A Christmas Carol in Chester

Nothing gets me more in the festive mood than A Christmas Carol. For all the Scrooges out there, they must visit Chester at Christmas. Gone is the bah humbug mentality when you enter the magnificent Chester Cathedral. The cloisters are lined with trees with twinkling lights, all decorated by different businesses and members of the community.

This year, the cathedral is displaying a series of tableaux depicting A Christmas Carol. The models are seriously impressive, particularly the gigantic Ghost of Christmas Present.

The festivities continue in the gorgeous café, located in a 13th century monks' dining hall. I feasted on the Liverpool cake which was inspired by the exotic ingredients newly available in the 19th centuiry from Liverpool's trade links, such as demarara sugar from Guyana, spices from the Middle East and sultanas from Turkey. This cake tasted a lot like carrot cake as it was moist and had lots of lovely spices. Perfect for Christmas!

While I enjoyed the yuletide decorations in the cathedral, the highlight for me was the cathedral falconry. I watched a fascinating demonstration led by the falconer where I fed a vulture and held a surprisingly heavy golden eagle called Grace.

After such a wonderful day, I felt Scrooge's euphoria when he learnt to love Christmas:

"I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to every-body! A happy New Year to all the world! Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!”

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