Some interesting statistics to date:
* Number of individuals who have read the blog to date (11:50am Tuesday 9 June 2009 GMT) is 3105!
* Number of page hits is now 10,127!!
* Number of photographs taken to date is 29,853 - that's an average of 169 per day! But there have been a couple of 600+ photo days!! And today it is 800+!!!
* Days on the road - today is day 178
It is amazing me how many people have read the blog and there are obviously some of those who are following it given that there are about 3 page hits per person. Never expected that!
Today we go down a block for breakfast to The Swan pub where we get a full English breakfast for a miserly £7.95 each. The plate was just barely big enough to hold it all. And as if the planned tube strike is not enough, London wants to make sure that everyone is fully miserable today as we wake to drizzle.
Michael plans to walk through Hyde Park and go to the Natural History Museum but I am staying off my feet today and will load the remaining photos on to DVDs so I can delete them from the PC. After spending a whopping 3 hours talking with Ally and Leith (nice to see his face after all these years), I finally get to copy the pics! 
The drizzling rain has finally ceased, so it's off to the Natural History Museum through London's glorious Hyde Park. People have taken advantage of the break in the weather and it appears they have all converged into the parklands! I can't blame them for although it is still overcast, the air isn't cold but cool - rather nice for a promenade. There are people jogging, strolling, perambulating, sitting and reading or just staring. Families are out and about, and tourists out and about snapping with their varied and assorted media - I can certainly relate to that!
Just as an aside, throughout our travels we have encountered beggars (professional or otherwise), gypsies and buskers in want. We've encountered them from Beijing to Barcelona; from Lisbon to London, this morning I was to meet one whom I was unable to assist through design and not request. You see, this particular needful fellow 
accosted me from the fenced-in bushes, and sat in front me in supplication. As I stooped he cautiously retreated, so I continued my walk and to my surprise it followed... However, with the dexterity of rodent it ascended the fence and there perched itself, again in supplication! A rare opportunity for me indeed to photograph a squirrel at such close quarters! Regrettably, I was unable to reward my companion for its persistence.
So, I finally reached my destination after passing various tributes to the late Princess Diana of Wales - a fountain; a circular watercourse; a memorial and a children's playground. Do you know there isn't a memorial to Drs Frederick Banting and George Best - the discoverers of insulin..... Albeit, I did pass the Royal Geographical Society sporting a statue 
of Ernest Henry Shackelton!
The Museum is an amazing piece of architecture, in fact the building is just as interesting and impressive as its contents. Since my last visit months ago, the museum has changed the layout of many of its permanent exhibits, which seem an improvement on the former. To avoid boring the heck out of 
you, check out the Natural History Museum's web site.
After spending two hours at the museum, I thought it prudent to return to the hotel otherwise I wouldn't have time to visit the HMS Belfast, which is permanently moored on the River Thames and this evening join a 'Jack the Ripper' tour. So I decide to use the Tube system...yeah, right. The pending Underground service strike, which is to commence from 7pm this evening, is already causing chaos. Services to the western Central and Circle Lines are already experiencing disruptions due to signal failures, hence a smooth service cannot be guaranteed. So, I opt for 'shank's pony' as it is only a half hour walk to the hotel.
No sooner had I arrived at the hotel and gotten myself in order for this afternoon and the evening’s activities - I'm off again. I head for Lancaster Gate Tube station (which is just around the corner), and I catch the train on the eastern Central Line for the Bank and change trains for the Tower Hill station. A brisk walk from Tower Hill then across the Esplanade and join the throng which is crossing the Tower Bridge - from both directions. This Bridge, out of all of London's landmarks, must surely be the most impressive and most trod!
I reach the southern end of the Bridge, then along the Thames riverside 
until I arrive at the Belfast. There is a mass of people wandering the ship's decks and turrets; even the ship's mess now converted into a cafe is brimming with visitors. The aroma wafting amidships is a mixture of oil and coffee....yum! However, after wandering the ship's decks and reading the information panels, one gets the impression the aroma was quite different when the Belfast was still in commission! The ship's restoration and the onboard exhibits, and the use of wax figures to represent crew members, 
is most impressive. Yeomen are also on deck to avail them should any visitor require further clarification.
