Romans, countrymen, it's time for a Bath

It was a little cooler this morning so breakfast under the sun shining through the Conservatory roof was just lovely thank you. A really nice breakfast it was too - a good selection of cereals, fresh (tropical) fruit slices on the table, plunger coffee and a cooked to order hot selection. I chose to go with a lighter poached eggs on toast while Michael opted for the whole Hot English Breakfast. This will no doubt see us past lunchtime!

Michael heads into the Tourist Information Centre to enquire about the Bath Red City Bus Tour. Walking along the impressively wide Pulteney Street he comes in to the city centre passed the Guildhall indoor markets complete with painted pigs. Information and map in hand, he returns. I, in the meantime, complete the blog listing and upload it. The Internet connection is variable and Greg, our host, makes sure that I can access it - even allowing me to use their kitchen - thanks Greg, greatly appreciated.

We started with that familiar City Red Bus Tour - well in fact, we started with two of them. There are two routes through Bath - one that does the inner city area and another that goes further afield around the perimeter of the city and includes the University.

Bath is really an amazing city. The architecture is something else again - with the credit going primarily to two architects, John Wood the Elder and then on his death, John Wood the Younger (his son). They were responsible for the beauty of the symmetrical, grand Georgian designs. The crowning glory are the Royal Crescent and then the Circus. These both feature 4 - 5 storied terraces that are set in graceful curves and all built in Bath Stone - a local yellow limestone. Of course, this architecture complements the earlier Roman and then medieval constructions. The Circus is aptly named for it clearly represents a Roman amphitheatre, with the circular village green the arena. All that was missing were the Gladiatorea and Venerati, and the Emperor pressing his thumb!

Once we were back in town after the tours, Bath Abbey was the first port of call. This spectacular piece of architecture dates back to the early 12th century where a great abbey was created which dominated Medieval Bath. In 1499 the then Bishop of Bath and Wells, Oliver King, dreamed of angels ascending and descending ladders to Heaven and the former Abbey was rebuilt to what stands today. And those angels are still climbing (and some falling) today! There is so much to see, but so little time in which to see it! We forgo the opportunity to climb the tower for views over the City as it is a one hour excursion.

After grabbing a quick milkshake we took ourselves into those famous Roman Baths whose entry, like the Abbey, faces into the Abbey Churchyard - the huge open square that surrounds the Abbey. As you enter, you go through a 'modern' building (dates back to the19th century) and then from behind a glass promenade you begin to get views of those famous waters. They are a full storey below you and this provides a magnificent view. Then you walk around an outside perimeter that has 10 Romanesque statues depicting the emperors while all the time, the Abbey dominates the air space around you.

Now, I was quite disappointed. I thought that the entire baths dated back to the Romans. But this is not the case. The Roman Baths were not discovered and explored until the late nineteenth century. The statues date to 1894 - they were carved in time for the grand opening of the Roman Baths in 1897. In reality, significant construction was undertaken to develop the site as we see it today - there were no full columns left standing and you can clearly see where they were reconstructed from the stumps that remained.

Once you walk around this perimeter, you go through a huge museum (like, it takes at least an hour to just walk through without stopping to explore all the exhibits). In here though, you continue to get glimpses of the baths while exploring the history of the Romans in Bath. As you go down deeper under the ground level, you find the inner workings of the baths and its various ante-chambers still exists as the Romans had built it. This includes lead piping, drainage channels, tunnels, furnaces, under-floor heating, plunge pools etc. And then, and only then, do you have the opportunity to walk out and face that beautiful and evocative space.

Despite what I have just said, the knowledge that it is not all original does not diminish the beauty or its impact one little bit. I always remember Helen telling us how beautiful and special the baths were, and I totally agree. One absolutely amazing piece of trivia is that the lead sheeting that Roman workers pounded to an evenly thick 3cm layer and then riveted in to place on the bottom of the pool (overlapping them to ensure that the pool was water-tight and that no fresh water from the water table could seep into the pool water) is still in place today - still water-tight - after 1900+ years!!! I'd like to see any plumber today achieve that!

