We're going to the Winchester

I had occasion to visit Winchester a couple of days ago to deliver a talk to the Hampshire Skeptics Society. And it was a great excuse to spend a few hours walking around the city. There's a lot to see in England's former capital. You can watch a video of some highlights here:

   

What isn't in the video are some of the things I saw during my previous visits. Such as the crypt of the cathedral which, being below the water table and excavated from porous chalk, is prone to occasional  flooding. There's an interesting Anthony Gormley statue there of a man deeply involved in reading his Bible. Depending on how much rain we've had, he's sometimes up to his waist in water.

 There's some great street art too - I liked this piece by 'Hendog'. His/her/their website is here.

Here's a sundial from the cathedral gardens and a few of the older buildings to be seen in the town centre, including the West Gate - part of the original city walls..

I did enjoy visiting the Great Hall and seeing Elizabeth Frink's Horse and Rider once again.

But, best of all, it was great to meet up with an old school chum from Cornwall, Crispian Jago. Here's a man who was told over seven years ago that he had a year to live and has defied all expectations and our wildest hopes by beating off cancer in most of his major organs. May he go on doing the same for decades more.