Stonehenge!

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 27, 2015

How nice it was to sleep late and wake refreshed and ready for adventure! We had breakfast in the hotel, which was a decent hot buffet with lots of items from which to choose. After walking into town, we had more coffee at Starbuck's and then did a bit of browsing in the shops. It was fun to wander around in such a lovely town as Bath. There was so much to see and do. Even simply viewing the amazing architecture was a thrill.

After a few hours of wandering the lovely old streets, we had a wonderful lunch at Sally Lunn's. The historic tea house was in a quaint, old building which is in fact the oldest house in Bath. We all ordered the House Blend tea, which was incredibly good. The shop is famous for their Sally Lunn bun which is a light, slightly sweet yeast bread made with cream. Bath is quite proud of their original "bun". 

Sally Lunn's, Bath UK

Craig and I at Sally Lunn's Eating House in Bath.

I ordered a bowl of pureed vegetable soup, which was very good. Served alongside the soup was a quarter of the famous bun which had been toasted and slathered with butter. I also had a half bun that was spread with lemon curd and served with clotted cream. It was amazingly delicious! Des chose the bun served with dilled cream cheese, smoked Scottish salmon, and lemon. It was superb. He had a dessert of apple cake with clotted cream. Craig ordered the vegetable soup and Welsh rarebit, which was served on a Sally Lunn bun. It was a fun and delectable meal. If you dine there, don't miss the little museum in the basement. 

Lunch was a treat at Sally Lunn's.

A Sally Lunn bun with lemon curd
 and clotted cream. Heavenly!

Craig in Bath UK.

After that fantastic lunch, it was time to board a tour bus to Stonehenge! I could hardly believe that another dream was about to come true. I had wanted to visit Stonehenge for as long as I could remember. We were all looking forward to it. Desmond had visited the ancient monument on an earlier trip to England but was still eager to view it again. We had a great bus driver, John, who entertained us with his wonderful sense of humour. As we approached the visitor's center where we would board larger buses that would take us to the stones, I began to feel rather emotional. This experience had been on my bucket list forever. I felt as if this were some sort of pilgrimage.

The visitors center is situated about a mile from the prehistoric monument. The ancient stones can't be viewed from that location, which is good. It's much more dramatic to come upon Stonehenge as you crest a low hill and see the stone circle in the distance. It is possible to disembark the bus at the halfway point and walk a trail which will take you to the stones, passing at least one of the ancient burial mounds which are scattered across the gentle, green hills.

We left the bus with our audio guides in hand and began to follow the path that encircles the stones. The information on the audio guides is very thorough and if I wanted additional details, I was able to push another button to learn further interesting facts about a particular subject. I learned more from that little device than I had ever discovered via any other source.

My first glimpse of Stonehenge.

The area was not as crowded as I had thought it would be. That may have been due to the exceptionally chilly weather.  It was quite breezy and very cold, even though the sun was shining much of the time. However, in spite of some discomfort we were awed by the mysterious Neolithic stones. It is truly a breathtaking experience. 

Stonehenge was absolutely amazing!

I am certain it was no accident that the standing stones were placed upon the slope in such a manner that they appear to tower over you when you are standing at the "front" and seem smaller when you are looking at them from the other side. We found it very sad that there had been some vandalism to the stones in recent years which had necessitated restricting access to them. It's impossible to walk among the stones. One can only stand in wonder and gaze at them. But that was enough, though I did wish we could have been there at a time when there were fewer visitors, perhaps very early or later in the day. I felt as if I needed some time alone with those ancient, mysterious rocks which have aroused curiosity for ages.

What an incredible visit to Stonehenge!

We would have remained out there much longer, but wanted to visit the exhibition at the visitors center before heading back to the bus. We looked at an outdoor display which explained how the heavy stones may had been transported and put into position. We also saw replicas of the huts that would have provided shelter for the workers all those centuries ago. They were circular, thatched huts which contained unique beds and shelves made from interwoven branches. They were very impressive. There was more to see, but we all wanted a hot drink before returning to the bus. I will never forget my visit to Stonehenge. It was everything I had dreamed it would be.

That evening, we shopped a bit at Sainsbury's, which is a very popular grocery chain in the U.K. There, we were able to purchase items that are hard to find in France and the U.S. It was fun to wander through that store. I was pleased to find out that they all have honeybee hotels within them. 

Later, we had supper at a pub. Craig tried the fish and chips, I had a steak and ale pie, and Des chose the salmon. He and Craig tried more local brews while I sipped my ginger beer. It was a pleasant meal and we finished our evening with a game of Racko in our hotel room.

Steak and Ale pie at a pub in Bath.

