DOVER CASTLE

“Woah, it’s huge!”

“And it’s not ruined.”

As we approached Dover Castle in the car, we were all astounded by the sheer size of it! “What time period is it from?” was T1’s question…as it always is when we visit a castle. I told him it was Norman. Then I explained that it was the first motte and bailey castle built by William the Conqueror after the Battle of Hastings. His response: “Ahhhhh….AFTER the battle. Now that makes sense. There is stone here, so it HAD to be after the battle.” Kid cracks me up.

(Side note: I often find myself Googling things he says, not because I don’t believe him, but because I just don’t know. And he’s clearly learning! Indeed, before the Battle of Hastings, castles were typically built of wood. After = stone!)

We headed in and started exploring. There were a lot of cool things to see and do! The kids enjoyed interacting with the displays, goofing off on the top of the keep, climbing on the play structures, and playing games of “siege”. This is a really cool castle!

The throne room had a tapestry encircling the walls. T1: “That is not the Bayeux Tapestry because there is no one getting stabbed in the eye with an arrow.” Right you are, T1! I am really going to miss these random tidbits from him.

Afterwards, instead of taking a 45min tour of the tunnels, we ate ice cream on the lawn and watched the kids run up and roll down the hill over and over again. We had the place to ourselves and it seemed like the perfect way to spend a sunny British afternoon.

Next, it was time to head to our accommodations. I haven’t divulged any of my frustrations with this country during our time here, mainly because I don’t have many. But there is one thing, England, that I am not going to miss about you. The roads. To be specific — the rural, narrow, winding, full of blind spots, side-mirror breaking, nearly head-on collision, have to reverse in order to let people pass, roads. I’m over them. Really over them. I drive them every single day and they don’t get any less stressful.

But then, I remember why we keep doing this. Keep going to these places.

So we can wake up to this:

And watch our kids do this:

So, England, here’s to the last hurrah. Our farewell is drawing nigh. We’ll drive your excruciating roads for a few more weeks, and someday we’ll look back and smile about it. And time’s magical sands will evaporate everything but these blissful moments with our kids.

And we are so grateful for every single one of them.