July 2002...London!  All of those famous edifices I'd heard about for years; so many things that were far-away yet seemed familiar; so many places I wanted to see, finally, for myself.  Having an English Lit degree added to my excitement since I was actually walking the paths of all that I'd studied.  We also ventured outside of London: to Windsor Castle...and as a most memorable end to our unforgettable week -- on a tour that led us through the countryside to crop circles, chalk horses and burial mounds; to legendary Avebury and to mystical Stonehenge. 

 ---Here We Go---

The Wellington Arch

Our hotel, the Sheraton Park Tower (which is a lovely member of Sheraton's Luxury Collection), was very conveniently located in Knightsbridge -- just down the street from Harrods...history is all well and good, but shopping is imperative!

Harrods at night, from our hotel room

So off we wandered, city guide and maps of the Underground stations in hand.  First destination:  Buckingham Palace.

Nearby we found Big Ben, which began tolling the hour soon after our arrival (Big Ben is actually the name of the bell that counts out the hour after the Westminster chimes play), and the Houses of Parliament.  BB became a friendly beacon to us...we'd be investigating some part of the city, when suddenly it would pop into view.

We could even see its nightly glow from our hotel room!

Then it was time for a bit of ceremonial pomp with the Royal Horse Guards.

...a boat trip on the river Thames....
  

...more sights from the streets of London...

Piccadilly Circus


Carnaby Street


Trafalgar Square

Covent Garden

Hyde Park garden and the infamous Speakers' Corner - ah, such arguments there were!

      
Kensington Palace

The Goat Tavern, oldest pub in Kensington (yes, we grew quite fond of "pub grub" and a pint)

But of course, we had to make a pilgrimage here!

John became quite the expert at navigating the various lines of the London Underground.  We spent a lot of time on the tube...and the Knightsbridge station was our home base. 

The Tower of London:  the crown jewels, Henry VIII's unfortunate wives, royal executions, the "Beefeaters"...all immediately came to mind; but we weren't prepared for the size of this massive fortress ~ palace ~ sometime-prison on the bank of the Thames, dating from the 11th century.  Photographs aren't allowed inside most of the buildings, but believe me -- the jewels (and the collection of gold tableware) are spectacular...and I was definitely lustful!

In the 17th century King Charles II was told that if the ever-present ravens left the Tower of London, the Tower and the Kingdom would fall...they're still here (with clipped wings and lots of fond attention)!

the graceful sweep of the Tower Bridge over the Thames

We were also totally unprepared for the immenseness of Windsor Castle.  After a train ride out of London, then a short trip on the Underground, we saw it shining in the distance...and we were appropriately impressed.  The Castle was founded by William the Conqueror circa 1080 as a fortification against invaders entering London.  Due to its closeness to the city, it soon became a royal residence...and it is now the largest castle in the world that is still inhabited.  It is said that the Queen far prefers it to Buckingham Palace as a "home"...we could certainly see why!

Again photography wasn't allowed inside the buildings; but you can take our word for it, the interiors are dazzling: the ballrooms, reception rooms, bedrooms and dressing rooms, dining rooms, throne room, the incredible St. George's Hall, the chapels...all were stunning - almost beyond belief. 

And of course, the pageantry of the Changing of the Guard.  We didn't realize that the royal band was going to play a mini-concert, so we were a bit surprised when we heard them launch into the first notes of "Hava Nagila", having expected something ceremonial...perhaps "God Save the Queen"!

The adjoining town of Windsor was thoroughly charming...dining outside of an old Pub with the Castle in the background, shopping, wandering....all in the shadow of that striking stronghold.

More connections on the Underground took us to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.  The first garden was established in 1759, and the property now covers about 300 acres.  The royal family has been quite involved, and the Gardens stress conservation and education...as well as being quite beautiful.

The Gardens joined, colorfully, in 2002's celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee

As collectors, we were delighted to find this sculpture in the Gardens...and also the wonderful Dalí Universe exhibition in London's County Hall.

