Ancient Stonehenge – 19.5.2010

We took another train as usually because that is the best, cheap, and easiest way to get around here in England. This time our destination was Salisbury were we took a bus out to Stonehenge. Once we got off the train and walked out of the station a Stonehenge bus was waiting outside to take money from tourists waiting to see one of the most significant ancient sites in England. To our excitement it we rode a double-decker bus through the old medieval town of Salisbury out to Stonehenge. You could see the massive stones from miles away with speckles of color dots moving as slow as possible. When we pulled into the parking lot across the road it was plain to see that they were people. We hopped off and got our audio guides and began the circular route around the stones. Walking along under a cloudy sky taking pictures at every possible angle as the tour guide in my ear told me all kinds of history and science behind these amazing stones. It is a remarkable sight that I could never have imagined it correctly. We stopped at another site on the way back called Sarum. It is the location of a fortified castle on a large circular hill flattened at the top with at least twenty foot deep ditches surrounding it acting as a moat. Now only the land formations and some ruins are all that are left. Walking around trying to imagine what it was like in its hay day was difficult because so little was left similar to Herculaneum. The view was spectacular looking down from the highest point of the fortress in the tower on to the remains of an old Cathedral. I have to admit my professor, Carol, popped into my head for a moment because this is the kind of thing she loves. We did not stay too long because we had to catch the next bus back to Salisbury for some good English grub in an adorable medieval pub. Once I was nourished with fish & chips we walked to a historic site for many people in two different countries. That was the Cathedral of Saint Mary. This was the location where the Magna Carta was signed. How amazing we did not even realize it until we entered the gift shop where there were posters of the Magna Carta emphasizing that it was signed here. The courtyard alone was spectacular and of all the courtyards I have seen in Italy this one blows them out of the water. Same as usual we have way more that we want to do before our train leaves. For this reason we did not get to go in the church on account of me and my slight obsession I supposed is one way to put it for Jane Austen. The Mompesson House was just on the other side of the Cathedral’s lawn. This house was used as a set for a good portion of the film Sense & Sensibility with Emma Thompson. Laura and I toured around this house which was used for the House of Mrs. Jennings in London. I could not believe it we were in the movie, in their bedroom. The bed they cried their tears out over those dang men was night before my eyes. Laura and I enjoyed ourselves. This visit only reaffirmed my wishes of going to the Jane Austen evening event.