Stonehenge and Bath

So, ladies and gentlemen.  A lifelong dream of mine was fulfilled this past sunday.  I saw Stonehenge.

And, well, it was a big old pile of rocks.

Not that it wasn't fascinating- it was.  It was beautiful, and mysterious, and obviously was an amaing place of ancient worship.  But, it was quite underwhelming.  It wasn't that big.  The stones weren't that exotic looking.  NYU didn't pay for us to have the audio guides... I was just not particularly impressed.  Which made me sad.  I have watched more History Channel documentaries on Stonehenge than is healthy.  I know everything there is to know about every conspiracy theory associated with the place.  Yet, I was unimpressed.  It may have been because I had been to Cardiff last weekend, and climbed on top of the altar of a stone circle, and seen another one as well.  It may also have been because I was not allowed to get within 30 feet of the actual structure.  The sheep in the surrounding field were sadly more entertaining than the big pile of rocks.  I have to say that I'm glad I that I have now seen it, but I am also glad that I didn't pay for it.  Especially without the audio guide, Stonehenge is a rip off.  It was cool, but nothing like I had hoped for.

 

  

  

  

Bath was significantly more incredible.   Most of the city was built during the elaborate Georgian era, so it is quite lovely.  I would adore having an apartment here, where Jane Austen wrote many of her famous novels.  We went on a walking tour first. Our first big stop was the Royal Crescent, one out of many crescent shaped townhouse buildings in Bath, based off of the Roman Pantheon.  Of course, it doesn't really look like the Roman Pantheon, but that was the idea.  This one is the largest of the crescents in Bath, and the most picturesque... and expensive.

  

The next top was the Assembly building, which had the coolest chandeliers I have ever seen.

 

After that, we went to the riverfront area, which was absolutely breathtaking.

 

  

There was a rad traditional English candy shop in Bath with a strange selection of little sweets.  I did not purchase anything, but Jackie got some nice national delights.

For an afternoon snack/ incredibly unhealthy lunch, Jackie and I went to a little tea and coffee shop on the bridge shown earlier on this post.  We had a treacle tea, complete with treacle tart, tea and clotted cream.  It was delicious.  Just a note that our main influence in this decision was the mention of treacle tart in Harry Potter.  

 

 

  

  

  

  

I also found this wonderful pig statue in Bath.  Apparently one of the first kings of this area, Bladud, loved pigs. So there are pig motifs all over town.

 

  

 

Next stop was the ancient Roman baths.  They were built about 2000 years ago over a naturally occurring hot spring- the only one in the British Isles.  The remains were found, and became very popular when Elizabeth I decided to visit the spring.  The baths were gorgeous, and the accompanying museum exhibit was great.  I even think that I may have seen a ghost!  Probably it isn't... it's probably a camera reflection. But let me know what you think.  Leave me a comment.  It's the last picture posted here.

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 At the end of the tour of the Roman Baths, we got to try some of the water.  It is supposed to have incredible  healing properties.  Here I am with my glass!

Little did I know, that because of the high iron content, that the water would taste like BLOOD.

  

EWW.

Our last stop was Bath Abbey, a beautiful old church, initially built in Norman times, then updated, updated, and updated again.  It had a feel like Westminster Abbey, but was much smaller.  It had an ornate window detailing the entire life of Christ, which was quite humbling.  I wanted to light a candle in prayer, but they were out.  Which made sense, since it was a sunday.