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Today was our second BLC trip and the pickup time was 8 a.m. I was so excited because I love ancient history. The drive to Stonehenge (www.stonehenge.co.uk) is about an hour and a half from London. Our Blue Badge guide told us that during the summer the road we took to Stonehenge would be packed with cars trying to get to the beach for vacation.
Luckily, when we arrived no one else was there. This is one advantage of site seeing during an off peak season. But our group was about 100 people so I quickly rushed to the front to get the best pictures of the megalithic stone circle without others around. Stonehenge is a magnificent site that is believed to be about 4,000 years old and there are many theories on what it was used for but no one is quite sure. You can’t walk right up to it anymore, but you can get within 15 feet. The border around Stonehenge is strange. It is a circular border but some parts of the border are very far away while others are really close to the monument. But it did make for good close ups and far way shots.
A leisurely 20 or 30 minute walk is all you really need to see Stonehenge but it is worth it. We took a look in the cheesy gift shop and some got hot chocolate. After that it was off to Bath to view the Roman Baths (www.romanbaths.co.uk) and see the city.
The bus drove around the city so we could see some of the sites. The city was heavily bombed during WWII. After the tour, we were given tickets and then aloud to explore the baths by ourselves. First we saw the sacred spring through windows, which is a fountain used to curse people and you can’t swim in it. Then you get to see remains of the old Roman baths, ancient artifacts that were discovered and the temple. But the most famous part is the Great Bath. It is the bath that is outside surrounded by columns. While we were there, steam was coming off the water and that made for good photos.
After I grabbed lunch with my roommates, we started to shop and I got impatient quickly. I didn’t want to shop. I was ready to go see some more sites that we saw from the bus. Bath is an easy city to walk around. I took a picture of the Parade Gardens and went to the nearby the Putney Bridge. The bridge is beautiful with water flowing through its arches below.
Then I walked past some shops and up the hill on Gay Street. My travel agent Beth told me about a store called Culpeper (www.culpeper.co.uk/shop) that sells catnip toys. She said if I saw it to get a few for her cats. Luckily I ran into it and made sure to get a few because she has shown me so much in the way of travel.
At the top of the hill is the circus. A neo-classical circular building helps make the circus. But more famous, is the Royal Crescent that is a few minute walk away from the circus. It’s on your left down Brock Street. It is of the same architecture, and it is hard to photograph because it’s large and in the shape of a half circle.
After walking down the hill, I went to Bath Abbey. The latest model dates back to 1611 and the abbey is right by the baths. On the outside is Jacob’s Ladder where angels are climbing to heaven on the front façade of the abbey. I was just going to look at the outside because I thought there was an admission price, but I popped my head in and it was free. It was beautiful with its stained glass windows and a Tierceron vaulted ceiling (my art history teacher would be proud).
Then I still had time to go back by the Baths. To the right of the entrance is the Pump Room. It is now an expensive tearoom but it houses a fountain where you can taste the water from the baths for 50 pence (~$1 at the time). But I’ve heard it’s warm with too much of a mineral taste so I opted not to try it.
I decided to treat myself to a shake. Then I met everyone at the bus at Orange Grove. The Orange Grove is a small windy street. It has small garden with an obelisk in the middle. After a long day, I was looking forward to just relaxing back at the flat.
Tags: bath, stonehenge