After spending two and half hours exploring this fine ship (and the cafe's coffee is nice and strong!), I take my leave and head a shore to find somewhere to have dinner before my rendezvous with 'Jack'. I eventually settle on having dinner at a pub called the 'Minorities', which is nestled below the Tower Bridge. I have their Vegetable Kiev with a fresh salad sans chips and potato, which makes for a delicious and tasty repast - no photo as I was quite hungry!
Dinner taken care of, I return to the Tower Hill station and rendezvous with the guide for the 'Jack The Ripper - THE Tour'. There are fifteen people in our group and the guide is named Dickie, who certainly proves that he knows his stuff. We are taken through the streets of Whitechapel where the murders had taken place. Regrettably, some of the streets where the dreadful crimes took place were obliterated during the Blitz of 
1940. So with our imaginations ably guided by our host, one could visualise the location and the macabre sensation which accompanied the discovery of the crimes. Mind you, the tour took two and half hours which was a combination of the crimes, the suspects, the constabulary and history of the Whitechapel area and indeed the history of the Detecting division during the Victorian era. Dickie also provided quips and information on the various occupants and groups who lived and worked in East London.
Overall it was an illuminating day - that even includes travelling on the London Bus system during a rail strike. Suffice to say I would have arrived much sooner at the hotel if I had walked from Tower Hill....c'est la vie!
Tonight I am determined to do the London by Night Bus tour. Now, as twilight does not fall until 9:16 pm tonight, I opt to take the 9:30 pm tour. This bus is also open topped while the other two that ran earlier (and in the light) are closed top buses. We are travelling through the city, me clicking frantically left and right and at 10:45 pm there is still blue light 
in the sky above the yellow of the city lights that is reflected on the cloud cover. Honestly, it was not truly dark until after 11 pm. And you would not believe the number of people still out and about - some obviously still going home from work, others out to party. Gosh, you can have that lifestyle - when do they sleep?? Still, London is absolutely beautiful by night and part of me understands how people wan
t to be out in it (that would be the non-sleepy part of me)!
And just how lucky can I be? I am the ONLY ONE on the tour tonight - pity the poor driver/guide. He could have had an early night! The traffic is horrendous - all the more so because of the tube strike. There are huge queues of people waiting for buses all across the City. I am sitting upstairs, hair streaming behind me in the summer breeze. Actually, I am freezing the proverbial - it is all of 11°C before you factor in the wind chill - not as cold as Perth when I spoke with Allyson at 5°, but still cold enough. 
I walk back in to the hotel right on midnight having taken 660 photos tonight! (I've since lost about 40% due to a camera that is trying to focus in very low light, or the glare of streetlights, while moving - grr) I'm frozen to the core so Michael orders coffee (for him) and hot chocolate from room service and we are delivered pots full - with about 6 cups in each, steaming hot and delicious. Its now after 1 am, so I am off to bed. Ciao
It is much much cooler in London this morning. We take advantage of the fact that we can make the bedroom in our suite very dark to sleep in until 9 am this morning. I woke just before the alarm was due and find that the shower is cooler rather than warm - a good ruse to save on hot water bills maybe!! Breakfast is not cheap at the hotel and given our experience last night in the restaurant, we opt to have brunch out!
I manage to catch up with Helen on Skype - home, exhausted after the annual Mapleton scrapping marathon. I explained that I had tried to phone her over the weekend so I could catch up with the girls but I kept getting the 'this phone number is disconnected' message. Turns out she had to buy a new phone and for whatever reason, could not keep her old phone number. Oh well, the best laid plans ...
We also managed to get on to Antony and Amanda on Skype. They leave Darwin for 6 weeks visiting the rellies this Wednesday. Izabella was asleep after a day which Antony described as 'she finally found her feet fully'. I can just see her in my minds eye, running and giggling up and down their long hall! Turns out she is wearing a size 5 shoe. OMG she 
is going to be talllll.
Michael goes for a wander through the Kensington Gardens across the road while I upload yesterdays photos on to the blog. This blog is turning out to be our saviour as we often get confused these days with where and when we saw a particular thing. Today we are off to the Victoria and Albert Museum. From here we get the Tube from the Lancaster Gate Station, and we change at Notting Hill Gate for the 
Circle line to get off at South Kensington. Now, I know that everyone will not believe me, but there we were at 12:48 in the afternoon at Notting Hill Gate Station, with literally no one else on the platform. And this was as the train was coming! That would have to be a first, surely!
