Plan your St.Patrick mini Getaway!

Saint Patrick’s Day is just about 2 days away and now is a great time to plan your little spring trip to celebrate with green beer, clover leaf kitsch, and your ”Kiss me, I’m Irish” shirt. This year St. Patrick’s Day falls on Saturday, which provides the perfect excuse to throw a few things in your Outbreaker travel backpack and take a long weekend. Drive out (or fly if you are in other Country- you are really welcome!) Friday after work, and be back Sunday night (late!).

St. Patrick, a priest and missionary to the Irish pagans, died March 17 461 CE. Hence, St. Patrick’s Day and the celebrations occurring on the day of his death. At first, March 17th was a religious holiday. According to rumor, Americans are the ones who turned this somber religious day into a drinking fest mashed with a parade.

The rest, they say, is history… and lots of green celebrations happening the world over.

You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St Patrick’s Day!

Granted, it certainly helps, but that doesn’t stop scores of Coventry residents getting together to revel with Guinness, great music and great company every March.
Despite it being a week night, you can still let your hair down with all manner of brilliantly Irish events throughout the course of the week.

In no particular order, here are some of the best things to do when you visit Coventry to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day:

1. Priory Visitors Centre

Priory Visitors Centre is another heart-warming place to enjoy a great historical atmosphere.

The popular Coventry history and culture venue, welcomes audiences to celebrate St. Patrick’s day and why not to benefit from this visiting to learn more about Coventry’s historical sites.

When? Saturday, March 17

Where? 6 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX.

2. Flannelly’s

Flannelly’s is a popular venue for live sport on the big screen and live weekend entertainment, with a unique and warm atmosphere.

Music all day from 12 p.m

It promises to be the “biggest party of the year,” say organisers.

When? Saturday, March 17.

Where? 59-61 Holyhead Road, Coventry.

3. Sky Dome

The nightclub at the Sky Dome are serving Irish food and green beer all-day.

Live entertainment features leprechauns, Irish dancers, and live music from Coventry favourites Christy Pepper and Liam Carey.

Free admission all-day.

Open from 12noon until 3am, with children welcome until 8pm.

Free Guinness clothing while stocks last.

When? Saturday, March 17.

Where? Units 3 and 4, the Sky Dome, Coventry, CV1 3AX.

St. Patrick’s Day Mini-Packing List

What should you tuck into your bag for a quick weekend getaway to venerate the saint?

• Green everything, from socks to your “Kiss me I’m Irish!” shirt
• Some St. Patrick’s Day kitsch, from beads, to hats, to bows
• A flask for your beverage of choice on the go
• Your best hangover cure

Now you are ready for St. Patrick’s day!

 

说出你的故事…

每个博物馆都有它们各自的故事，考文垂博物馆的故事你了解多少呢？下面小编就为大家了解一下它的故事吧！修道院游客中心站是在考文垂的第一座大教堂内。 几百年来，这座大教堂的废墟始建于伯爵Leofric和Lady Godiva，隐藏在市中心之下。 1999年，考文垂考古队和电视节目“时间小组”开始挖掘遗址，揭开中世纪建筑的遗迹以及14世纪朝阳的壁画，以及考文垂近1000年历史中的遗迹。 今天，参观修道院的游客可以探索发掘中的一些令人难以置信的发现，发现考文垂第一座大教堂令人惊叹的故事，并漫步在我们中世纪祖先的脚步上，参观保存完好的修道院里的Priory Undercrofts。 专业且知识渊博的工作人员很高兴向中心周围的游客们展示故事背后的故事，如令人惊叹的Chapter House壁画，雕刻砂岩滴水嘴，中世纪玻璃和14世纪地砖的碎片。  值得一提的是游客中心也是我们Priory Undercrofts的起点，并且在学校假期期间安置礼品店并为儿童提供各种艺术和手工艺活动。 修道院游客中心由文化考文垂管理，该文化考文垂也经营考文垂交通博物馆，赫伯特美术馆和博物馆以及伦特罗马堡。

