Sometimes I want to get away only to enjoy that train journey. Also, I love my habit of deciding to visit a new place, the very last minute. If only I had a dart board and a map, I would rack my brains less. But, never mind, so far racking my brains has been worth it.
The train to Winchester, only an hour long but still enjoyable. I love how those fields keeping passing me by from the window and everytime I look out I am awaiting a new sight in front of me. Ever fancied running on those fields? Probably having your bicycle parked somewhere below a tree, while you take the deep breath of fulfilling a fantasy when you run those fields through the grass and chasing the air?
I finally reached the cathedral city, and without a map, this time I only depended on signs. Thank God for those signs which saved me today or else I would be facing another "Cornish-like adventure". Today was a Sunday, still the town was surprising lazy. I walked through the small street from the station, heading towards the city centre, where apparently I would get a map to reach the cathedral.
I reached a cobble stoned market place with small shops and pubs. I used to adore those wall lamps hung on the wall on such streets. But this time I was fascinated to see huge clocks hung like wall hangings with curved carvings on their circumference. Through those streets I followed signs that directed the location of the cathedral. I reached a small gateway which seemed to open through a garden. To my surprise it lead to the cathedral. It had trees at the entrance that blocked the view of the building and how dramatically they opened up as I went nearer. Winchester Cathedral, not having a enourmous spire like the other ones I had visited, but quite a large building. It was supposed to be one the largest in the country and the fact that it is one of the oldest ones, got me curious about this town; a reason for my visit.
Winchester is a medieval town and was apparently the country's 1st capital, when the Romans came in. Thus there had to be a castle. Wolveys Castle was right behind the cathedral. On one side of the cathedral was the city centre while the other side of the cathedral were meadows and hills and moor lands. The castle was right behind the cathedral. The castle, though ruined, still looked gorgeous in the middle of meadows, surrounded by hills, and when the rain clouds run over you with a bit of the sun, it adds to the drama. This time I felt like a child, walking through a ruined castle, making my plot for fairy tales and imagining what this place could have been like over a thousand years ago. I walked over the stones peeping through windows that overlooked meadows and kept jumping from one step to another. I looked forward to this, I knew that.
What surprised me was the walk through the meadows from the other side of the castle. It was a 'waterside' walk like they said as the meadows were cut through by two little streams. I loved it how the green weed-like grass would swim underneath these extremly shallow streams where you find one or two birds swimming along with them. The path on which we were meant to walk was quite slim and only two people could walk alongside each other. On one side of me was a thick stream flowing through meadows of knee-high grass and a bridge or two breaking the continuity of the sight. On the other side was another meadow but covered witha thick line of trees. The hero of the day was the fantastic weather that made every grass look either silver or golden according to its moods.
I headed back to the cathedral to buy my postcards and I took a last look at it before I walked towards through the city centre towards the station. This was somewhat like Canterbury; a small cathedral town with a market place, a stream, Georgian houses and a charm of its own.
There is something in visiting such places unlike the typical tourist-y kind of places all crowds get attracted to. I love the idea of having the place to myself and yet having a few people around me. It is the greed to making discovery not everyone has made. This is an indulgence that can make me alive all over again. I have realised one thing; getting lost is the only way I can find myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment