Days 6&7: Salisbury and Stonehenge

I left Glastonbury and hopped a bus and a train to get to Salisbury. I made a reservation in advance for the Rokeby Guest House in Salisbury. Another very nice hotel with a wonderful breakfast! The main, historic part of town was only about a 15 minute walk from the hotel.

Since it was a travel day, my plan was to check out town and go to Stonehenge the following day. It was rather gloomy, cold, and it seemed to be reflected in the town of Salisbury that day. I wasn't very impressed with it. I stress that it could have just been my mood. The real reason I was there was to see Stonehenge. Plus, I think I was getting a bit lonely, one of the cons of traveling alone and with no iPod! Must have music...

The Salisbury Cathedral is the tallest (still standing) in the UK. The outside of the church is pretty impressive, sporting a spire of 404 feet. Unfortunately, I missed the tour that took you to the top of the spire via stairs. An example of why not to "wing it". The inside has it's moments but...it was no Westminster or Cologne Cathedral (Germany). I found it disappointing that many of the sculptures and sarcophagi where defaced. I felt that the cathedral was unkempt and had a run-down feel.

The following day, I caught the bus, in the main part of town, to Stonehenge. It was only about a 1/2 hour ride. How weird to see Stonehenge in the distance. It was almost surreal. I mean it's one of the 7 Wonders of the Medieval World erected over 4500 years ago (about 2500 BC) and many people in the world have seen pictures or at least heard of it.

Walking around the stones, I was filled with wonder and awe at the mystery of the place. It's hard to describe but I sensed a deep quiet, stillness from the circle of stones. Another moment when I wished I could go back in time and see why, how, and to what purpose it was built. I also need to go back again when I can sit and absorb what I'm seeing-the wind was terribly cold (surprise)! I was so mad for not bringing a winter jacket. Don't ever rely on weather.com! Keep in mind and plan ahead: you can't walk into the circle of stones without an appointment (and about 40 bucks). I definitely recommend visiting this historic site.

Day 5: Glastonbury (Glastonbury Abbey/Chalice Well)

Imagine walking along in a small English town, surrounded by farms and rolling hills, and coming upon a walled park with the ruins of medieval structures jutting up from the grass. Glastonbury Abbey is a Historic Site and takes up several acres in the middle of town. The Abbey is shrouded in mystery: Were King Arthur and Queen Guinevere buried here? Did Joseph of Arimathea bring Jesus here? Was the Tor (seen from the Abbey) part of the mystical Avalon? Hmmm...unless Dr. Who whisks me away in the Tardis, I guess we'll never know for sure.

In the afternoon, I just made it in time to visit another historic site attached to the legend of King Arthur: Chalice Well. It is said that the well was around for two thousand years and is a place of healing. Rumor has it the Holy Grail was buried here. You can pay a couple pounds for a souvenir bottle and fill it up with water from the well. I have my little bottle in the fridge still. It is a tranquil place place with gardens, orchards, fountains, and of course, the Well itself.

Glastonbury is a very interesting, diverse place with a twist of goth, dash of hippie, and a pinch of religious zealotry to make it a just a little creepy. The main part of town itself is only a few blocks long. The shops are a mix of religious, metaphysical, occult, and other odds and ends including little green men. The best part was that most people seemed to be laid back and accepting of the eclectic mix of folks inhabiting the town. I loved it! I can't wait to go back someday, but in warmer weather!

Day 4: Glastonbury (Glastonbury Tor)

Over the hills (via British rail to Bristol) and through the woods (via the #376 bus) to Glastonbury I went...By the way, make sure to use the luggage racks on the buses going through the country. It's a bit hilly and luggage tends to "dance around". I amused other travelers by chasing mine down a couple of times.

I arrived in Glastonbury in the midst of a downpour. I wandered around in the rain a bit searching for the B&B I made reservations for. Upon asking directions in a pub, I found the
"No 1 Park Terrace". And let me tell you this place is #1 in my book. It was like heaven. The owners were very friendly, the room was cozy and spotless, the breakfast was great (made to order) and it was nice and quiet. I was relieved!

After I settled my things in my room, I decided to hit the pavement and walk up to the Glastonbury Tor. It was about 1-2 miles from my hotel to the top of the Tor. The wind was picking up and the temperature dropped significantly from when I arrived just an hour before. I began to get pelted with ice as the wind whipped sleet into my face. I couldn't help but smile despite the weather because I was in Glastonbury one of the legendary places of King Arthur.

A "tor" is a weathered rock outcrop or a top of a hill/high point of a landscape. The Glastonbury Tor would have been a strategic military position because you really can see for miles and miles and miles from all angles. It was quite a site because the sun broke through the clouds as I reached the top of the Tor. I could see rain/snow shafts and dark clouds in some areas while rays of sunlight shone through other clouds. Water droplets shone like diamonds in the afternoon sun and the grass was so very green. I could have stayed there all day if it wasn't for the cold and the wind was threatening to tear me off the hill!