世界上许多城市都有自己的传奇，罗马有一头哺乳了王子的母狼，布鲁塞尔有一个拯救了整个城市的小于连，哥本哈根有一条凄婉的美人鱼……考文垂（Coventry）则有一位高尚、博爱、美丽的夫人——戈黛娃（Godiva）。11世纪初，考文垂的地方长官麦西亚伯爵横征暴敛，每年向治下的市民课以繁重的赋税。伯爵有一位年轻而美貌的妻子，名叫戈黛娃。她对市民的疾苦充满了同情，不断劝说丈夫减免苛捐杂税。伯爵不胜其烦，便宣称只要夫人愿意裸体骑马绕行市区街道，他就同意减免市民税赋。戈黛娃毅然决然赤身裸体，骑着白色的骏马，行走考文垂的大街小巷。消息传出，市民们不忍心让他们所敬重的夫人蒙羞，不约而同地纷纷关门闭户，并将临街的窗帘都遮盖得严严实实。只有一个名叫汤姆的裁缝，当戈黛娃骑马走过他家的街道时，悄悄拉开了窗帘的一角，窥视了夫人娇美的裸体。不久，汤姆的眼睛竟然双双盲瞎。有人说，那是敬仰夫人的骑士射瞎了汤姆的双眼。也有人说，那是万能的上帝惩罚了汤姆的无耻。可怜的裁缝被人们称为“偷窥者汤姆”（Peeping Tom），裁缝的这个绰号也成为英国一个著名的典故。我在英国学习期间，曾从报上看到一张新闻相片，英国时任首相布莱尔在巴巴多斯度假期间，偶遇也在当地旅游的一群英国青年男女，布莱尔与他们合影时，偷视其身前一个漂亮女孩胸部的“敏感部位”，一时也被称为“偷窥的汤姆”。

 

事后，伯爵履行了诺言，赦免了市民们繁重的税赋。戈黛娃自我牺牲的精神，深深感动了考文垂的市民。从此，戈黛娃的传奇就成为这座古老城市历史的一个部分。从1678年开始，考文垂的市民将每年的5月31日列为“戈黛娃纪念日”。英国19世纪桂冠诗人丁尼生（Tennyson，1809-1892）专门创作了一首诗歌《戈黛娃》，颂扬这位善良而美丽的女性。英国的工程师们将戈黛娃敬奉为“工程师的护佑女神”，而裸体骑在马背上的戈黛娃也成为他们的吉祥物。国际天文组织还在茫茫宇宙中，将一颗小行星命名为“戈黛娃”（Asteroid 3018 Godiva）。如今，人们在考文垂市中心的商业区，还塑造了一尊戈黛娃裸体骑马铜像。铜像基座正面一行烫金文字意为“自我牺牲”（Self-sacrifice），这是后人对戈黛娃高尚行为永远的褒奖。遗憾的是，这尊巨大的铜像如今被罩在一个白色的遮阳篷内，使得戈黛娃形象顿失高大的视觉效果，显得十分压抑和委屈。

戈黛娃铜像东侧二三百公尺开外，保留了一片巨大的废墟。这片废墟记录了二战时期，考文垂一段惨痛的历史。废墟原为始建于1373年的“圣迈克尔大教堂”（St.Michael Cathedral），它是二战中英国惟一被德军炸毁的古老教堂。1940年11月14日晚7时，德军轰炸机飞临考文垂上空，对这个制造业和军需工业中心实施了长达7个小时的狂轰滥炸。这次大轰炸的代号为“月光奏鸣曲”，然而，德军带给考文垂的不是贝多芬美妙的音乐，而是巨大的人间灾难。轰炸过后，考文垂的城市基础设施摧毁殆尽，5万多所房屋化为灰烬，死伤人数高达1449人，有着25万居民的繁荣城市瞬间变成了一座“死寂的城市”。考文垂成为二战期间英国损失最为惨重的城市，因而在英文中它也成为“彻底摧毁”的同义词。圣迈克尔大教堂——英国曾经引以为豪的艺术瑰宝——被燃烧弹击中，大火持续烧到午夜，教堂圆顶轰然坍陷，拱门倒塌，整座古老的建筑只剩下了四壁残墙和一个钟塔。据德军飞行员目击者记载，轰炸机在飞离英国东海岸时，已是200公里之外，仍能看到教堂燃烧的冲天火光。