From London to Bath

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 26, 2015

The Hotel Apollo in London was a small, narrow row house that had been converted into a charming bed and breakfast. Its location on Argyle Street made it very convenient to both King's Cross Station and St. Pancras Station. I had read mixed reviews about the place and decided to take a chance as the price was quite reasonable. The bedrooms are tiny, but very neat and decorated in a cozy style. There was even a kettle in the room, and packets of coffee and tea. The bathrooms were clean and modern. It's a family business and the owners were very nice. We would be willing to stay there again.

Our small, cozy room at the Apollo.

We had the full English breakfast before starting our short journey to Bath. The breakfast room was in the basement, which had a large walk-out with stairs leading to street level. The windows allowed plenty of morning light to brighten the room. That meal was quite an experience! Our plates were heaped with bacon, sausage, grilled tomatoes, baked beans, mushrooms, hash browns, and a fried egg. A toast rack was brought to the table, along with plenty of coffee or tea. I was able to finish about half of my meal. I'm simply not accustomed to a heavy breakfast. It was certainly a meal we will never forget.

A full English breakfast at the Apollo, London.

Our next stop was Paddington Station, where we would catch the train heading west for Bath and Bristol. Desmond easily navigated our way through the London Tube (mind the gap!) to Paddington, where we boarded our train. We enjoyed every minute of the ride through London and into the countryside. The gorgeous rural scenery of lush green fields, peaceful streams, farms, and pastures dotted with fluffy sheep kept us mesmerized. We saw several little narrowboats floating serenely on placid streams and canals. As we neared Bath, Des spotted the chalk horse high upon a hillside. There are several of those in the area, and I'm sorry I was unable to get a good photo of one.

I had originally booked rooms for us at a hotel in Bath center, but due to a schedule change, we found ourselves at the Holiday Inn, about a twenty minute walk from the train station. The hotel is located beside a very old cemetery, which Craig and I had a view of from our room. It wasn't creepy at all. The ancient, ornate headstones were surrounded by flowers, bushes. and  tall trees. It looked like an interesting place to explore. We stowed our bags in the room and then the three of us set out to explore Bath. 

A Tiny Tour of London

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 25, 2015 continued...

We were very glad to see Craig again and even though he must have been exhausted from traveling, he was eager to go out and explore a bit in London. It was hard to believe that it had really happened, but there we were! We freshened up in our tiny rooms at the Apollo and then set out to find something to eat.

We didn't have to walk far to find a pub. It turned out to be an Irish pub called O'Neill's, which was just across from the train station. The waitress was very friendly and happily allowed us to sample some of the beer before making a selection. Desmond and Craig began a little tradition of asking for "your two favorites" and the wait staff at each pub we visited was always happy to oblige. They enjoyed trying the popular local brews. I had ordered ginger beer, which was very refreshing. 

Our meal was delicious and filling. We all chose something different. I went for comfort food and ordered the mac and cheese with bacon. It was quite possibly the best macaroni and cheese dish I have ever tasted. The blend of cheeses and the crisp, smoky bacon made it a very satisfying choice. Des enjoyed shrimp scampi, which was actually more like garlic-seasoned fried shrimp. Craig dug into a plate heaped with the traditional bangers and mash. The sausage and mashed potatoes were topped with a rich brown gravy. After that meal, we all decided that we were fans of pub grub!

We enjoyed a tasty lunch at O'Neill's pub in London.

Craig had to try the "bangers and mash" at O'Neill's.

With only the afternoon and evening in London, we chose to board one of the double decker buses for a hop-on, hop-off tour. We saw some amazing sights: the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, and so on. I was a typical gaping tourist, camera in hand, awed by the sights and sounds of England's capitol. I particularly enjoyed the walk along the Thames. The area was crowded, yet seemed very safe, and the throngs of visitors were all in a festive mood. The weather was in a good mood, too, as the clouds thinned and sunlight brightened the scene.

The London Eye.

Big Ben, of course.

     

The Tower of London.

The Tower Bridge.

 

The three of us enjoyed a boat tour on the Thames, which showed us many of the sights we had viewed from the bus, but from a different perspective. I'm not sure any of us ever stopped smiling as we turned our heads this way and that to view the iconic buildings and attractions. We all agreed that we will have to return to London in the future for a more extensive visit. 

Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.

The Tower Bridge, London UK

Before making our way back to the hotel that evening, we stopped for dinner at another pub, The Skinners Arms. It seemed like a typical English pub and was lavishly decorated with old photos, ads, and other memorabilia. The staff and other customers were all friendly and welcoming. One couple even gave up their table for us and moved to a smaller one so that we would not have to wait. I decided that it was time to try the fish and chips, and was not disappointed! Craig ordered a steak and Guiness pie, which was topped with puff pastry and looked wonderful. Desmond chose the salmon, which was served with roasted potatoes and green beans. We walked slowly back to the hotel and were soon ready for bed. It had been an exhausting day, though a very delightful one. 

Of course, I had to try the traditional fish and chips in London.