Stonehenge and Bath

Today everyone from CAPA ventured out to visit Stonehenge and Bath. We travelled by coach to Stonehenge first, which was about two hours long. I continued my tradition from France with busses and successfully slept the entire way there. Our bus driver was a little crazy but oh well, that seems to be part of the experience here.

Stonehenge is thought to have been built around 2500-1500 BC but was rearranged and added to for 1000 years after this. No one knows why it was built exactly but the most logical idea is that it was some sort of religious monument. Since there are ancient burial mounds everywhere in the surrounding countryside, this seems to me a very likely explanation. It was extremely strange seeing Stonehenge up close after learning and hearing all about it since elementary school. It's amazing that people were able to get the stones in these positions in ancient times without the technology that we have today. I certainly know I could not hoist a huge rock like that on top of two others. The only downside of the day was that it was incredibly cold, raining, and windy so basically the deadly three did us in. I got my shoes/socks completely wet at this point and then spent the next seven hours with wet feet. It was all most definitely worth it though!

Stonehenge

Me in front of Stonehenge

After spending about 45 minutes in Stonehenge, we boarded the bus again and went another hour to Bath. I again slept the majority of the way. The English countryside was beautiful when I was awake to see it though. I did feel a bit stupid though when I commented that there sure were a lot of sheep around when they were actually the biggest pigs I have ever seen in my life. It was shocking. I then returned to dream world.

Bath was a nice change from the hustle and bustle of city life in London. Many of the streets were nearly empty, the cars weren't zooming around ready to take pedestrians out at any minute, and there was just a general peace that could be felt throughout the city. In around 60 AD, the Romans built a fort on the current site of the city of Bath. They wanted to feel at home so they built Roman baths on the hot springs that were in the area. I looked at the springs themselves today. We got to walk right up to the water, see the steam, and walk on the same walkways that the Romans would have. It was extremely exciting and, most importantly by this time in my cold day, quite warm! I really enjoyed this city.

The Great Bath

Me in front of the Great Bath

After this, we reboarded our coach and set back off for London. I fell asleep and three hours later we were back at my school! I think it's safe to say I had a pretty good Friday. : )