考文垂大轰炸与伦敦大轰炸、重庆大轰炸、德累斯顿大轰炸、东京大轰炸，堪称二战时期常规武器的“五大轰炸”之一。据说，考文垂大轰炸前，丘吉尔已从截获的密电中，提前获知了德军的计划。为了保护英国情报部门已经破解德军密码这一“超级机密”，丘吉尔忍痛割爱，没有预先通知考文垂的居民进行防备。我曾专门问过华威大学数位学者，他们虽也知道这一传说，但都认为没有事实依据。就在考文垂大轰炸的次日，一位考文垂的艺术家用被大火焚烧过的木料制作了一个十字架，竖立在余烟缭绕的教堂废墟里主祭坛处，表达了人们对这座古老教堂遭遇毁灭的悲痛，对法西斯暴行的愤怒，以及对整个城市新生的祈祷。这个雕塑至今依旧竖立在废墟里，炮火中残留的墙壁高高耸立，恰似十字架雕塑的巨大背景，极大强化了作品的真实感和表现力，人们在墙壁上刻写了两个英文单词，原意为：“主啊，宽恕他们吧！” （Father Forgive）。

大轰炸正值二战最为惨烈的年代，考文垂民众把满腔的愤怒转化为迅速恢复生产的动力。大轰炸后仅仅两个月，人们就已经清理了满城的废墟，搭建起简陋的厂房、车间，开始加速地生产飞机、汽车、坦克、装甲车、火炮和枪械。考文垂作为英国当时最大的军需工业中心，迅速恢复了轰炸前的生产水平。考文垂民众在战火中“死城”的废墟上，顽强再生和挺立起来的精神，就像美丽的凤凰在大火中涅磐。因而，人们将考文垂赞誉为“凤凰城”（Phoenix City），将考文垂民众的精神赞誉为“不死鸟精神”（Phoenix Spirit）。战后，考文垂设计了一个新市徽。市徽上端的野猫，象征警惕；中间盾牌上的大象背着一座城堡，象征力量；左边的黑色雄鹰，代表古老的考文垂；右边火焰中升起的金凤凰，代表新生的考文垂。

戈黛娃铜像正北四五百公尺外的赫尔斯大街，有一座知名度很高的“不列颠道路交通博物馆”（Museum of British Road Transport）。考文垂最早以纺织工业驰名，16世纪时是英格兰四大城市之一。18世纪又成为英国最主要的制造业中心，英国的第一辆自行车和汽车都诞生于这个城市。因此，考文垂堪称英国道路交通工具制造业的摇篮。博物馆里展示了大量各个时期、各种型号的自行车、汽车和火车，还生动地再现了二战时期考文垂民众在大轰炸后恢复生产的艰苦工作场景。博物馆前的广场上，两道相互交叉的巨大不锈钢弧形拱梁，极为直观地表达了“各种道路交通工具将人们送往四面八方”的寓意。难得的是这个实物陈列十分丰富的博物馆，不收分文门票。只是展品实在丰富，各种交通工具将本来就不算宽敞的空间填塞得挤挤捱捱。这就像一顿宴席，如果美味佳肴过于丰盛，食客反而感到“倒了胃口”。我想，博物馆是否可将一些展品撤下，定期轮换陈列，既可腾出空间、改善展示环境，又可吸引人们多次来访。

考文垂闹市区东南部，沿着“小公园街”（Little Park Street）东侧，考文垂市政中心、地方法院和警察总部三幢红砖建筑由北向南依次排开。英国是世界上最著名的法治国家之一，我当然不会放过实地了解的机会，专门安排时间前往参观考文垂地方法院。英国有三种不同的法律体系：英格兰和威尔士实行普通法系，苏格兰实行民法法系，北爱尔兰实行与英格兰相似又有自身特点的法律制度。司法机构分民事法庭和刑事法庭两个系统。在英格兰和威尔士，民事审理机构按级分为郡法院、高等法院、上诉法院民事庭和上院四个级别。刑事审理机构也按级分为地方法院、皇家刑事法院、上诉法院刑事庭、上院四个级别。英国最高司法机关为上院，它是民、刑案件的最终上诉机关。１９８６年成立皇家检察院，隶属于国家政府机关，负责受理所有的由英格兰和威尔士警察机关提交的刑事诉讼案。总检察长和副总检察长是英政府的主要法律顾问并在某些国内和国际案件中代表王室。

