Holiday in England - part 2/2

The second week of our holiday was spent in the south east, mainly in Ivor's home county, Kent. I will write a separate account of our day trip to Lille, France.

We visited Maidstone, where we enjoyed the river and the old buildings.

The next day we went up to London. First we visited the Guildhall, where we saw the remains of a Roman amphitheatre, the Great Hall, and St. Lawrence Jewry Church.

After lunch, we wanted a peaceful place to relax. We went to Bunhill Fields cemetery, where we saw the tombstones of Daniel Defoe, William Blake, and others. We sat on a bench and watched people on their lunch break, and also spotted some squirrels. We don't get squirrels in Israel, so I enjoy seeing them in England.

Next, we visited Shoreditch, a part of London that is becoming gentrified and hipster. We saw evidence of this, and also of the resistance to this trend in the local graffiti. We visited the Brick Lane Bookshop, which had a good selection of political and radical books. I overheard someone say "Oh yes, Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment"! We passed by several hipster-type establishments, including the famous Cereal Killer café and places selling vinyl records and rainbow bagels (or "beigels"!).

Our reason for visiting this part of London was Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium. This is a cat café, housing several cats, and decorated with a Through the Looking Glass theme. We went into the basement, where we were able to interact with the cats. We were served afternoon tea, with sandwiches and cakes. I had the vegan/dairy-free option, and there was too much food to finish. Unlike in some cat cafés, most of the cats are not available for adoption but are permanent residents. This was an enjoyable experience, and  I was pleased to see that all the guests were respectful of the cats.

The next day we had another animal-related visit, this time to Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats. We were able to feed the goats cornflakes and dry pasta.

Later we visited Tenterden, another picturesque town. I was pleased to find a Tiny Free Library and to see a bee in the fuchsias.

Another place we visited in Kent was Stoneacre House, a lovely 15th century home and garden.

Rye in East Sussex is a lovely coastal town. We visited the Ypres Tower, with its impressive views, walked along Mermaid Street, and visited Lamb House, home of Henry James.

The morning before our return home, we had a walk in Hawley Wood for a welcome final dose of English green.

We also visited the Old Windsor branch of the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, but photography was forbidden. This was my second visit to this place, and I was once again impressed with the facility. This was a lovely conclusion to a very enjoyable holiday.