Today we started out with a tour of Windsor Castle. It took around an hour on a bus for us to reach it. The entire complex is very large and would take a long time to explore. Unfortunately, we only had about an hour to visit. We started in the state apartments. Although tourists are admitted when there are no events taking place, the state apartments are still used for meetings and to house dignitaries on their visits. Ben enjoyed the displays of knives, swords, guns and suits of armor. We weren't allowed to take photos on the inside, but we could take as many as we wanted on the outside. Like this one:
Also, since the flag was flying, that means that Queen Elizabeth was inside the castle today. We didn't see her, though.
We were able to walk through St. George's Chapel, where many kings and queens are buried. We saw the tombs of King Henry VIII, Jane Seymour, Charles I as well as that of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the current queen's parents. Some of the tombs were just commemorative slabs on the floor, and others were more elaborate, with effigies of the deceased on top. These were even personalized with animals, such as a favorite dog or a heroic monkey.Next it was on to Bath, the city where the Romans took advantage of the natural hot springs to build a large complex of thermal baths.
There was a very interesting exhibit of how the baths were built and operated. We especially liked the display
of gemstones that were taken from the drains. The speculation is that the hot water caused the settings around the stones to loosen, so that when the bathers got out of the water, they discovered the stones had been lost in the water. There was also an interesting display of curses that were written on small metal tablets and directed toward people who had stolen things to get boils or lose their mind as a suitable punishment.
There was a restaurant where "Bath water" was available for drinking, but we didn't have a chance to give it a try. This was probably a good thing, since I've heard the water isn't that great tasting!
Finally, we made it to Stonehenge. It was interesting to see the image of how Stonehenge looked when it was completed:
Over the centuries, various bits of stone were removed, either for other building projects or even as souvenirs by visitors. Now, the part that is left is protected and you can walk around the entire thing along a path.
It was very windy and cold walking around the stones, so you can hear the wind whipping around as I took the video.
of gemstones that were taken from the drains. The speculation is that the hot water caused the settings around the stones to loosen, so that when the bathers got out of the water, they discovered the stones had been lost in the water. There was also an interesting display of curses that were written on small metal tablets and directed toward people who had stolen things to get boils or lose their mind as a suitable punishment.There was a restaurant where "Bath water" was available for drinking, but we didn't have a chance to give it a try. This was probably a good thing, since I've heard the water isn't that great tasting!
Finally, we made it to Stonehenge. It was interesting to see the image of how Stonehenge looked when it was completed:
Over the centuries, various bits of stone were removed, either for other building projects or even as souvenirs by visitors. Now, the part that is left is protected and you can walk around the entire thing along a path.
It was very windy and cold walking around the stones, so you can hear the wind whipping around as I took the video.Tomorrow we are touring the Tower of London and going on a Ghost Walk!
Lisa, thanks for giving me the link to your travel blog. I'm lovin' it!
ReplyDelete