考文垂地方法院在英国的司法体系中，属于刑事审理机构中级别最低的法院，主要负责轻微刑事案件的审理，这一级别的法院英文称之为“Magistrates’ Court”。进入大门，首先要通过一道类似机场X光装置的安全检测，照相机等摄影器材、手机等通讯工具和随身携带的箱包都必须留在近旁专设的存放间里。审理案件的法庭分布在二三层，每层有四五个审理室，有专人负责按照事先安排的日程表，指引相关人员准时进入不同的审理室。我询问第二层负责协调的工作人员，获知外人可以旁观案件审理过程。我便进入了第三室，先后旁观了一连在这个法庭审理的两个案件。第一个案子，审理的是发生于8个多月前一桩盗窃微型面包车的案件。第二个案子，审理的是发生于5个月前一桩偷税482英镑的案件。法官依次问询了证人，听取了证人的证言，验看了公诉人的证据，以及被告人出庭律师的辩护等等，两个案子一共持续了一个多小时。
法庭两个楼层都有不少等候案件审理的人员，整个大厅人来人往显得颇为凌乱。廊道内放置了大量宣传手册，是各种慈善机构、自愿者组织等社会团体为人们提供法律帮助的介绍材料，有向家庭暴力的受害者提供帮助的，有向服刑人员的家庭提供帮助的，有向刑事案件中的受害者提供帮助的，有向遭遇司法、行政不公的人员提供帮助的，还有向人身、财产安全受到威胁的人员提供帮助的，等等。我从向服刑人员家庭提供帮助的材料上看到，一个名叫“SSAFA”（The Soldiers，Sailors，Airmen and Families Association）社会团体，为服刑人员家庭提供的帮助包括家庭任何即时的需要，其中有家务劳作、购房咨询、举债咨询、家庭衣物和书籍资料等，涉及了生活必需品、个人精神慰藉和物质支持等诸多方面，而且这些社会团体和慈善机构提供的帮助和支持都是无偿的。

楼道墙壁上的一些宣传画也十分有趣。一幅宣传画是一个“真人秀”，一名容貌娇美的年轻女郎，双手托着微微隆起的裸露小腹，旁边一行文字为：“亲爱的，你入监半年后，我已与科瑞格好上了，瞧，我这肚皮里已经怀上他的孩子了，多美呀！”另一幅宣传画同样是一个“真人秀”，一名年轻的妇女怀抱着一名幼女，孩子匍匐在母亲的肩膀上，一双清澈的眼睛满含着忧郁和渴望，旁边也有一行文字：“‘爸爸什么时候回家？’——孩童4岁，父亲服刑12年……她没有了爸爸。”前一幅画从男女爱情和婚姻方面，后一幅画从子女抚养和教育方面，劝诫人们不要冒犯法律，极大强化了宣传的效果。我返回宿舍后，与同单元的北爱尔兰小伙子山姆（Samuel Mcdonald）提及这两幅宣传画，他立时明了我感兴趣的原因。他说，“我知道，在你们中国，官方的宣传往往是命令的方式，口气是‘你要做什么’，或者是‘你不要做什么’。”听罢山姆的描述，我哈哈直乐，心下感叹全球化时代里信息也高速在全球流动，不同国家和地区的民众都能迅速知晓其他国家和地区的生活状况，看来任何国家企图闭关锁国、自成一体都是不可能的了。

尽管考文垂在战火中顽强再生和挺立起来，获得了“不死鸟”的美誉，然而，考文垂的战后重建却是乏善可陈，与同样被二战炮火彻底摧毁的德国城市德累斯顿形成了鲜明对比。在战后重建中，德累斯顿严格按照统一的市政规划，一丝不苟地按照历史旧貌进行重建。整个城市几乎完全恢复了旧时风貌，还通过重建对整个城市的基础设施进行了全面的更新，从而使德累斯顿的战后重建成为世界建筑历史中的经典。相反，考文垂的战后重建就显得十分敷衍、潦草，整个城市既没能保留历史与传统的风貌，又缺乏现代新兴城市的气象，成为一个无风格特点、无夺目亮点的城市。当然，这与不列颠这个老牌帝国在二战中遭受了摧毁性打击有密不可分的关系。二战摧毁了帝国的实力，致使这个古老的帝国无力支持其战后的重建，从而导致了大量“建筑垃圾”问世。这种所谓“重建”给不列颠民族精细、严谨、尊重传统的特性造成了更加巨大的创伤，这一“无形的创伤”，较之战火中“有形的创伤”损失更加惨痛，影响也更加深刻而久远。

TRAVEL GUIDE: A DAY TRIP TO COVENTRY

Transport:

Coventry Train Station

Car Parks:

1. Barracks Car Park
2. New Union Street Car Park

Scenic spots:

1. Lady Godiva Statue

The Lady Godiva asked her husband Leofric to free the town of Coventry from heavy tolls. He refused, but Godiva was determined. Finally he said that if she rode naked through the town he would grant her request. She took him at his word and removed her clothes but loosened her long hair, which then covered her naked flesh; thus she rode a horse through the town. The public also appreciated the Lady Godiva’s righteousness, all closed doors.