But this bath, as beautiful as it is, was only one of a number of baths and the King's Bath still exists in exclusion - you can only look down onto, or out onto it - you cannot get up close and personal. The water that feeds the baths, and the modern day spas of Bath, has bubbled up out of the earth at a constant rate and temperature for all those years also. Mother nature really knows how to weave her magic. We continue our exploration, talking with staff and actor characters that all add a dimension to our visit (they all love the Aussies - but everyone keeps asking where the corks for Michael's Akubra are!). We finally leave as they are closing the doors behind us at 6 pm.

All around the Abbey are pieces of public art - really quirky pieces that seem to feature rabbits a lot. Kind of lends a contemporary feel to this much older space. And there were so many other things that we saw as well - the fascinating Pulteney Bridge that was modelled on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. This bridge crosses the River Avon and between the two of them, provides wonderful postcard views.

It was a warm day in the sun and sheltered from the wind and again I am reminded of the Noel Coward tune - Mad Dogs and Englishmen. Still can't believe how the lily whites are prepared to sacrifice their tender skins to the ravages of the scorching sun.

Sally Lunn's House has existed as a bakery and eatery since 1680 in the oldest house in Bath dating back to the 1400's. Many people have told us we should not miss having a meal here, so before we head back to the tranquility of the Orangery, we join the queue to have dinner. It didn't take too long to get a seat thankfully, and the wait staff were as busy as. The menu sounds interesting, but the meals are very - well, homely is probably the best word I could use to describe it. Michael says that they are very authentic - just minus the weevils! Was a pity after the huge plug it was given. And after the wonderful meal we had last night.

Michael gets a few night shots before bed - ahh yes, that comfortable bed beckons after a pretty full day - physically and mentally!

Dr Who in Bath

I was able to get to bed a little earlier last night (10:30 pm) and crashed. The blackout curtains in the bedroom were working really well and it was after 7 am when I woke (Michael was, of course, still pumping zzzz’s) – yeeha 8 ½ hours sleep – that is a first for ages!

The shower was great so the day is good!! And the traditional Welsh breakfast of poached egg, bacon, sausage, tomato, lava bread (seaweed & oats) and cockles (cold & sans shell) was, well, interesting. Actually it was tasty even if Michael did eat my cockles!

We are continuing our look around Cardiff this morning and before we head into the city centre we go to have a look at the Llandaff Cathedral (the Catholic Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul). We found parking in a little square hidden from the main streets – turns out it was the original market square. The church is actually more interesting from the outside than the inside, although it has a beautiful Chapel to Our Lady. The other thing that it has is a very interesting pipe holder for a new organ that is currently being installed – can’t say that it appealing to my tastes – the arches they have created to support it seem very out of place with the classic arches of the church’s construction.

We have decided not to do the Red City Bus Tour as most things are within an easy walk of parking and we have already seen Cardiff Bay. We continue into town past Cardiff Castle and bless her little heart, the parking fairy provides us with a space literally right outside the council and the courts. The Cardiff City Hall is a truly impressive piece of architecture whose dome top is crowned with a bronze statue of the Welsh dragon. Michael went in asked for a look and they showed him around the impressive foyer areas and in to the even more impressive Council Chambers (note the laptops on the desks – yes, technology catches us all).

The National Museum Cardiff is just next door and has free entry (as do all national museums and art galleries in Wales and Scotland). There are a number of major exhibits including the geology of Wales, the china industries and a very impressive art collection. What we want to have a look at though is the Charles Darwin exhibit and a showing of wonderful photographs by Diane Arbus. There were a number of sculptures by Rodin and the painting Camden Town Portrait by Walter Sickert, who was once considered a possible suspect in the Ripper murders (only Michael would know that piece of trivia).

In the foyer there is a screen with a live feed to a small colony of peregrine falcons that are nesting in the ledges of the City Hall Bell Tower. Back for their third year, they sat on their eggs for the required time (28-32 days) but then abandoned the nest and as it is in accessible, no-one knows whether the chicks died soon after hatching or even if the eggs hatched. When we go back outside, you can see evidence of these nests high in a number of the surrounding buildings and statues.

The car parking ticket needs to be renewed so I go back while Michael races up to Alexandra Gardens a block away to take a closer look at the stunning war memorials – one to the WWI and the other to the Falklands War.