Then it is a walk through a subway lined with posters of all the Shows presently on in London. Gosh, there are so many! There 
are many exits from this subway - all signposted just like you are up on the streets and I am reminded of The Third Man with Orson Welles and Joseph Cotton where the sewers have street signs! We emerge at the Museum of Natural History - more so we can take a decent photo of the amazing architecture than any desire to go in today.
The V&A as the Victoria and Albert Museum is locally known is on the next block, and is almost as striking. But the real beauty unfolds when you walk through the doors. There is a reception area that sits squarely under a beautiful cupola with an amazing modern glass sculpture hanging from it. We buy tickets for the Baroque exhibition - Baroque 1620-1800: Style in the Age of Magnificence. But before we go in, we grab sandwiches and coffee and sit in the beautiful garden surrounding a cascading water pool.
Given all we have seen in the past six months, this exhibition seems especially interesting. And it was, demonstrating how the baroque art and furniture opened world travel and trade. Although by the end of it, we came away thinking that world poverty could be well and truly a thing of the past if only the mainline churches divested themselves of some of their wealth and applied it where needed - gosh, world debt could probably be wiped out!
We had time to see other exhibits then and split up as we wanted to see
different things. Michael went off to drool over the statuary, while I headed off to the Sacred Silver and Stained Glass gallery. This one focuses on the development of stained glass from the 1300s on and since most of this is in churches, it made some sort of sense to also exhibit some of the silver (and gold) pieces held by the churches with it. My comment from the last paragraph applies equally as well here!!
Then I went to have a look at the Cast 
Courts, followed by the European collections - Medieval and Northern Renaissance. The cast courts are a collection of plaster casts taken of significant historic monuments. The explanation is that this is one of the only ways that many museums, and therefore many populations, will ever get to see these monuments. As I move through them, my eye is drawn to something that seems familiar - and there it is - the Ruthwell Cross cast. Hm, it is much more impressive in it's church setting in Scotland and away from the overcrowded setting here. The space is dominated by casts of Trajan's Column in Rome - in two pieces, and without the bronze statue top!
Finally a huge open gallery hung with Raphael cartoons. Now, the original definition of cartoon is 'a full-scale design for a picture, ornamental motif or pattern, or the like, to be transferred to a fresco, tapestry, etc' These ones are huge! And there are conservators sewing tape to the back of one of the tapestries that one of the cartoons were sk
etched for. I asked her how long it would take and the reply was "a few days" - that is two of them just using running stitch to sew on a hanging tape around the perimeter of a tapestry that measures something like 40 feet by 12 feet! You could not take photos in many of these exhibition spaces, but if you click on the museum link you can see some of it.
When we meet up at the Information Desk, Michael says the Sculpture Gallery was the highlight for him, especially the one of Samson and a Philistine by Giambologna made in the mid 1500s.
We then get a red London Bus to Picadilly Circus for the Prince of Wales Theatre where we have tickets for MAMMA MIA. IN LONDON! AND MICHAEL CAME WITH ME. Cool, very cool! Knowing that once we get back onto the continent next week, we will not have good opportunities for a good Indian meal, we decide to try to find an Indian restaurant close to the theatre as London (and England) have some great ones. And we find one less than a block from the PoW Theatre - the Indian Brasserie in Rupert Street. As we are having a look at their menu in the window, a staff member comes out to encourage us in with "very good food missus" . My reply of "well, they would shoot you if you said it was bad food" seemed to perplex him! Don't think anyone has ever had a retort before! Anyway, in we go - we want to be close when it comes time to go to the show. The food turned out to be good - very very good!
Our meal consisted of:
Pappadums with onion salad, mixed pickle, mint sauce & mango chutney
Mixed Kebab - Lamb Tikka, chicken Tikka sheek kebab
Lamb Korma
Chicken Tikka Masala - Diced boneless chicken cooked on skewers in th
e Tandoor and then cooked in a special sauce and fresh cream (mild)
Aubergine & Potato Bhajee
Tarka Dall (Lentils)
Pilaw Rice (Basmati)
Nan - unleavened bread baked in clay oven.
