pulling over briefly to listen to the call of the sea, and if you're James, throw a few rocks.