Bath and Stonehenge

 

 Nicole and I jokingly started refering this trip as the "old fogey" trip. Our general age group and under and a lack of assisted walking tools/orthopedic shoes were seriously in the minority.  As always, we managed to enjoy ourselves anyway and ended up having a very easy and laid back trip.  We stayed at a great B&B called OneThreeNine.  Beautiful home up on the hill above Bath.  I actually had somewhat of an itinerary that we actually stuck to for our little British vacation:  Day 1;  Walk the town a little bit and go to a dinner with live jazz. The jazz was pretty much horrible, but made for a good background to the night.  (think county fair with the little striped red and white outfits) Day 2; Stonehenge tour, thermal spa, Indian food, and show.  The spa was overrated, the Indian food was excellent, and the play was great (it was an American play called 4000 Miles, anyone who gets the chance should see it) 

 

Now Stonehenge: At first glance, I have to say that I was a little disappointed.  I have been watching TV programs about Stonehenge for what seems my whole life.  This is a place I have been wanting to visit for years and experience for myself the grandeur and mystery, feel the old world magic still coursing through the land, maybe see a UFO.....etc etc.  Instead, I found myself with some shitty audio guide that the volume wouldn't turn up properly and about 1000 chatting tourists talking on their phones and taking pictures with their Ipads.  They have it setup where you can't get right up to it, but you slowly walk in a huge loop around it.  After about 20 minutes, I eventually got over my saltiness at obnoxious people and by the end of the loop I began see why everyone should try and see this place for themselves (regardless of the crowds).  There simply aren't many places like it left in this world.  To this day there are only guesses as to how, why, or even when (to a point, they estimate between 1500 and 3000 BC) it was made.  I ended up appreciating the fact that I was merely standing there on such ancient ground and becoming thankful that it is still around at all.  Just before leaving I took a moment to take it all in.  And then I felt something special and realized that I don't want to know the answers to all questions that surround it, that the mystery is part of the aura. It was a cloudy day and the sun briefly broke through to bask the site with warm light. The gusting wind was blowing the vibrantly green grass across the hillsides and over huge burial mounds, the sheep lazily grazing in the pastures just like they had for centuries. That was the moment I believed that the grandeur and old world magic that I came to experience was still there. I just needed to embrace it.  Nicole and I looked at each other, shrugged and said "that was cool," and turned around and left without looking back.  An experience I will never forget. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just thought I would throw the bathtub that was in our room for good measure.