Then a quick stop for munchies before we go into the theatre. Our tickets are in Row H in the Circle - so, up high we go. Up four flights of stairs. And my leg is killing 
me - so much so that in the cramped environment of a packed 1100 seat theatre I finally relent and take a codeine tablet.
The show was F A N T A S T I C as I knew it would be. And even Michael concedes that (in parts) it was very good. It is loud and upbeat and fun and familiar. Just great! It finishes with 3 encores just after 10 pm.
In a London cab ride back to the hotel we learn that there is a 48 hour tube strike commencing at 7pm tomorrow night. Looks like getting out of the City on Wednesday morning might be a right headache (yes, we are staying another night!) A great day!
Late last night we had the most amazing thunder and lightening show as part of a storm here. Lucky it wasn't earlier in the night as there was a festival complete with fireworks. We did not know about it though - so didn't get down to it. The thunder was so loud and
the lightening so bright. We couldn't work out why until we realised that this was the first thunder storm we had seen since leaving Queensland in the middle of last December! Funny what you miss!! But it did not last long - mind you, it rained much of the night.
Consequently, this morning was bright and clear with a new 
freshness to everything. The sky is bright and it could be the perfect day to see Stonehenge - if it were not a weekend. So instead, we head in to Salisbury Cathedral. (The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury). Once there, we find parking just behind the Cathedral Close (oh that parking angel is a darling) and set off to walk around this masterpiece of construction before we head inside. Of course, being a Sunday we get there to find that there is a service being conducted and for the time being we are restricted to seeing it from outside. But it takes some time to study all t
he features from outside including the wealth of statuary, although not as complete or in as good condition as those of the Wells Cathedral.
Perimeter done, the service is still going but with it nearing midday we are sure it won't be long now. Michael takes a quick detour over the road to the Wardrobe Museum of Military 
Uniforms (complete with no less than eight VC medals, John). Just after he left, the service concludes! This museums focuses on the history of the Wiltshire Rifle Regiment from the Crimea War through to modern day providing a chronological history using uniforms and ordinance to outline the regiment's history. The interior of the building is as gracious as the exhibits.
The Cathedral is every bit as stunning as I 
remember it and then some. The porters are packing away many of the chairs used in the service, opening the Cathedral to reveal the vast space that it is. The organist has stayed and is playing for all his might - mind you, I feel that the music choice is rather heavy and dark and I wonder to myself what devils he is trying to chase out of the building - maybe those tiresome ones called tourists!
There are quite a lot of tourists in the Cathedral right now and we find ourselves at times in a crush. The stunning Prisoners of Conscience West window was only completed in 1980 by French glaziers and draws lots of admirers. The tour is full with about 40 people so we walk the route by 
ourselves. Luckily, I did a one-on-one tour with mum last time I was here, so am able to tell Michael many of the little tidbits.
There is a chapel with the only White Rose and Red Rose bosses (ceiling roses) that survived the reformation of Henry VIII. Today, it is (one of) the only surviving joint displays of these two rose symbols of the great houses of the Stewarts and the 
Tudors. The battles and their aftermath between these two great houses give us the monarchy of today. So it makes this little chapel very important. Salisbury Cathedral is also the burial place of many notable figures from the area including royalty, knights, bishops, their progeny and local benefactors.
The Cloisters are magnificent and contain a garden-bordered 
lawned area. While the garden was in full bloom when Mum and I were here in 2006, this time it is looking a little tired. The cloister arches were originally set with leadlight glass making these arcades warm avenues of quiet and whispers where young boys were taught and monks did secret business. The cathedral society is gradually replacing the eroded stone - although there is no evidence that they are replacing the glass and only one 
arch remains with the glass intact.
I think however that for Michael the highlight was our visit to the Chapter House and the best (of 4) remaining examples of the Magna Carta. Together with this document that underpins modern democracy there are other Cathedral treasures - mainly chalices and plates that date back to to 1200s as well as local documents just as old and a hand-written bible and priests lessons. There are no photographs allowed here (although that doesn't stop one pest) so you will need to rely on this link.
