Where You Are

Windsor Castle

Birgitta

'Wow, I can't believe this is just around the corner from your flat,' I told Jesse for at least the fourth time.

I'd been in castles before, but Windsor Castle was really impressive. I had no idea the history behind it until Jesse had started showing me around. It went back as far as William the Conqueror, the first ever King of England in the eleventh century.

There definitely weren't buildings as old as this in Canada. Not even close. Canada was practically a baby compared to almost every other country in the world.

'I mean, I would be up here every day!' I went on when he only smiled. 'I feel like I could come here every day for years and still learn something new!'

'Well, I have a few years of British history under my belt,' he said. 'A lot of castles are the same, inner bailey, outer bailey, upper ward, lower ward, chapels, drawing rooms, apartments...'

'Yeah, yeah,' I told him. 'We just don't have stuff like this in Canada. And this is the oldest castle in the world.'

'That's right,' he chuckled again. 'Come on, let's sit down a minute, get a cup of tea. My feet are killing me.'

Mine were, too, but I was too fascinated by everything around me to care. I could rest on the plane.

'Is there a cafe close by?' I asked, still looking around and drinking in everything I possibly could.

'Yeah, just down here,' he took my hand and practically dragged me outside.

To be fair, outside of the castle was just as beautiful as the inside. The towers were so tall, and even though I knew parts had been added on later, it was so incredible to think that some of the stones that made up the walls had been there for a thousand years.

Jesse led me to a small wooden table with matching chairs and then went inside the cafe to order. I didn't sit down. How could I? The stone arches were so perfectly carved out. There was a plaque on the wall that I made a beeline for to read. I was right in my earlier assumption, this was one of the oldest parts of the castle. And now it was being used as a cafe! I wondered what King Charles II would have to say about his scullery being used as a cafe.

'Come on, sit down a minute!' Jesse called from down the hall a bit. I didn't realize how far I'd wandered.

I turned and made quick strides back to the table where Jesse was waiting with two cups of tea and a plate of desserts.

'Jesse, you're spoiling me!' I told him, gesturing to the treats as he sat down. 'A private airplane tour of London and a tour of the oldest castle in the world, how am I supposed to top this?'

'You aren't,' he said as if it were obvious. 'Don't bother trying. Just enjoy it.'

'Thanks,' I said a bit sheepishly, taking a the seat across from him.

'Just out of curiosity,' he mused. 'How would you go about topping this?'

'Hmm, let me think,' I sat back and took a sip from my mug. 'Whoa, what is this?'

This was the best-tasting tea I'd ever had in my mouth. I put the cup down and examined the tag on the teabag. Windsor Castle Scottish Breakfast.

'You like it?' He grinned.

'This is amazing!' I said, holding back on taking another sip. If this was a Windsor Castle blend, the chances of me finding it anywhere else were slim to none. Suddenly, I wanted to stop and savour this instead of trying to see as much as I possibly could.

'They probably sell it in the gift shop,' he said as if he could read my mind. 'I'll buy some for you on the way out.'

'Oh, no you won't!' I exclaimed. 'I'll buy my own tea! I have twenty pounds in spending money!'