The Ancient capital of Winchester

We went to Winchester yesterday, ancient capital of Alfred, King of Wessex, from 879, I think, though the town had been settled much earlier – there’s a Roman wall. It is an absolutlely exquisite place, with more culture than you can shake a stick at, and what claims to be the oldest pub in England, The Royal Oak, where naturally I enjoyed a Weissbier.
We spent the day in rapt wonder, staring at ruined castles, beautiful buildings and beautiful countryside. It was a gloomy, moody, ice cold day, and it all contributed to a rather otherworldy air. It really felt magical, and I am expecting much more of that when I head into the wilds of Scotland and Wales, as well as to Glastonbury and Men-an-Tol, two other places I am dying to see. My matonga have been telling me for a long time to go there.
But after a while we developed Catherdral Fatigue (which I first noticed in Egypt: “Oh my God, not another 4 000 year old temple!”), not to mention cold hands, so we repaired to a pub called the Gaolkeepers, where I was very pleased to dicover a local, liquorice flavoured stout, Treacle Stout, for £1.70 a pint – very cheap in England. Just what the doctor ordered …. I intend to drink every kind of beer available in Britain.