Quite a few hours pass with us exploring this magical place. I can't help but wonder whether Hwll's original rock carving of Akun really is tucked into a cranny high in the cathedral by one of his mason descendants! When we are back here later in the week, Michael will do a tour of the tower and might be able to find out for me. As today is Sunday, there is only one tour at 4 pm and we need to be gone before then. But not before we visit the Refectory Re
staurant that is set abutting the cloisters for some lunch (potato and leek soup with fresh croutons and parmesan cheese) to keep us going.
We are headed back to London. I had asked Gen to send me some summer clothes and there was some mail that we needed to get and they have now arrived at Anna and Gary's place in Bracknell. Although they will not be at home today as they are taking their boys to the farm, we arrange for them to leave the box near the door so we can collect it. En-route we make a drink stop at the Jekyll and Hyde Pub that dates back to 1777 ('cos we can) and where the publican tells us it was so named to reflect its 
patrons, which he adds, it still does! The whole place is filled with quirky quotes!
As we were headed back in, we decided to take a few last days in London and try to get in to see a show. We initially had a bit of trouble finding some accommodation that met our needs for internet access and parking without being outrageously 
exorbitant. We finally found the London Elizabeth Hotel. It is - wait for it - across the road (literally) from Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, and the Tube. We have checked in and are then informed that we will be staying in the Greville Janner Suite - three rooms (bedroom, lounge and bathroom) plus wrought iron balcony!!! The decor, while a little dated, is so in a grand, comfortable and olde world way - very nice. We seem to 
be getting great accommodation everywhere we go!
Dinner is in the on-site Rose Garden Restaurant. The menu choice is very 'country' and nothing like the meals of the last few days. But we are tired and it is wet on and off outside, so tonight we just stay in. Michael chooses English Steak and Kidney Pie (Chunks of Scotch Steak, Calves Kidney and a Rich Beef Gravy in a Short Crust Pie Served with Real, Proper Chips (Fries), while I opt for the lighter Ricotta Lasagne (Our own recipe of this wonderful flat pasta layered with a rich sauce of ground scotch beef, vine ripened tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, and a cream ricotta cheese sauce, with mozarella and pecorino romano, to
pped with parmesan, served with mixed salad). We both finished with Bramble Pudding (A Wonderful English Tradition of Wild Red Berries Baked in an Individual Short Crust Pastry, Served Warm with a Scoop of Rich, Creamy Real Vanilla Ice Cream). Hmm, this is one restaurant that could benefit from a visit from Gordon Ramsay. Most the ingredients I suspect were out of cans! Pity, with the setting they have, a good restaurant could do wonders here.
My all time favourite book is an epic called Sarum written by Edward 
Rutherfurd. It tells the story of the development of the Salisbury Plain from pre-history through the journey at the end of the last Ice Age by Hwll and his woman Akun and their family. It then traces their descendants and the peoples that they meet with and interact right through to the modern day. It is a huge book - in paperback about 1340 pages and much of it focuses on the building of two of the great monuments on this plain - Stonehenge (and the wood henge) and Salisbury Cathedral - firstly as part of the settlement of Old Sarum and then dismantled, reconstructed and enlarged in New Sarum (today's Salisbury). So with this knowledge, you can maybe imagine how excited I am to be here surrounded by the story and the history here!
This morning I spent some time doing some consolidation of our photos onto DVDs so that I can delete them from the laptop. However, I am still not confident enough in technol
ogy to be happy with only one copy on the portable hard drive! I will post the DVDs home when I have completed them all (there will be about 30 DVDs by the time I have completed the pics taken to date)! In the end, it took until midday.
So we set out to explore this story. Being a weekend and nice weather, we know that Stonehenge will be very busy so we 
head over to Old Sarum - the site of the birth of Salisbury. The habitation of the site dates back about 3000 years, but the greatest time was during the rule of William the Conqueror. The settlement was a sizable town recorded in the Domesday Book. Today, the ruined remains of a magnificent castle, manor house and other buildings can be seen within the outline of a defensive wall while the layout of the first cathedral is visible 
outside these walls.
It is hard to adequately describe just what I feel as I walk the paths that countless thousands over thousands of years before me have done. Suffice to say, with the words of Mr Rutherfurd in mind, I can 'hear' and 'see' the characters and their kinsfolk come to life. And even Michael, who has 
not yet read Sarum feels it too. Missing the story, and despite being the current owner of 3 copies (and having 'passed' at least 2 other copies away!!), we buy another copy LOL with Michael showing a renewed interest in reading it - but he will have to get to it before me, cos I intend to start again tonight!!!!
