Stonehenge at Sunset - Sep 11, 2019

Blogger at work. It's also another of those Linda photo surprises. It has been particularly hard to write the blog on this trip because we've been so busy. I just wish I had the time to do a better job of writing and also to clean up the photos. All the photos have basically been directly out of of the camera and I should insert a very big BAD BOB for leaving out so many of my adjective Bob endings.



Today was a another day trip similar to what we had taken before, yet different. Today we complete our Stonehenge triple. We've been there at sunrise, during the day and today we will be there for sunset.

I've been remiss in posting chimney pot photos and I'm sure the one or two people who read this blog likely haven't missed him, but I've missed posting them. Happy Bob.

The bus the stop along the wall and Linda said look at the faces, I know when there's been a strong suggestion to take a photo. And just to be honest about it, this is one of the few images I have cropped this year. I barely had time to get the camera around to take the photo and if it wasn't cropped I'm not sure you could even tell they were faces. Smart Bob

We're in the mass of people waiting to get into the Roman Baths at Bath. A number of years ago we stayed in Bath for a week and really enjoyed the town. You can see the mass of people behind us waiting to get into the baths. But we were here we would come over first thing in the morning when they opened long before all the tour buses with the day trippers arrived. We would literally have the baths to ourselves for a while.

Obligatory Roman Bath selfie.

I wonder if they were this busy back in Roman times? Curious Bob

Speaking of back in Roman times, here I am transported that there. I have to say the lady really enjoyed her job of being in character, and was a real character herself.

The Hot Spring that feeds the baths.

The remains of the altar from the temple area.

I knew his name when I took the photo but I forgot to take a photo of the placard so I would remember it when I posted the photo. Bad Bob.

Your guess is as good as mine.

I just knew Linda would take a photo of these bones. I was right. Smart Bob.

I just knew Linda would take quite a few pictures of coins. I'll post just one of them. Restrained Bob.

What master builders and engineers the Romans were.

Heading back to the bus we spied this shop, but what really caught my eye was the display in the window.

This one's for you Jeff.

We had to be back to the bus at a certain time and we joked about how we were so familiar with bath having stayed here for a week that we'd have no trouble getting back. Wrong. It turned out we hadn't paid attention to where the bus dropped us off and went to the wrong place but then realized we were in the wrong place and made it to the bus just in time. If we do had our eyes open when we got off the bus we would've remembered that the large building at the back was the hotel we had stayed in when we were here previously.

Puffing Billy model which was one of the very earliest steam trains.

The world's first train tunnel, it's still in operation today.

Only a small part of our tour group of over 40 people walking through the streets of Laycock.

The reason for all the cameras is because a scene from one of the Harry Potter movies was filmed in front of this building. Actually various areas in Laycock were used in the Harry Potter movies and many people come just to see those locations.

Each of our trips to Stonehenge has included a meal at The George Inn. I guess we could say we've completed the George Inn triple now having eaten breakfast, lunch and now dinner here. We both had a steak pie that was the best we've ever had. I'll just say that they know how to fix a much better sticky toffee pudding in Scotland than they do here. Epicure Bob.

Linda always has a huge smile when we arrive at Stonehenge.

That first picture.

That first selfie.

And there it is. I'm going to let what follows pretty much speak for itself with maybe a comment now and then.

Not all the stones are gigantic.

Note the pintle on top of the stone. One of the stones laying on the ground, it's actually hidden by the end of the one in the foreground, had a whole board and it that would have fit over the pintle.

Lichens on the stones.

There are different ways to view the stones.

I actually had to run back to the stones, we were now in the outer circle, to catch the rainbow.

Grass I view. As you might gather from some of the previous photos the sunset was glorious, and the lighting changed significantly as we walked around the outside of the stones.

It's hard to say goodbye to the stones but compared to what most people see being contained to the big outside walkway it's worth every pound to get to walk among them.

For thousands of years they've stood. We have been blessed to be able to visit them during the three times of the day over the years. Happy Bob and Linda.

No stones, just the awesome sky.

The moon rising over the visitor center as we walk to the bus.

I wonder what the builders would think if they saw the millions of tourists who visit Stonehenge every year? As part of the history of stone hedge, it was in use for over 1000 years and the archaeologists believe it was changed significantly during that time. New discoveries about it and its origins come out all the time and make fascinating reading. As for us we would recommend it being on the list of things that every visitor to England should try to do. This is a place where you understand that being a traveler is more than just being a sightseer. Bob and Linda, World Travelers.