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DOWNSHIFTING
The quaint streets and wel-
coming inns of Sandwich in southeast England
provide a perfect respite from the frenetic pace
of Western Europe’s big cities
solid on-road feel. The gear changes are
precise, andwhen, say, I putmy foot down
in fourth there’s great pulling power.
Following Kent’s rugged coastline, my
route takesme through a number of small
villages—a few of which are clustered
precariously on cliffs overlooking the
sea—before moving on to a series of lush
woodlands and fields studded with medi-
eval hamlets. In time, I arrive in Sandwich,
my retreat for theweekend. Amid the nar-
row cobbled streets and alleyways in the
heart of town, I findmy accommodations:
the Salutation, a handsomely restored
Georgian manor house enclosed almost
entirely within the walls of the old city.
As I pass under an ancient archway and
into the house’s pebbled courtyard, one
of England’s most renowned ornamental
gardens, created by Sir Edwin Lutyens, is
gloriously revealed.
I park the RCZ at the base of the sweep-
ing staircase leading to the front door and
announce myself at reception. From the
window, I take in the grounds. Though
I’m well away from Brussels, I remain
conspicuous: As I watch, a fellow guest
si ing at the opposite side of the court-
yard leaves his a ernoon tea and strides
over to inspect the Peugeot more closely.
The butler, who’s been sent out to collect
my luggage, joins him, lingering just long
enough to fumblingly draw his mobile
phone and squeeze off a shot before
feigning nonchalance and returning to
his duties.
When
CINDY-LOU DALE
, a writer in southeast
England, returned the RCZ, it was almost
entirely covered with fingerprints.
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