We spend almost four hours 
escaping into the past before we are ready to head off. But the Romany in the fields below whose forebears probably lived just as they do are not yet ready to depart! And as Michael watches a Mooney (plane) land, swooping across the field of view dashes a Peregrine Falcon. And down in the fields, families picnic with the ghosts of the past.
Next stop is the Stratford Sub-castle just down the road. Once a settlement in its own right it measured only 1 square acre. It is now a part of Salisbury city and this large manor house and its farm are the only evidence of anything here in times long gone. From here, we travel down leafy back roads through some of the prettiest country along the Avon River. Through tiny hamlets with names like Lower 
Woodford, Middle Woodford and Upper Woodford complete with rows of thatched houses, beautiful gardens filled with fragrant roses and delphiniums and celebrity homeowners - however, Sting wasn't home when we knocked on his door! We asked someone how often they need to replace the thatching on the rooves and the answer is about once in every 25 years - golly, it almost lasts as long as an iron roof in Qld!
Now, there was a purpose to my circuitous route. I wanted to be able to 
see and show Michael Stonehenge from the 'other' approach - that is, the way opposite to what we would normally arrive at it. This way, you come over a hill and the Henge rises up to meet you from the valley floor. Michael had cottoned on to where we were headed, and I think his anticipation was growing as he was fidgeting in the seat beside me!
And we are not disappointed, not one little bit. Michael, by this time, is making some form of 
low guttural moan from his seat as the dribble runs down the window. There is half of England filing past, so we opt to view from the car and come back later this week when it is quieter. And all around us throughout the landscape are burial mounds that date back to the time of the Henge and earlier!
Michael's anticipation is now brewing like a pressure cooker and I can see we will spend many hours there!!!! Mind you, you can only file past from a distance. None of this getting up close and personal here (unlike Avebury). The actual famous Henge is much smaller than I anticipate, but the site with a surrounding henge of smaller stones was once huge. Anyway, more on this later in the week.
At the same time that Stonehenge was being constructed, a Wood henge w
as also erected a small way away. We search it out and although there are none of the wooden logs in place any longer, the holes have been filled with concrete stumps to illustrate the positions of the former. Kind of sad really, because the timber posts erected at Newgrange in Ireland showed much more clearly just how impressive these timber henges were in their day. Still, this one must have been something really special - there were circles inside circles. And it appears that on all the evidence that there is to date, that all these great monuments were linked in some way or purpose.
By now we are feeling quite drained so we head back to Salisbury and the Milford Hall Hotel. We book a late dinner as there is a large group due in at 7:30 pm (it is now 7 pm) and we head down just after 9 pm. The wait staff are looking tired so we h
urry to make our choices guided by Simon. Michael chooses the Salt Crusted whole Sea Bass and I have the Lemon Sole grilled with fresh lemon and butter.
We argue over whose fish is better and will agree to disagree - we both seem to want to claim the winner. Both were superbly cooked and presented and absolutely delicious. (Mine wins out for a photo though, seeing that I am doing the blog!) Michael's dessert of White and Dark chocolate marbled cheesecake looked lovely and my Tiramisu was to die for - even though I could not finish it all!
Wow, what a day. We head off to bed with our heads full of stories and pictures we will never forget.
Another glorious day has shown its smiling face. We are greeted by Greg with a melodious 'Good morning', then he promptly vanishes into the kitchen to prepare our breakfast. Following the same menu (yes, creatures of habit) as yesterday we break our fast with orange juice and Alpin muesli, then Greg serves us our second course.
As we enjoy our repast, we chat with Greg whom we discover is a poet and creator of many a short story. We idle the morning while Greg reads us some of his poetry and avails his folder for us to peruse. His writings are both very funny and poignant while illustrating those souls who have passed through the Orangery as well as his various life experiences. Breakfast and interlude over we gather our belongings and bid our host(s) farewell.
The car packed, we drive through Bath towards two points of interests: The Royal Crescent and the Circle (this was for Maria's benefit). Mind you, our satellite savvy saviour, Kate, computes our direction as though we were in search of the Minator in the labyrinth! We taken through a circuitous route before arriving at the Royal Crescent.