And then for something totally different . . .
I had seen the advertisements for a Doctor Who Exhibition back towards Cardiff Bay and so off we go. It is located within an entertainment complex with the cinemas. There are warnings re strobe lights and advice to children that if the adults they are with get scared, to hold their hands! Nice. The exhibition is incredibly well done. I have tolerated Dr Who for years and years, and the work they have put into this impresses even me. It goes without saying that Michael is almost wetting his pants!

Ah – Dr Who…. Yes, Maria is correct by stating the exhibition impressed even her. Any visitor could not be tempted into showing a modicum of enthusiasm towards this showcase. Indeed it was most impressive, as it covered the series’ history from its inception through to its current intrepid Doctor. Several of the exhibits displayed the costumes worn by the successive actors: John Pertwee (Dr Who #3); Tom Baker (Dr Who #4) – to name a couple. Other exhibits displayed some of the Dr’s protagonists: Sontaran Warrior; Cybermen and Dr Who’s nemesis – the Daleks.

Strobe and laser lights flashed and swept the exhibition; whilst, displays were supported by television screens showing excerpts from the respective series. Overall, the special effects added to the ambience; however, the display of the Daleks’ rise was the icing on the cake. Their sound resonated while they did the Dalek dance and threw their firepower at us. A little corny in the high tech world of today’s animatronics but when you think that these were developed almost 50 years ago, it is impressive.

Its almost 4 pm and we need to be heading towards Bath. It will take us about one and a half hours to get there and we really want to detour briefly into Caerleon to have a look at the Roman Bath House and fort. As we are leaving Cardiff there is a huge traffic halt and for about 7 kms we are crawling at 8 – 15 kph. Roadworks….again! Once we are through them, it takes about 30 minutes to get to Caerleon and we arrive right on 5 pm – and just as the Bath House (which also has free entry) closes. The amphitheatre and barracks however are open all the time and so we can take a look.

The fort must have been rambling, and possibly the size of a small satellite city, if the area of the barrack precinct is any indication. As with most Roman forts, all that remains are the foundations, ditches and perimeter walls…maybe. I suppose to give the area some perspective, the floor area of each of four barracks’ is 40 metres by 10 metres. There are the remains of the two kitchens and four external ovens and two granaries. A 100 metre section of the fort’s eastern perimeter wall remains, and runs parallel to the amphitheatre.

The amphitheatre seems to have fared better than the barracks, being built as an arena in lieu of a semi-circular theatre. This colosseum could seat a modest 5000 spectators, who would be entertained by blood sports of varying degrees. However the amphitheatre would also have been used by the garrisoned troops as a training ground. The arena’s external walls have long disappeared; seating is evident and preserved under a dense layer of soil and grass. The main and alternate gateways still remain as does the small snack bar with its oven. The amphitheatre has been rejuvenated as an open-air theatre, and while we were there a troupe were making preparations for some sort of performance.

Then it is on to Bath. We get back on the motorway and join the heavy traffic towards Bristol and Bath that must be commuters. It was all uneventful until we hit Bath when, road works yet again means that the traffic crawls. Not a problem though – I have phoned Denise at our accommodation so she knows when to expect us.

Now that Kate is armed with the address, we have no problems finding Queen Charlotte's Orangery B&B – gosh, what did we do without her? (he he he) We are met at the door by Denise who leads us into a fairytale. This is the original Orangery built for the visit by King George III and Queen Charlotte to Bath in 1817. The door to the Orangery sits alone in the sheltering wall and is very unobtrusive. You step down two stone flagging steps into a circular room and look out through glass french doors into the stunning garden beyond. Denise tells us that before she and husband, Colin, came to Bath about 2½ years ago that they had run a larger B&B in London for 14 years, winning the Best B&B Award for some years. When they sold the business the new owners did not want the garden, so they dug it up and packed it into a pantech and brought it to Bath with them – which explains the mature garden after only 2 years.

The Orangery sits behind the house constructed for the royal visit that now houses 5 apartments that cannot be altered in any way. Evidently one has a huge ballroom! This building was the orangery - the hothouse or conservatory. It is very obvious that Denise and Colin love what they do. The welcome is warm and genuine and the offer of a cuppa in the garden on arrival is a lovely touch. So in the late afternoon / early evening (7:30ish) light we sit amongst the roses and lavender and wind down from the trip. But our joy is only half done – Denise opens the door to our room - The Amelia Room, and all I can do is gasp! It is decorated in much the same style that you would expect that the bedroom might have been for the royals.

The bed is huge and every little detail has been addressed from the soft (pea-less) mattress to the firm but soft pillows, to muted bed lamps and period furniture. We overlook the garden from our window. The bathroom is large and airy and you step into a heavenly rain-head shower.

Once we have taken in the joys of the room, we decide to go for dinner. Denise has given us a ‘Restaurants in Bath’ guide map. Parking is the biggest issue in Bath as we find in many older cities. Even more so here, as the city sits in a tight valley, with residential areas climbing the steep slopes. After unsuccessfully trying to get parking near the first two we consider, my little angel weaves her magic again and we have a park about four kerb places away from the Beaujolais Restaurant. It is 9:30 pm and the kitchen is about to close so we are asked to ‘please order quickly’. The menu has a nice range with three choices on the set menu and another five on the a-la-carte. We opt for the latter, tempted by a number of the offerings. Finally (ok, ok quickly) we decide.

While waiting for our meals we are served two types of home-made bread and hazelnut oil and I sip on a Raspberry Bellini – man, am I loving these raspberries!
Entrees:
Homemade Ravioli of Fresh Tomatoes with Black Olive Butter (Michael)
Brixham Crab Patties, Fresh Cucumber Salsa and Lemon Dressing (Maria)
Mains:
Rump of lamb served with fresh peas, broad beans and barley(Michael)
Corn-fed chicken served with a warm potato and leek salad and Madeira Jus (Maria)
Desserts:
Chocolate pecan tart with stem ginger ice cream (Michael)
Pistachio sorbet with caramelised pistachios(Maria)
And we finished with espressos.
Now, this meal was superb, from the breads to the coffee. Without overdoing it, it is hard to do it justice. The ingredients are combined to produce a wonderful marriage of flavours – so that you taste each individual flavour through a wedded bliss. And the service was excellent. Our waitresses (Brigette, formerly known as Malagie! from the Champagne area in France, and Jenna who was born and raised in – Hobart!) are friendly and attentive. I guess we showed just the right level of enthusiasm as the chef, Simon, came to say hello as he was finishing for the night. Our one true regret of the night is forgetting and then not going back for the camera. So, sorry, no photos.

So, back to the Orangery and a night’s sleep fit for a Queen!

Lots of links to Aust.

Ahh - breakfast this morning at the Castle and Ball is wonderful. A tantalising selection of cereals, pastries ad fresh fruit and then the cooked menu! Michael has Traditional Eggs Benedict (lightly toasted flour bap topped with slices of hand cut Norfolk ham, poached eggs and a rich hollandaise sauce) while I opt for the lighter Smoked Scottish Salmon and scrambled eggs with a wedge of lemon. They were both truly delicious and a lovely way to start our day. The staff, like those on duty last night are friendly and chatty. The bed was amazingly comfortable and the power shower great for waking you up! Really, a lovely place to stay (even if there is a bit of road noise).

Today is bright and warm again. Michael takes a whole heap of parcels over to the Post Office and posts the important birthday presents home - even though they are late. Sorry boys - and dad has posted them surface mail, so they might take a little while to get to you :(
We leave Marlborough without even having ventured around to take a look at what looks like a neat and tidy town, bustling on a major road network intersection. The hotel dates back to before the Spanish Armada in 1588 and some of the beams are still original! The current name is thought to be a balls up of the Castle and Bull - both of which appear on the Borough Coat of Arms.

We are headed for Cardiff - yep, back to Wales. This south-east area is the only part of Wales that we did not get to see on our earlier visit (but we knew we would be close enough to come across at this point). Our trip was all the way on the motorway - this was only because it saves an hour off the journey and we are keen to spend a bit of time here. They are still moving those tanks - we pass another three on low loaders today and in the skies overhead there is a Hercules doing training manoeuvres - can't believe that Michael did not want to get a single photo!!! We do however get a photo of the billboard advertising a Charity Polo match between England and Australia on 21st June - more Aussies coming over.

