22-September

Step 1: Rent car and travel to see Stonehenge and Bath
Step 2: Get lost
Step 3: Briefly go in approximately the correct direction
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 & 3 900 times.
Step 5: Arrive!


Well, I kid. Actually we only got lost a few times on the way there, but English roads aren't half as driver friendly as roads in the US. Maybe that's just what I'm used to. Driving a standard with the opposite hand, with a steering wheel on the 'wrong' side, on the other side of the road, in a city that doesn't emphasize road signs is about the essence of the experience in a nutshell.




So that was the bad. A little rough finding our way. But it ended there. We stopped to see Stonehenge on our way to Bath, and although someone could sum it up as "just some old rocks", the experience of being there was magnificent. (I don't pull the "magnificent" card very often) The beginnings of the structure date back all the way back to 3500BC (that's before McDonald's was around...), but it was incredible seeing the rocks that still stood.








The history of the landscape and of the structure itself were impossible the comprehend. Leah and I both agreed the free audio tour was worth looking like a dirty American tourist. It was the first time of many throughout the day where I found myself looking at the picture and knowing it wasn't doing the experience justice.





About thirty more minutes west of London is the city of Bath, aptly named for being home to Roman Baths built in the 1st century (65-75AD). Leah had heard from co-workers that in addition to being a historical site, Bath was also a beautiful city. She heard correctly. I think the final tally of Leah or I saying, "I could live here" reached about 70. We first walked through the narrow city streets and made our way to the end of a thrity minute que to see the inside of the baths.




Now, I've been to some crappy museums...places where I nod my head at each exhibit and allow a fake gesture of the hand to emphasize my pretend interest at each stop, but I've never been to one where I wanted to read EVERYTHING and see EVERYTHING until today. I can honestly say (and I think Leah would say the same for herself) that I was completely captivated and immersed from the time we stepped in to the time we left the baths.

It would take 5 pages to describe everything. We saw copper and gold coins that were in circulation at the time of Jesus, tombstones from 50AD, Roman cobblestone streets, not to mention the baths themselves. Minus needing a few chlorine tablets to solve the algae and parasite issues in the water, the baths were in incredible shape for their age.


Lastly, was the city of Bath itself. It was a beautiful marriage of city and nature. The river Avon flowed north to south through the center, and each half of the city sloped gently downward toward the river. The result was an incredible view to the east and west of neatly lined houses and green fields. The small streets were packed with what could be called "Lars stores", which are small "cute" stores selling anything from clothes, to wine, to little "trinket" things.....maybe Leah should explain that...




Well that's enough for now. We have this our rental car for one more day so maybe we'll try somewhere else tomorrow. I can't wait to check the manufacturer's website to see if the car has 7 or 8 horsepower. It feels like it has about the same kick as a garage door opener.

Later.


Other Photos:
(hopefully, the descriptions match up...)


- The abbey outside the bath
- Me and Dickens striking a serious pose
- The River Avon
- Garden near the Avon
- The crescent. Basically a crescent moon-shaped building adjacent to a huge field.