Now, the Royal Crescent is indeed a residential road of thirty 
houses designed and built by John Wood the Younger between 1767-1774. Initially these dwellings were occupied by wealthy owners who separated their holdings from common folk by a sprawling semi-circular and elevated lawn. Times haven't changed as the lawn still exists with the masonry retaining wall, and secured at intervals along the length of the wall are signs alerting passers-by the lawn is for the benefit of the bonafide residents within.
This nonsense aside, the architecture can still stop people during their promenade. I'm certain it was initially designed to intimidate, however it still remains among one of the greatest examples of Georgian architecture. To add a touch of trivia, John Wood the Younger had an interest in the occult and Masonic symbolism. Hence, it has been suggested the Crescent and Circus were designed to respresent the sun and moon; when viewed from the air the buildings appear as the 'Soleil-Lune' (Sun-Moon) a masonic symbol....
Leaving the Crescent we make our way toward the Circus. Originally called the 'The King's Circus' and completed in 1768, it was designed John Wood the Elder. However, Mr Wood Snr would not live to see his design come to fruition as he died three months after the first stone was laid in 1754. As you can guess, the structure was completed by Johnny II who did not swerve from his father's original design.
Like the Crescent, the Circus is also an impressive piece of construction which was made available to the wealthy. It was orignally called 'The King's Circus', as the buildings were of a grand design and form a circle which face a circular village green. Another bit of trivia, the word 'circus' was applied as it is a stem from Latin which means ring, oval or circle. Albeit, the Circus is regarded as the John Woods's' architectural masterpiece - you have to see it to fully appreciate it. 
Time is passing us by so we head for Salisbury, via the Cheddar (yes, as in the cheese....) Gorge and Caves and the town of Wells. Oh, as we drive out of Bath through its streets boasting its array of architecture, we spy another sort of an array ahead. Well, yes, it is a head...and attached to a body of a lad walking ahead of us...towards wherever - but he is sporting the most amazing splay of hair. Directly from behind the fellow appears hairless - except when he turns his head and your hit by his cranial rainbow! I'm quite envious as I AM hairless!
As Bath recedes behind us...we're on the road again. It's moments like these, I wish I had a rendition of Nelson Riddles' classic theme music which he wrote for the 60's television program: 'Route 66' which featured George Maharis and Martin Milner. However, the green hills, valleys and fens roll on by punctuated with bucolic scenes of cattle, sheep, hamlets and an abundance of 'Red Lion' pubs which must be the signature landmark throughout the south-west of England!
Just a minute, did I mention pubs...then what about cyclists? We're driving 
through countryside which provides inclines of 16-20% gradients, and there be cyclists. I have to take my hat off to these intrepid bikers who negotiate these roads with pure unadulterated courage and stamina! However, I suppose the one and most apparent omission which stands out to us, is that most cyclists don't wear helmets.... It has nothing to do with any law, or the lack thereof; it's the protection of one's scone. If you have ever driven upon rural English roads, you'll understand our dismay. 
As we near the town of Cheddar, the landscape gradually changes from rolling hills to rocky outcrops capped by grassy knolls. These rocky outcrops eventually join into one deep and long gorge underlined with Black Rock Limestone, Burrington Oolite and Clifton Down Limestone. Hmm...and it is called the Cheddar Gorge and very picturesque and which is the home of the Cheddar Caves (a.k.a. the Gough and Gem Caves).
The two caves open to the public are the Gough and Cox, each named after their respective discoverers. The Gough Cave which is the larger of the caves provides the visitor with an amazing excursion through Mother 
Nature's magic. At the entrance to this cave is a plaque which states an affiliation and sistership with the Jenolan Caves, NSW, Australia. In comparison, the Cheddar Caves may not be as grand nor anywhere near the size of Jenolan's smallest cave, yet there lay a magic which can propel any visitor into a magical land. And half way through the cave we find - what else, but cheddar cheese wheels aging in the controlled climate!
