London 2008: 8/28/2008 Day tour-sunrise at Stonehenge/Lacock/Bath, London Eye, Dinner-Carluccios, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park

Our last full day here in London. Our pick up for our sunrise Stonehenge tour is scheduled for 5:30 am at a hotel near ours. It's dark and a bit cool so we have our fleece jackets on. Our small coach arrives pretty much on time. We have around 30 people, maybe less. Driver and guide. As we drive the guide gives us a historical and informative commentary on Stonehenge. There is a lot of morning traffic-maybe people going to work?

Stonehenge. Prehistoric, almost 5000 years old. One of the most important megalithic monuments in Europe, believed to have been built for religious and astronomical purposes between 3000 BC and 1500 BC. Henges are pagan temples that don't occur outside of the British Isles. A henge is a circular or oval area defined by a bank and a ditch and approached by 1 or 2 entrances, The bank is usually outside the ditch but with Stonehenge its bank is inside the ditch and within the henge stands the most elaborate set of prehistoric stones in Europe. The outer boundary of Stonehenge consists of a ditch and a low bank. The boundary is interrupted by the Avenue on the north-east side. Within the Avenue near the road stands the Heel Stone and at the entrance to the site is the Slaughter Stone, now fallen which formed part of a ceremonial doorway. Discs of white cement mark some of the Aubrey Holes arranged in a ring just inside the bank. On this ring are 2 Station Stones and 2 ditched enclosures that once contained similar stones. The outer circle of standing stones is known as the Sarsen Circle. This consisted of a ring of 30 uprights crowned by a continuous ring of 30 lintels. Within this ring is the incomplete Bluestone Circle, originally consisting of about 60 stones. The Sarsen Trilithons inside these circles originally numbered 5 and formed a horseshoe shape, and within this stood the Bluestone Horseshoe originally of 19 stones that increased in height toward the center. At the very heart is the Altar Stone, now buried in the ground beneath fallen stones.

Slow going some spots with heavy traffic. We arrive at Salisbury Plain/Stonehenge around an hour before normal opening time. Unfortunately we missed seeing the sunrise while physically at Stonehenge due to the traffic on the road here. Our guide gives us each a brochure with some information in it. It's eerie when we arrive. Light misty type rain. We are the only group here. There is one guard to make sure we don't do anything stupid. One of the reasons for the rope barriers now is that tourists would write on the stones, try to take a piece of the stones. Tourists who are not here at sunrise or sunset with a special tour can't get up close and personal to the stones like we can. We can enter the stone circle. We can touch the stones. Very atmospheric. I take tons of pictures. I can't describe the feelings that I have. Magical, mystical. I touch some of the stones and I feel something but what? I don't know. The rope barriers will be put in place once we leave.

Brochure

Heel Stone

A curved lintel of the Sarsen Circle showing a tongued joint to locate the groove of a missing lintel

Best preserved part of the Sarsen Circle

Bluestone

The surviving upright of the central trilithon, the tallest stone at Stonehenge

Best preserved part of the Sarsen Circle showing that the entrance was beneath the middle of the 3 lintels which are curved and the uprights upwardly tapered

Many of the sarsens and bluestones at Stonehenge are now leaning, fallen, broken, or missing

The most complete part of the outer circle of sarsens with the fallen Slaughter Stone

Here you see the lone guard with our guide

Heel Stone

Amazing feeling

Postcard

I bought this souvenir book in Bath

Before we know it we have to leave. Next stop is the picturesque village of Lacock which goes back to the Saxon era. This village has been the setting for many movies and TV dramas such as Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone. We have breakfast at the 14th century classic English country pub, the George Inn built in 1361. Then we have a walking tour of this charming village.

Driving to Lacock

Scenery driving

Our van/coach transport

Breakfast

Touring the village

At 6'2' my husband would have to duck to enter through this door

Our last stop is Bath. Georgian architecture. Famous Pulteney Bridge. Bath Abbey. Royal Crescent. We have entry to the Roman Baths. Best preserved Roman spa from the ancient world. In ancient times the privileged enjoyed the mineral springs at Bath. The city was called "Aquae Sulis/to take a bath" that it finally became known as simply Bath. The museum here has some very nice displays-Roman artifacts, mosaics, temple pediment. Minerva is the goddess of the hot springs. The water is green because of algae At the gift shop I buy a couple of boxes of bath salts, souvenir book on Stonehenge & Avebury, and some postcards (receipt is too faded to make out every purchase) for £17.16.

On our way to Bath

The Great Bath

I bought a couple of boxes of these salt crystals at the gift shop

We make a quick stop at Bath Abbey. Last great medieval church of England is 500 years old and an example of Late Perpendicular Gothic. Lots of fan vaulting and stained glass windows. Continuing our town walk. Pulteney Bridge. It's a pretty town.

Bath Abbey

Free time for us to explore

Pulteney Bridge

Driving by the Royal Crescent

Royal Crescent is a row of 30 terraced houses laid out in a sweeping crescent; designed by John Wood the Younger and built between 1767 and 1774; great example of Georgian architecture

Bath Abbey, Pulteney Bridge, entrance to the Roman Baths, the Great Bath, and the Royal Crescent

Then we decide to do the London Eye. Like a ferris wheel. It was built in 2000 to celebrate the millennium. Originally called the London Eyesore! Slowly spins 32 capsules each filled with a maximum of 25 people. Cost £15.50 each so a bit pricey but the views are incredible. I bought the picture that gets taken while you are in the capsule. When the capsule stops at the top each of us-a family, a couple, single, etc.-stands at a marked spot on the floor for a picture to be taken. It's optional if you want to buy the picture or not. Cost £8.00 I also had bought a souvenir pull out 360 view booklet. It has pages that swing out showing what you see north, south, east, and west. A big help for identifying the buildings, bridges, etc. that you will see. I think the ride lasted 30 minutes.

Ticket

Hungerford Bridge

North

South

East

West

We decide to take the tube to Victoria Station. Dinner is at Carluccios right near Victoria Station. We have luganica and pasta fungi and drinks. Total without tip £19.70. Then we walk to Buckingham Palace, the Wellington Monument, Hyde Park to Hyde Park Corner. Then back to our hotel to pack for our flight home tomorrow.