Tomorrow I would have been meeting a mylot friend!

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I have it in my diary a very special event that I would be meeting @LoriAMoore tomorrow morning when she arrives in the UK on her cruise across the Atlantic and around Europe. How disappointing that circumstances have changed. IT would have been great fun to have met her so that I could have shown her some historical sites here during her brief stop in Dover my town of birth although I live nearer London than I do Dover now. However one never forgets one's hometown and I always consider it my home town even though I have lived away for more years than I was there. So what would I have shown her. First I would have taken her to visit Dover Castle high on the white cliffs overlooking the channel. On a clear day you can actually see France 21 miles away. When the Romans invaded Britain back in 55AD they built two Pharos (Lighthouses) on either side of the valley to help guide ships across the English channel from France. The Phoros is still standing all these years later which is pretty amazing being nearly 2000 years old. In those times Dover was called Dubris a Roman name. The castle church is right next to the Pharos within the grounds of the castle. The main castle has a draw bridge which would have been raised to stop people entering the castle. The towns people would rush up to the castle then once all safely inside the invaders would not be able to get into attack them. The walls of the castle are several feet thick in places. Underneath the castle there are some (Not so secret now) secret war operations rooms and where the white cliffs are visible you can see the place where Winston churchill Observed the D Day landings and the armada of small vessels sailing back to the UK. It was like a mini city with barracks and a hospital etc during the war time. In the castle there is also access to the Dungeons many feet below where prisoners were kept. After the visit to the castle we would have headed into the town for a brief walk around to see the Maison Dieu. (House of God) which is actually the town hall. It was built in 1203 and was a hospital for pilgrims on their way to Canterbury to visit the tomb of St. Thomas A becket. It also housed poor people and cared for them. The town court was inside the Maison Dieu and a small prison below it. After that we would have visited St.Mary's Parish Church which is nearly 1000 years old and a walk along the promenade to have afternoon tea before taking her and her sister in law back to her ship. Never mind perhaps one day in the future when things are more or less back to normal Lori will visit the UK and get the chance to see it for herself with her own eyes rather than through this description. The photo is of Dover Castle high above the town. King Henry VIII stayed here and gave the Port a special Charter of being one of the Cinq Ports. (FIve Ports) that were exempt from certain taxes on condition that ships were ready and waiting to do battle for invaders and were able to mete out their own punishments and make their own laws.