At this point I'll recommend the LondonPass card , which we found and purchased online (http://www.londonpass.com/) prior to our trip and made great use of: public transportation (Underground, train and bus), discounted admissions and special entrance to many London-area attractions.
We made many other enjoyable stops in and around London: Westminster Abbey, Southwark Cathedral, the Banqueting House, the Zoo, the Aquarium, afternoon tea at the Savoy...too many to cover here (too many images for your computer to download!)  But we saved the most moving experience for our last full day in England...Stonehenge.

While researching our trip on the web, I discovered Astral Travels [http://www.astraltravels.co.uk/], which has permission from English Heritage to offer a "special access" tour to Stonehenge after it has closed to the public in the evening.  I  exchanged several e-mails with Kirsty in their office, and she was most gracious and very helpful. We also ending up booking their car/driver service for pick-up and return to-and-from Heathrow airport and our hotel. 

I'd been looking forward to our Stonehenge experience for weeks... years actually, since I've always been intrigued by that primordial riddle. I wasn't disappointed, not in the least! After our pick-up in London, our bus wound its way through the English countryside on an old coaching road...past picturesque villages with thatched-roofed cottages...returning to ancient days.  Our first stop was the West Kennet Long Barrow, over 5,000 years old and one of the largest burial tombs from the Neolithic period to be found in Britain.  I must admit, it inspired some rather disquieting feelings!

We then viewed inexplicable Silbury Hill, the largest man-made mound in Europe, estimated to have been built approximately 4,600 years ago...many theories and legends question its purpose....still no answers.

Then we arrived in Avebury, the largest stone circle in the world and the tiny village within its boundaries.  Dating from 2500B.C., only remnants now remain.  But it's enough to spark the imagination of what once was, even though the past is mostly hidden.  The village itself is fascinating...including the fact that it contains the only pub in the world that exists inside a prehistoric stone circle.  Yes, we hoisted a pint here, too!  Only the church, over 900 years old, is built outside of the stones; the Saxons obviously didn't want their place of worship to be encircled by a "pagan" structure. 

The area around Avebury and Stonehenge is legendary for the appearance of crop circles...and there one was - right in front of us, only a few days old.  Some of these occurrences are no doubt shams; but others...who knows!

This locale is also famous for the "chalk horses".  Most of the ones which still remain date from the last 300 years or less; the foliage and  undergrowth were carved away to expose the chalk hill beneath.

Then we traveled across the Salisbury Plain to Stonehenge; and there it stood - silhouetted alone, majestic and mysterious...holding secrets from 5,000 years in the past.  We arrived just before the area was closed to the public for the day (7:00pm during the summer).  As the last visitors were shepherded out, we looked towards the site as our Astral Travels guides told us of the many legends and myths -- and always, the questions -- associated with this ancient gem.  Then our small group, approximately 25 people, moved to the ropes that separate others from the stones -- at any other time but this.  We gazed at the amazing setting from that distance; then we entered.  We spent an hour, leading up to sunset, wandering among the stones, touching them, absorbing their energy; wondering how these giant monoliths were brought here... why they were assembled... what they meant.  Each traveler probably came up with his or her own theory; John and I certainly did.  Those are personal introspections, brought out by the unbelievable influence of this spot.  Some people are disturbed; some feel at peace; I felt a kinship.  It was an experience, that for me, could only be described as magical.  Then as our mini-coach pulled away, headed back to London, one of the first musical pieces playing over the sound system was Eric Satie's "Gymnopédies Number 3", which those of you who came in through the Jan's Journeys Home Page may recognize as our theme song...magic!  So thus ended our British journey; I'll leave you with impressions of Stonehenge to reflect upon as we did, listening to the whispers from antiquity...until our final lingering glance.

Copyright © 2002 - 2008: Jan Hight
All photos are the property of Jan & John Hight and may not be copied or used in any way without our written permission.

Published -- August 24, 2002
Last Revision -- Sunday, 13-Aug-2006 03:39:37 GMT