Cardiff is only one and a half hours (via the motorways) from Marlborough so we are here just after 12. Cardiff is surprising - from the wonderfully fresh looking Second Severn River Crossing Bridge that is painted a light greeny blue colour. It shines on the horizon as you come towards Wales and makes an excellent reference marker. The tide is out as we cross and all we see at this point are the estuary mud flats with a few small islets that stand proudly over their lowly bed mates. It is amazing to see just how wide the estuary is here, just before the river empties its waters into the Bristol Channel at the crossing point of Aust! On the west (Wales) side of the bridge we encounter one of the few tolls in the British Isles - £5.40, quite a whopper!

Cardiff presents as a clean and green city as you drive towards the centre. The architecture is grand in the civic buildings and there is street parking all around this area - however, I think the fairy must be out getting some sun as there is not a single spot to be found. We don't want to waste such a beautiful afternoon just searching, so we head out to Cardiff Bay only 5 kms away.

Like many other seaside cities in Europe, Cardiff is undergoing an enormous amount of re-development after years of previously industrial land lying vacant with the collapse of major engineering or manufacturing activities. Wales' first 5 star hotel has opened here following the construction of a barrage that has effectively dammed the Taff and Ely Rivers resulting in a large freshwater lake. Parking is somewhat easier at the Bay and the fee is pretty good too - £1.50 for three hours. A walk around the promenade brings us to the boat moorings and there is a small open boat - The Daffodil - about to do a 45 minute round trip of the bay for a mere £5 per person. Think African Queen and you get the idea, although the Daffodil is much smaller without a covered cabin! So we jump aboard with another 9 people and off we set. (Michael jumps off and gets ice creams from the Cadwalader Ice Creamery - Chocolate and Dragon's Breath (Chocolate with chili) for him and Strawberry and Vanilla for me. Man, that Strawberry was the best I have ever tasted!

Our captain is full of little bits of information - some useful and some trivial! There is a local couple with their visiting Australian sister and husband, and another couple with their daughter from Newhaven in south east England. We are shown close up the former dry docks and the new sea gates that open to let yachts in and out - where the salt water (being heavier than fresh water) sinks to the bottom and is sucked out of the bay, the salmon ladders and the created wetlands to cater for the birds who previously inhabited the mudflats. In fact there is a great variety and volume of bird life on the water today.

As there is such a small group it does not take long for us all to get chatting. Turns out, the Newhaven couple have a number of relations who have moved to the Sydney environs and they have visited Australia 5 times. Their daughter tells us she is leaving for a year in Australia in August. I give her a card and tell her to look us up if she gets anywhere near us. When she asks when we will be back, we reply early in 2010, but I add that Gen is at home and would gladly make a bed available. "Gen", she says, "I am Gen too!" At which point I say "Our daughter is Genevieve" (thinking that she is probably a Jenny) when she shrieks "Oh my god, I am Genevieve too!" Now, AIN'T the world a small place!! So look out Gen, she has our home contacts so ... if a British sounding Gen phones - you make sure you give her a real Aussie welcome.

Back on shore and it is time to have some lunch. There are a plethora of eateries around the promenade - from Silver Service restaurants to fast food outlets and all manner in between. We wander aimlessly for a little while, reading the menus that are posted outside (this is a European practice I really like). Finally we get to Strada - an Italian restaurant that seems well patronized and has an interesting menu range. The staff are busy but very friendly and find us a table in the open air, but shaded from the now raging midday sun. We are again amazed at how many people turn their chairs to face the sun and strip off as many clothes as decently possible - gosh, there is even one woman very badly burnt (probably yesterday) out again, all exposed with the reddest, angriest back - gosh, why is it that they don't get the skin cancer message?

We take a little while to decide on lunch, starting with a Pinot Grigio and sparkling water plus Cesto di Pane Misto (Ideal for sharing, ciabatta, grissini, walnut bread, tomato foccacia & Sardinian crisp bread with extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar) and Green Castelvetrano olives. God that walnut bread and the home made grissini, and the sardinian crisp bread and the foccacia were wonderful. And it was fantastic to taste some good balsamic again, and not the white or even malted vinegar the English favour.

