Dover: "Just Go to the Great Tower"

6/3/19

It was a bit sad waving goodbye to Spain, as we will never return to the Mediterranean on this contract. From here on out, it’s gonna be chilly! We skipped Honfleur in France due to extreme weather, so instead we headed to Dover, England!

The town of Dover, and in the distance, Dover Castle!

No white cliffs for us, I’m afraid, as the sky still sported ominous grey clouds, drizzles, and heavy wind. It was lovely to explore the town, however!

Dover reminds me of all the little fishing towns you see in the movies.

Half of the architecture was historic, with beautiful spires and stonework; the rest comprised of slightly rundown but completely functional retail buildings.

George and I enjoyed a typical English breakfast (rather, I watched him eat one while I snacked on a very satisfying cheddar and chive scone), then scouted the town for wifi.

Later, George had duty back on the ship, so I led a solo excursion to Dover Castle. I practically ran up the hill against the wind, partially on a time crunch, but mostly out of excitement. I got my ticket and was told that I probably only had time for the Great Tower. This meant I would miss the extremely complicated network of secret tunnels that were originally dug in the 18th Century, later used in World War II. Ah, well. Something to look forward to the next time I’m in Dover! The final uphill stretch featured a beautiful view of the harbor below, where I could see Cara docked!

Dover Castle, in all of it's glory.

The castle was huge. Apparently, it experienced 100 years of architectural change as the monarchs came and went, altering the castle’s interior design and exterior functions. Alongside the castle was the longstanding Church of St. Mary-in-Castro and a Roman pharos, an ancient Roman lighthouse that dated back to 120 AD.

Next, I walked to where the Great Tower stood and explored the outer buildings lining the main courtyard. I found a little museum that explained how the kings of Dover Castle rose to and fell from power, all the while contributing to the current state of the castle. I wish I could say that I learned about each king in depth, but I did only have an hour, so I skimmed the museum and continued on.

Inside the Tower, I immediately found the galley area, complete with audio meant to create a busy kitchen ambiance. It was just a bit strange, because there was absolutely nobody there. I guess it is the off-season for Dover Castle.

The kitchen appeared to be on the bottom floor of the tower, right in the center. There was a spiral staircase in each corner that led to the rest of the castle, eventually climbing to the roof. As I ascended these stairs, I discovered the sleeping chambers, the great hall where royalty ate and entertained, and a small church with richly stained glass windows.

The final treat was the 360-degree view from the roof! Here, I could see all of Dover, as well as the entirety of the castle.

To exit, I walked down to the other side of the castle, where there was a huge gate. There, I passed over the main moat via drawbridge (How cool is that??). I ran into both our show supervisor, who said hello and then continued to the castle, and some sheepies. They were unintentionally posing with Cara, so I had to take a picture! From there, it was a short bus ride back to Cara—I had rehearsal shortly thereafter!