After a very busy first month to start off 2020 (and some may say that this hasn’t been a great year so far given Brexit and the current coronavirus crisis… 😔), I decided to reward myself with another weekend getaway trip. This time, I chose to explore the historic town of Rochester after passing it on my last weekend trip to Canterbury. (FYI I was still a bit hungover and sleep deprived from the cocktail night before when I boarded the train… 😂😴😵🍸🍸)
Thankfully, I was blessed with great weather today ☀️☀️ and I was really impressed by the historic vibes of the town. 😀
This painting is a mood 😂 😂
After a brief walk along the High Street, I settled down for a cosy Italian lunch in a restaurant called Mamma Mia. ❤️
For the main part of my sightseeing, I then visited and explored the famous Rochester Castle – a historic site which is said to be around 1000 years old. And I had a great time exploring inside!
My view from the top of the castle was magnificent! ❤️❤️ But it was so windy 💨 💨 when I was there, I was just trying to not let my phone get blown off. 😂 The castle wasn’t very big itself, so it almost felt it went too quick!
After a short rest in the hotel, I decided to go across the river in the evening to head to the town of Strood on the other side of the shore, and also got to enjoy the beautiful evening view of the piers. 🌅
For dinner, I stopped by a Caribbean eatery called Jerk Café. What a delicious meal that was! 😋 Tender steaks, rice and beans plus mac and cheese – who won’t love that? ❤️
Honestly can’t say how excited I was for this weekend! 🙌🙌 After reading so much about city getaway trips on the social media and internet, I have always wanted to do that and, earlier this week, I went on an impulse and booked a trip away from London for the weekend! Having said that, I didn’t want to go too far (and avoided flying in case I won’t make it back in time for work on Monday lol 😂.) So I ended up choosing the historic Canterbury in Kent as my destination, only a relatively short one and an half hours by train from London.
The historic Canterbury
Despite sleeping quite late last night, I set my alarm (with snoozing lol) early for this morning. Victoria Station was super busy but I managed to grab a breakfast roll from a Burger King before hopping onto the train.
Scenery from the train
The train was such a peaceful ride. Not only did I get to enjoy the countryside scenery, I also was able to get some work done during the journey and kept myself occupied. 😂👌
Looks like winter is finally in full swing…❄️❄️
The weather was not the best when I arrived with slight drizzle running throughout the lunch hours. Strangely though I wasn’t hugely bothered and continued to explore the old city.
The entrance of the iconic Canterbury Cathedral. I would have gone in if it wasn’t for its steep entry fee… 😓💸💸In front of the Canterbury Cathedral Amazing metallic painting of London in the Castle Fine Art ❤️❤️The Old City
The steep entry fee of Canterbury Cathedral put me off from going inside…😥😥 So instead I had a wander inside Castle Fine Art nearby, then Old City before heading off for lunch.
The rain got heavier 🌧🌧 as I was heading to the restaurant, so I almost sprinted my way there. I did some research and chose to go to The Ambrette Canterbury, an Indian fusion restaurant. And I must say I was not disappointed, in fact I was slightly taken aback by how good it was! 🤤🤤 (I am not exaggerating but it is hands down the best Indian food I have ever eaten! ❤️❤️) The price is also very reasonable as well, especially given their quality! (Costed me under £24 for the entire lunch… That’s less than twice the entry fee to go inside Canterbury Cathedral haha. 😂😂)
Complimentary appetiser: Chickpea and Venison Dumplings Starter: Saffron infused chicken thigh and liver kebab with coriander chutney, mango and saladMain: British pork belly with with Dauphinoise potato, crackling, seasonal vegetables and Biryani rice with tomato & ginger sauceDessert: Mango Kulfi with flaked coconut, poppy seeds and almonds
I have never heard of Kulfi until today! (For those of you who don’t either it is an Indian ice cream.) But it was so delicious, I want to go home and make this myself! ❤️❤️ (Watch this space haha 😉) Not only were the dishes presented beautifully, but they are wildly flavoured with spices! If you are a lover for spices, you will definitely love this place as much as I did! 🤤🤤
The Old City in the evening Beautiful!The Christmas MarketAmazing Christmas lights! ❤️❤️
After a brief rest in the inn (which is a convenient spot within the Old City), I went for another walk in the evening to catch the beautiful, bright Christmas lights under the night sky. ❄️❄️❄️ The streets and market were busy with brilliant music playing in the background. Since I moved to London, watching Christmas lights and going to Christmas market have become a tradition of mine every year to welcome the full swing of the winter season, so this year I am simply starting somewhere else! 😉 Christmas can’t come any sooner! ☃️🎄⭐️ (And I brought a slice of Yule Log back to my hotel room after dinner! 😋❤️)
Tango's Baking 