It is said that when the Lady Godiva arrived at the finish line, the city was filled with joy, and her husband kept his promise to abolish the heavy taxes.

The Godiva statue by sculptor Sir William Reid Dick, in the middle of Broadgate Square, shows her on horseback with only her long hair to protect her modesty. The statue was cast in bronze at Morris Cars’ Singer Foundry, in Day’s Lane, Hillfields, during 1944, and unveiled in 1949 as part of the post war reconstruction of the ruined city centre. Broadgate Square itself was an immediate post war development.

2. Coventry Priory Visitor Centre

In 1043, Earl Leofric and the Lady Godiva, his wife, founded the monastery here for 24 monks and an abbot. Our Abbey Church of St Mary’s was consecrated. In 1539, the Priory was dissolved by order of King Henry VIII and was demolished soon afterwards.

In 1999, the site was excavated by archaeologists and the TV programme Time Team, and over several years the remains of many medieval buildings were uncovered, revealing the history hidden beneath Coventry’s streets.

The Coventry Priory Visitor Centre hosts a number of Great Heritage Tours around the Priory and Undercroft, which are hosted by our very own ‘Deep Fact Friar’ Paul Curtis.

 

The coffee lounge is also available, and souvenirs are available in the museum like mini monks, jewellery, limited edition priory mugs, books, postcards and so on. Visitors can not only feel the turbulence of the historical vicissitudes of Coventry cathedral, but also feel the ease of the present peace era.

The Priory Undercrofts

 

In 1999 the Council and Coventry Cathedral invited Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’ to dig in the cathedral garden and so began some of the most exciting excavations of the Phoenix Initiative. The central tower of St Mary’s cathedral and priory church was discovered for the first time. The Phoenix Archaeology Team worked from 2000 to 2002, first finding the spiral sraircase. In 2001 ‘Time Team’ returned to help show off what had been discovered so far.

3. Saint Michael’s Tower

The building now stands ruined after being bombed during World War Two. Only the tower, spire, the outer wall remains.

4. Coventry Transport Museum

Coventry was once the centre of the British automobile industry. The city has a transport museum to collect cultural relics and models of bicycles, carriages and even all types of vehicles, and it has Word’s largest collection of British road transport.

 

Restaurants:

1. A JD Wetherspoon Freehouse
2. The Earl of Mercia
3. Han Dynasty
4. SHIN Japanese Bar & Kicture

Hotels:

1. Premier Inn Coventry City Centre Belgrade Plaza
2. Hotel ibis Coventry Centre

WELCOME TO COVENTRY

（Some pictures are from internet）

MY OWN EXPERIENCE AT PRIORY VISITOR CENTRE

I’ve never really been interested in museums. When I want to entertain myself I prefer to go out with my friends and have a coffee, going to a museum had never been my first choice to entertain myself and spend my time. BUT Priory visitor centre isn’t like the others. I really enjoyed every step I took inside of the Priory visitor centre. It wasn’t about the historical stones I saw, it was about the polite and funny character I had met (Brother Paul), and all the history that came in front of my eyes while he was explaining the endless history of this place in Coventry. An unforgettable experience I strongly recommend to everybody to live it. Child, Adult, family, in a relationship, with friends, alone, everybody needs to taste that feeling. The feeling of power, knowledge, satisfaction. As I said before I’ve never been interested in museums until the day I visited that one. JUST DO IT. EXPLORE THAT FEELING. FILL IN YOURSELF WITH HISTORY. In the end of the blog you can see some pictures I took from this place. I am sure you would love them but ‘’live is always better’’, isn’t it? We only live once so challenge yourself by visiting this place. And don’t forget to buy the t-shirt and the beautiful little dolls that show the brother Paul as well as other things that Priory visitor centre sells just to remember this experience. Not because you are going to forget it easily but to have a proof to justify to your friends who would not come with you that they should have been there with you.

 

Are you ready to live this experience?

 

The Journey Just Begun

Thanks for joining us!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton