Today was a work day. Larry had to teach all day long. Mar took some walks to a little outdoor mall (very Americanish). The she walked into some neighborhoods. It looks like Englan architecture, but the houses are only 10 to 20 years old.
After work, we hurried and left for a voyage. We decided it was time to go to Stonehenge. Rats, we got there just as they closed the area - but we still got to see it sitting there on the Salisbury plains. It is in the middle of a beautiful green field. We were really surprised at how big it was. There is no wonder it is so famous with the setting it is in. There are a few things that tell about it and the area around.
Stonehenge, like other religious shrines and cathedrals in England was built and rebuilt many times. It was started about 3000 BC and was completed in three phases. Each phase added to the formation but what is left is mostly the last stage. Some of the stones are from a location about 18 miles away, but the "bluestone" used in the last phases came from Wales 240 miles away (mostly by floating on the water). This was pretty amazing for the technology of the time.
There are thories that it was used for astronomy or as a Druid celebration site. But still at the Summer Solstice, the center stone, called the Heel Stone, lines up with the sunrise. (Do not get confused by the picture. That is not the Heel Stone. In fact that stone is not part of the Stonehenge ring. We were just there at a time when we could get such a cool looking picture. But I am sure that the picture we got means something in an astral sence. Good luck to those who stand withing the shadow of the stone - at sunset.)
Salbury plain has other significant features that are older than Stonehenge. In fact, in the same area there are over 340 burial mounds - know as barrows. Some of them are not even recognizable, many many are clearly visible.
The pictures do not show how truely beautiful the area is.
And then we drove back to Newbury and sucumbed to American food:
And now - England language differences:
Shopping cart = Trolly
Yeild = Give way
Bus = Coach
Take a nap = Have a lie down
Line up = Que
Double highway = Double carriage way
Truck = Lorry
Travel trailer = Caravan
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