When you walk into Exeter Cathedral, it feels like someone knocked the wind out of you, and you have to sit down and crane your neck as you quietly take in the soaring Romanesque and Gothic vaults. To quote a British friend, "That's the glory of England- we have stuff here that's so old we aren't even sure when it started existing, but that's endured all the way to the present."Exmouth Beach is a gorgeous meeting of the mouth of the River Exe and the Atlantic Ocean thirty minutes train ride from Exeter. It's a striking reminder of my host community's natural coastal beauty: sandy beach surrounded by quaint buildings on one side and far-off rolling hills in the distance, the smell of seaweed and salt and fish mingling with the cool sea breeze and ringing calls of seagulls soaring above.When I saw this woman feeding a massive (and I mean massive!) crowd of bird at the Exeter Quay (pronounced "key"), I couldn't sworn I just walked into a scene from Mary Poppins. I love this photo because it visually captures the sort of "feed the birds" mentality I've encountered with many locals in my host community-- the seem genuinely kind, polite, and willing to help even complete strangers!
While on a historic walking tour of Exeter, I stumbled upon the remains of a Roman wall-- not surprising, as Exeter was once thought to be the most southwesterly Roman settlement. To quote a British friend, "That's the glory of England- we have stuff here that's so old we aren't even sure when it started existing, but that's endured all the way to the present."Exeter isn't all dense thickets and rolling hills. It's one of the largest cities in Devon, with a bustling high street, a vibrant arts scene, and abundant terraced housing (as shown in this picture).British people really enjoy savory pies, like these ones I found at the local Tesco Express. There's also a huge emphasis on fresh and locally-sourced foods in Exeter, as Devon is a major agricultural region.It's no secret that the British love tea, but my host community adds a new cuisine to the bargain: Devonshire Cream Tea, which is a scone topped with clotted cream (a really rich butter), and delicious jam! Like most of the food here, it's delicious, filling, and locally sourced.