After the Gough Cave we decide to have lunch at the small cafe 
located near the caves entrance. Lunch was very good value and wholesome:
Pieminister (award winning locally made in Bristol) Moo Pie (Beef and Ale in a cheddar cheese crust) with a rich gravy, mashed potato, and minted mushy peas. (Maria)
Ploughman's Lunch comprising of three wedges of Blue Castello, White Castello, Aged Tasty Cheddar, home made pickled onions, tomato and sweet relishes, and salad - accompanied with two chunks of crusty bread. (Michael)
When we had finished lunch, Maria returned to the car whilst I proceeded make the climb up 274 stairs leading to the viewing tower and then onto the Cox 'Gem' Cave. Small as this cave may be, it has its gems in small pools of water with glasslike stillness, which reflect the surfaces above. Further into this cave, many of the small grottos are used to promote a particular theme from fantasy; and at the moment it appears "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" have centre stage! A great experience for children. 
Our excursion into the Cheddar Gorge over we set forth for the town of Wells. Wells is renowned for its Cathedral and Bishop's Palace. The town derived its name from (....yes, you guessed it!) possessing three wells dedicated to St Andrew; one located in the town market place and the remaining two located in the grounds of the Bishop's Palace. These wells were renowned for 
having curative powers during the Middle Ages.
Without dwelling too long on our assessment of the Cathedral, I'll just say that it was breathtaking as were the Undercroft and the Chapter House. Due to the lateness in the day, access into the Bishop's Palace was not possible - however, this edifice has its own moat, draw bridge and Baillie. I wonder who were being protected or excluded?
We say farewell to...ah, Wells, and set off for Salisbury. After a slow journey, we finally arrived at our destination: Milford Hall Hotel. We have managed to get a package booking for £90 per night dinner bed and 
breakfast - for the two of us! The receptionist explains that we have a £25 per preson allowance towards food in the restaurant for dinner. Add to this the breakfast cost and the room is almost free!
As it has been a long day, we opt for an early dinner and book in for 7 pm. Their Salisbury Seafood and Steakhouse has a lovely decor and silver service by young freindly staff under the careful management of Simon who really knows his stuff. Nice little touches include not having to ask for water, the appetisers of olives, oil and vinegar and bread, a showing of the meat on offer and chocolate buttons with great coffee. There is a 3 course set menu and an a-la-carte option - which we opt for tonight. Following careful consideration (and a closed eyes eenie meenie minie
mo) we chose:
14oz T-Bone Steak with fresh rosemary & sun blushed tomato marinade served with hand cut chips and fresh vegetables (broccoli, parsnips, beans) Michael
Wild Boar Steak with Honey, Mustard & Apricot Glaze with those chips and veges - Maria. I had never tried boar before and found it absolutely delicious!
Raspberry Sorbet (Michael)
Home Made Pannacotta of the Day - Lemon and Rosemary (Maria)
accosted me from the fenced-in bushes, and sat in front me in supplication. As I stooped he cautiously retreated, so I continued my walk and to my surprise it followed... However, with the dexterity of rodent it ascended the fence and there perched itself, again in supplication! A rare opportunity for me indeed to photograph a squirrel at such close quarters! Regrettably, I was unable to reward my companion for its persistence.
of Ernest Henry Shackelton!
you, check out the Natural History Museum's web site.
until I arrive at the Belfast. There is a mass of people wandering the ship's decks and turrets; even the ship's mess now converted into a cafe is brimming with visitors. The aroma wafting amidships is a mixture of oil and coffee....yum! However, after wandering the ship's decks and reading the information panels, one gets the impression the aroma was quite different when the Belfast was still in commission! The ship's restoration and the onboard exhibits, and the use of wax figures to represent crew members, 
is most impressive. Yeomen are also on deck to avail them should any visitor require further clarification.
1940. So with our imaginations ably guided by our host, one could visualise the location and the macabre sensation which accompanied the discovery of the crimes. Mind you, the tour took two and half hours which was a combination of the crimes, the suspects, the constabulary and history of the Whitechapel area and indeed the history of the Detecting division during the Victorian era. Dickie also provided quips and information on the various occupants and groups who lived and worked in East London.
in the sky above the yellow of the city lights that is reflected on the cloud cover. Honestly, it was not truly dark until after 11 pm. And you would not believe the number of people still out and about - some obviously still going home from work, others out to party. Gosh, you can have that lifestyle - when do they sleep?? Still, London is absolutely beautiful by night and part of me understands how people wan
t to be out in it (that would be the non-sleepy part of me)!
