I'm not going to bore you with how little sleep we got flying over (although the fold down seats really weren't bad) or how the custom's line was on the long side once we got to Heathrow. The important thing is that we all arrived on time with all our luggage. One hurdle down!
We had arranged to have a driver meet us at the airport (train seemed like more than we could handle on little sleep and no one wanted to drive). Rick Steves recommended a small outfit based in Bath (Celtic Horizons) as a great alternative which I was able to arrange prior to our arrival. Our driver, Norman was waiting, sign in hand, to play tour director for the short trip to Bath.
Norman suggested we make a couple of stops along the way to get a flavor for the English countryside. Too tired to disagree and eager to start the sight seeing part of our journey, off we went. Everyone has heard of Stone Hinge, the stone circle erected by prehistoric people, but lesser known is the stone circle in Avebury. Much larger (although less sophisticated), the Avebury circle is much more approachable and also much less of a tourist trap. One can walk right up to the stones in the fields and touch them if you like. There's no fee to explore the ruins. The town is very cute with little restaurants and ice cream parlors. A great first stop on our trip.
Not far from the circle, is an earthen mound also built by prehistoric peoples. It's one of the largest in Europe, although its use is a mystery. Another fascinating stop was to view a large horse "carved" into the hillside. These chalk white horses appear all over England and are quite stunning when viewed from a distance.
Our next stop was the charming little town of Lacock. We walked around stopping at an old barn, a church courtyard and a school playground. David being his normal helpful self, retrieved several escaped balls and returned them to the yard of playing students. Norman pointed out the building techniques used in wall construction and the stone roofs found around the town.
It was a short drive (or it seemed short since I napped most of the way) to Bath. Harington's Hotel lies in the city center of Bath making it quite convenient to walk to the major stop of the Roman Baths. As you may know, the Romans traveled to England in their quest to rule the world. All this conquering made for some sore muscles which were soothed by the hot springs in Bath. This was not just therapeutic but also a social center for the Romans. I have to say the water was pretty green and not very clear, but it did appear to be quite warm. The site has been excavated and you can experience a little of what Roman life was like.
We had arranged to have a driver meet us at the airport (train seemed like more than we could handle on little sleep and no one wanted to drive). Rick Steves recommended a small outfit based in Bath (Celtic Horizons) as a great alternative which I was able to arrange prior to our arrival. Our driver, Norman was waiting, sign in hand, to play tour director for the short trip to Bath.
Norman suggested we make a couple of stops along the way to get a flavor for the English countryside. Too tired to disagree and eager to start the sight seeing part of our journey, off we went. Everyone has heard of Stone Hinge, the stone circle erected by prehistoric people, but lesser known is the stone circle in Avebury. Much larger (although less sophisticated), the Avebury circle is much more approachable and also much less of a tourist trap. One can walk right up to the stones in the fields and touch them if you like. There's no fee to explore the ruins. The town is very cute with little restaurants and ice cream parlors. A great first stop on our trip.
Not far from the circle, is an earthen mound also built by prehistoric peoples. It's one of the largest in Europe, although its use is a mystery. Another fascinating stop was to view a large horse "carved" into the hillside. These chalk white horses appear all over England and are quite stunning when viewed from a distance.
Our next stop was the charming little town of Lacock. We walked around stopping at an old barn, a church courtyard and a school playground. David being his normal helpful self, retrieved several escaped balls and returned them to the yard of playing students. Norman pointed out the building techniques used in wall construction and the stone roofs found around the town.
It was a short drive (or it seemed short since I napped most of the way) to Bath. Harington's Hotel lies in the city center of Bath making it quite convenient to walk to the major stop of the Roman Baths. As you may know, the Romans traveled to England in their quest to rule the world. All this conquering made for some sore muscles which were soothed by the hot springs in Bath. This was not just therapeutic but also a social center for the Romans. I have to say the water was pretty green and not very clear, but it did appear to be quite warm. The site has been excavated and you can experience a little of what Roman life was like.
After the Roman Baths, the Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing bus sounded like a great idea. We could see all the major sights while relaxing on a nice bus while 'resting'. Did I mention that we didn't sleep much on the plane??? Well, the bus turned out to be the perfect place to catch a few zzz's. I'm sure there are a lot of fascinating places that I need to come back to explore but it just wasn't happening on this particular trip.
We opted for an early dinner at a Rotisserie very close to our hotel (easier to stumble home after a glass of wine). We shared the Texas seasoned chicken with the jalapeno slaw. In Bath. In England. I can't make this stuff up. And though it was just a little after 8, I had absolutely no problems passing out for a much needed sleep in a real bed that didn't tell me I needed to fasten my seat-belt.
Goodnight.
Hmmm..."Texas" seasoned chicken. I'm dubious.
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