In April 2015, we took our first English trip! We set out for a day trip to Stonehenge and Bath. Whee, I have Stonehenge tickets!!!
The view, approaching Stonehenge from the long wooded path. Most people take a shuttle bus from the visitor center, but we were told the walk was lovely.
Stonehenge, out in the middle of nowhere.
You used to be able to walk right up to it, but it was becoming vandalized. So now you walk on a ringed, roped-off path around the monument.
They didn't even have a visitor's center until a few years ago. The problem is, no one knows how it got there, what it was for, or who built it, so what's to tell a visitor?
Havin' a moment with one of the ancient wonders of the world.
Here's the problem with Stonehenge: Its immense prehistorical significance aside...it's just a pile of rocks.
...so one starts to make funny photos to make it more interesting.
We were kinda bored after 20 minutes. Sadly, this is not unusual for visitors to Stonehenge.
The Joneses conquer Stonehenge!
Hee hee tiny Stonehenge.
One more selfie, on a perfectly sunny April day.
Next stop: Bath, home of Jane Austen. This is Bath Cathedral.
The gorgeous Pulteney Bridge over the River Avon in Bath, built in 1774. It was used as the bridge from where Russell Crowe's Javert committed suicide in the film "Les Miserables."
In July, we took a weekend trip to Shakespeare's home of Stratford-Upon-Avon. Upon seeing this valve cover ("stop cock" means "stop valve"), we knew we would love this town.
We walked along the River Avon to the Church of the Holy Trinity, where Shakespeare is buried. This is the Top Secret Entrance to the churchyard.
The Holy Trinity's graveyard....but Shakespeare is not buried outside!
The lovely spire of the Church of the Holy Trinity. It was the prettiest churchyard I'd ever seen.
Inside the church- with its stained glass windows, marble sculptures...and Shakespeare.
The altar. Shakespeare was married here (and also baptized and buried).
Explorations In England, 2015