Michael then had the Risotto ai Frutti di Mare (Classic southern Italian risotto of squid, mussels, prawns and clams, finished with chili, tomato, garlic and extra virgin olive oil) while I feasted upon Formaggio di Capra Pizza (Goats cheese, balsamic onions, walnuts, mozzarella and tomato, finished with parsley). How that chef loves walnuts - and what wonderful ways he uses them! We pass on the desserts as we began with them on the boat ;)

As Michael pays one of the waiters at the till, we learn he is from Randwick - my old stomping ground! So you can get the drift of today's blog title by now I hope.

We leave the promenade and take a quick look at Roald Dahl Plass (Plaza) which is just, a space, and then the Millennium Centre. It is closed but is a visually stunning building capped by copper that gleams on land and out into the bay. I go back to the car as the parking ticket is about to expire while Michael goes over to have a look at a huge ship moored a short distance away - the Logos Hope. Turns out that it has been decommissioned and is now the worlds largest floating bookstore - an Evangelical Bookstore at that too. He doesn't stay long! On the way back to the car he takes photos of the Helwick, a former lighthouse ship, lots of public art in the area and finally a stunningly beautiful mosaic memorial to (Robert Falcon) Scott of the Antarctic who sailed from this dock on his last and fatal voyage - a very brave man.

We are feeling a little tired - a combination of too many late nights and a day in the warm and glorious sun, so we head for Tesco for more water (we are going through heaps), a new face washer (took us six months to leave it behind Mum - that's a record!) and new sunglasses for me and Michael lost my other ones in a wind one day earlier in our trip. Then it is over to the City Centre and the Churchills Hotel where we find a ground floor suite with a sitting room awaiting us and the birds chirping away in the gardens. Michael gets me a Bulmers Pear Cider and I play Scrabble while I do the blog. Tomorrow morning we will do the red bus tour here before we head back to Bath.

Neolithic Man - the precision worker.

After the hustle and bustle of London yesterday and a week or more in bigger cities, it was lovely this morning to be heading back out into the English countryside. The day is again beautiful (perfect one day, b***** beautiful the next!) We leave West Drayton just after 10 am and so, have allowed the worst of the peak traffic to have passed us. The trip to Avebury is uneventful even if slowed by road works from time to time.

Just before Swindon we pass a convoy of army vehicles on low loaders - by the condition of the troop carrier and the tanks we suspect that they have returned from active service - maybe in Afghanistan or Iraq. Sadly as I type this the nightly news reports the deaths of another two British servicemen in Afghanistan today. The other big news of course is the missing Air France A330 Airbus over the Atlantic Ocean with all 230 people on board presumed lost.

We are headed for Avebury, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a site that, like others we have seen in our trip through the United Kingdom and Ireland, dates back more than 5,000 years. There is something so imponderable that just draws you to them. The precision with which the stones have been placed raises more questions about than we will ever be able to answer - the why, how, what kind of questions. And as with some of these monuments, while you look keenly for them in the surrounding landscape, they allude you until, all at once, you round a corner and there they are - close enough to touch!

En route, we are driving down a narrow major road (the A4) with flowering rape seed all around us beaming brighter than the yellow sun when I glance further afield and there is - Oh. My. God. A white horse! You know, one of those that has been carved into the side of the chalky hills. A quick u-turn a couple of kilometres down the road and back we go to Hackpen Hill to take a closer look. Michael walks down the (12%) slope to where the carving is, to find that it is totally open and that if he had wanted to, he could have walked all over it! Of course, he doesn't but certainly gets close enough for some interesting photos. Turns out that they were dug out in 1837 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Victoria.
Back down the road then and on to Avebury . . .

The hamlet of Avebury has grown around and through the Stone Circle over time so that now, the Circle is an integral part of the village - or maybe, the village is an integral part of the Circle. And just on cue, around the corner - there are the first of the stones! What makes this circle stand out are a number of features - its size, the mound, the enclosed circles, the surrounding 'hills' and other mounds, the tombs and its accessibility. The National Trust manages the property and the best thing about this is that it is totally accessible to the people of the UK and of course anyone else who happens to find themselves here. In fact, on the brochure, one suggestion is "... for an unusual place to have lunch why not put down a rug in the stone circle..."!