Chicago: St. Paddy's Weekend 2009

St. Patrick's Day (Saturday 3/14) in Chicago: Watch the Plumbers Union dye the Chicago River green (er...greener), enjoy the Northside St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday (The Southside parade is on Sunday), and hang out with friends at an Irish pub in the evening. There are plenty of good Irish Pubs in Chicago where you can enjoy good food and a pint any time of year.

Things are starting to happen in Chicago as everyone is awakening from hibernation. After a long, drawn-out, miserable, cold, winter, St. Paddy's Day is a true marker that spring is on it's way. So whether or not you are Irish, it is a good thing to celebrate this holiday and the coming of spring!

Slainte!

Stay tuned for the rest of my 2007 journey in England.

Day 3: St. Paddy's Day

I actually have no pictures from this day so here are a couple from the previous day. I suppose I wore myself out the first couple of days and was perhaps a bit jet-lagged because I slept until about 10am. I wandered over to a local grocery store (great way to save money) to pick up some lunch. On the way, I stopped in at an internet cafe (you can find many throughout London) that was more of a shack. I think it was about 2 pounds for a 1/2 hour so not bad. I wanted to make sure I new where I was going to catch the train to Glastonbury the next morning.

Being that it was St. Paddy's Day, one of my favorite holidays, I just had to go out and celebrate a bit. There were some parades and things during the day which I sadly missed. But I did have my own personal guide for the evening, a Londoner that my friend had met on one of her business trips.

I was to meet my guide in Leicester Square at Starbucks (don't try and order an iced tea). I had time to kill so I wandered around the square which is considered the theater district: movie theaters, playhouses, and tons of souvenir shops. I got lost in what I thought was a mall (I was looking for a warmer jacket: English springs are like Chicago, unpredictable). It turned out to be a multi-level arcade that was loud and packed with boisterous teens and kids running around.

Finally it was time to meet my guide. Let me tell you how great it is to know a local when you visit another country. He knew where all the good pubs were. Unfortunately, many of the Irish pubs were packed (lines out the door) so we didn't get to hear any live traditional Irish music as I had hoped. Most of the places where playing American music, stuff I would never listen to (Bryan Adams, the Village People, and bad 80's pop). That part was horribly disappointing. I mean all the great bands that came out of England and I was stuck with this junk (no offense to anyone who likes it)...But completely overshadowing that was a wonderful evening filled with great conversation, much laughter (especially poking at each other's accents), and good beer.

The final pub of the night was Porterhouse. Really cool atmosphere. It was like being inside a ship of sorts with brass piping and wood. They had tons of different beers but was a bit packed. We ended the evening at a Thai restaurant (pubs close by 11PM!). I have to say it was the best meal I had so far. As you may have heard, the English are not renowned for their food. On my first night, being the American that I am, I ordered a cheeseburger. It was barely cooked, grisly, with grease oozing out of it. Yum!

Day 2: Buckingham Palace, Big Ben/Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey

If you like to walk, you will enjoy this little tour I made up by "winging it". I'm sure it is listed in a walking guide too. From Buckingham Palace to Parliament, it will take all day at a leisurely pace.

I exited the tube at Green Park. Nice walk through there: tall sycamore trees bordered on one end by mansions. Upon leaving the park, you are greeted with a huge fountain: Victoria Monument. Beyond that, Buckingham Palace. I spent a good hour taking photos of the fountain's many statues and reliefs. The changing of the guard at the Palace was canceled that day so you may want to check ahead before planning your outing.

I moved on across the road to St. James Park. It was a nice, sunny spring day. The trees where in bloom with spring flowers and red-billed ducks were swimming in the lagoon. This is a great place to sit, eat lunch, and reflect upon your visit to London (or whatever). I brought some food with me. There is a cafe on the far end but it was expensive and packed.

You can see the London Eye (Millennium Wheel) and the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral from St. James Park. I figured that would be a good place to head off to. It was so exciting to be wandering around London, I have to say. Everything is so well marked. As I was walking I happened upon signs pointing which way to go to Westminster Abbey. Great! Because that is where I wanted to end up. It is also a good idea to have a map with you at all times though. It's easy to get turned around especially after exiting the tube.

I came upon Big Ben and Westminster Palace where Parliament is held. Wow! It was a jaw dropper. The place is so historical and massive plus you see Big Ben all the time associated with London. I walked the length of it, staring with my mouth open.

As great as this whole England trip was, I can say with certainty that this day was one of the trip's highlights. And of this day's highlights, Westminster Abbey shined the brightest. You have to see this place! You don't have to be a Christian or even remotely spiritual to enjoy and revere the beauty of this structure. From Queen Elizabeth's tomb, to the cathedral ceilings that went up at least 100' (outside towers about 225'), to the fact that they started building this thing almost 1000 years ago, gave me the chills. This place was built all by hand: every nook and cranny, piece of wood and stone, was carved by hand. With our modern technology and machines, nothing like this has been built. To me, it's simply stunning!