Driving on the Flipside: Cathedrals and College Kids

After a while, the big city lights can lose their charm. Being in London, this can happen rather quickly. A mere two hour train ride southwest into the country will brush the dust off your shoulders and land you smack in the middle of Devon what was once known as the wild west of Britain.

I took myself away for a weekend to the heart of the west-country and settled myself in the town of Exeter - place known for its university and its cathedral. Exeter began its life in the hands of the Romans in 50 AD and continued on as an important port town until the 19th century. Evidence still exists of the Roman influence in bits and bobs throughout the city but unfortunately most of what remains is the rubble left after World War II. You can still see sections of the old wall (stand on it if you dare!) which is almost 2000 years old. This is amazing for me—someone whose country thinks 300 year-old buildings are ancient.

Even though most of the historic buildings have crumbled, Exeter does boast one of the most beautiful cathedrals in England complete with two 11th century Norman towers - remarkably they remained untouched during the bombing. Middle ages at its finest. From this landmark, you can take a number of free daily tours to discovery the history of this town.

Since I was staying with friends (though the hostel is supposed to be quite nice), we decided to skip the tours and explore the countryside ourselves. Finally! The green lush rolling hills of England, the thing only seen in films. The very place where foot and mouth disease actually started! Oh! The rapture!

Ambling down the lane, listening for bike bells and steering clear of muddy tracks, I felt as if I should have been wearing tweed while walking my terrier. After 45 minutes over hill and dale, past creeks and backyard gardens, we decided to head back. This is when the storm hit us. If you think Edmonton weather changed on a dime, come over to Exeter. Trust me, we did not expect a freezing hail storm to hit us the moment we turned and then have it continue to blow until we got back to the main part of the city. There went our sunny day.

The night life seemed to be a major part of the town. As I said before, Exeter is known for its university. Most of the major clubs are just outside of Exeter, but there are some pretty good places in town as well. After the walk of hail, we stayed close to home and ventured out to the Hot Spot. Lucky us, it was School Disco night.

Over in England, it is all the rage to dress up as “School” Girls (and guys) a la Britney Spears and hit the clubs. It’s so popular in fact that there are special nights dedicated to just that. So for a bit off the door, you dress up and drink it up.

Since I forgot my school uniform in the goodwill bag back home, I slinked down to the basement where a DJ was spinning and the crowd was entranced. Surprisingly, the music was great. I guess I expected a little less of a smaller town. After the club, the streets still feel completely safe even with the multitude of drunken college kids. Police are a fixture throughout the town even though they end up being a bit more like stern parents then the arm of the law.

One thing to be said though; it is a small town. The shops close at six and so do a lot of the restaurants. I can’t see exploring it for more then a couple of days especially if you love the big city. To me it was more of a safe haven away from the grind of the regular scene. A place to completely relax. A place to breathe. You need that once and a while.

For more info on Exeter check out the town of Exeter or Exeter tourism