We park in the car park and walk about 600 m around to the henge so that from ground level you look at the curve of the outer henge. This henge is built upon a huge raised flat area surrounded by a ditch that when first constructed was an incredible 9 metres deep. And all this was dug with antlers. The stones are HUGE - much larger than any others we have seen to date. Sure there was one stone on the Isle of Islay that was taller, but these are not only tall at up to 12 feet high, the are LARGE rocks - and consequently very very heavy. So again we are faced with all the engineering and logistics questions - how did these people who for so long we have accepted to be uneducated and brutish move and construct such a henge?

But we have only just begun our journey of discovery here! Turns out there were circles within circles and avenues of stones leading to them, a vast barrow tomb and a constructed symmetrical hill that so far has escaped all explanation. Oh, how arrogant man has been in quickly dismissing the skill and knowledge of his ancestor. These days are the ones when we just feel so small. It is a O. My. God. experience - all day long!

Once we have a look around the main henge, Michael takes off to explore the rest, while I adjourn to the Red Lion Pub for a pint of Cider and some lunch - Open King Prawn and Loch Fyne Scottish Smoked Salmon on toasted multi-grain bread. Gosh it was SO good! When Michael joins me in a little while he orders the Shredded aromatic Hoisin Duck and Cucumber Wrap. Mmmm mmmm.

After we lunch, we drive around to have a look at the Silbury Hill. Archaeologists have so far been unable to explain why this huge mound was constructed. This in no way diminishes the impact that it has on the surrounding landscape - or on us!

From here Michael walks over and 700 m up a hill to the West Kennet Barrow. While Michael is there I watched in amazement as the breeze ripples the grasses across the hills like waves on the land. And all this in a beautiful English summer landscape with little white cotton clouds being puffed along on the wind in the otherwise brilliant blue sky.

The walk up the incline to the barrow was quite a challenge, and my endeavour was rewarded with a spectacular view of a vista dominated by the Silbury Hill. However, nothing could quite prepare me what I was to find at the very top of the climb. Before me stood a long mound with a final sarsen stone at the entrance, standing at least three metres high. My excitement was overwhelming as I could walk into the barrow's interior. The barrow is maintained by the National Trust who have installed small skylights which shed light into the main aisle of the barrow.

Similar in construction to the passages and chambers of Newgrange in Ireland, one could be excused for assuming this was the work by the same builders. The main aisle doesn't run the full length of the barrow, however, the construction is just breathtaking. Stout sarsen stones supporting much larger lintels, along the length of the central aisle and similar construction of the five chambers. Four of the chambers open onto the main aisle, whilst the five and largest chamber is at the end of the aisle. There is evidence of visitations by devotees who have left flower bouquets in the main chamber. The small slabs of oolitic limestone were used for packing between the larger sarsen stones. Similar to the cairn mounds in Ireland, the interior construction at West Kennet is as appeared over 5000 years ago.

The mound was built up from chalk rubble dug from the two ditches on either side. This barrow was first documented by the diarist John Aubrey during the 16th century, and again in the 17th century by William Stukely. And our last stunner of today was the sight of a long avenue of standing stones lined up in an avenue facing each other and leading to or from the Stone Circle. West Kennet avenue connects the circle with The Sanctuary, another circle long disappeared and with only the ditch outline remaining. Yes, neolithic man rocks!

Tonight we are staying at the Castle and Ball Pub in Marlborough just a few kilometres away. This is another pub in the Greene King Old English Inns chain - the same as the Red Lion today. The room on the first floor is spacious and overlooks the main street - the widest main street in England! We have dinner in the restaurant at 8:15 pm so that we can be upstairs again in time to watch a special on Stonehenge! Fancy that - on the day that we have been to another amazing henge.

Dinner tonight was just as amazing as today's lunch - Fisherman's Catch (West Country whitebait fillets with fresh tartare sauce and seasonal fresh vegetables and bay peas) Michael and Farm-assured roast chicken breast (with a Provencal sauce, buttered new potatoes and green beans) Maria. We followed it with Chocolate Fondant with ice cream (Michael) and Sicilian Lemon Tart with fresh berries (Maria). And while Michael had an Appletiser to drink, I tried a Bombay Raspberry Crush - fresh crushed raspberries in Bombay Blue Sapphire Gin topped with lemonade - too bad raspberries are so expensive at home - this is absolutely delicious!!