Hangin' with the Druids

I took a day trip the other day to Stonehenge and Salisbury - I'd always been curious about those big old stones that no-one really knows the whole story about. Everyone loves a good mystery....

Well it seems the mystery is not really a mystery after all - aliens didn't put the stones in place, and the Druids didn't sacrifice humans (although recent investigations possibly suggest otherwise)or burn witches at the stake. The stones were put in place in various stages over the past 5000 years - some of the stones were moved from Wales, over 240 miles away! That takes some serious muscles! Apparently at least 500 men for each stone. The stones are aligned for sunrise on the midsummer solstice, and even today is a very popular place on the summer and winter solstice, and autumn and winter equinox when people come from miles around to celebrate and dance around the circle. They are the only times the circle is open to the public - nowadays it is closed to the public after too many drugged up hippies from the Glastonbury festival nearby thought they could fly after climbing up the stones!!! Crazy flower children!

It was an interesting place to visit, but man was it cold! We walked around very quickly and then ran back to the bus to get warm again. However the weather did make for some interesting photos (I hope).

Salisbury Cathedral was equally as interesting (and much warmer!). It has the tallest church spire in England (750m), the oldest working clock in England, and is also home to a copy of the Magna Carta - the basis of constitutional law in many countries throughout the world. This was written in the 13th century on sheep skin parchment, and is still in fantastic condition today.

The cathedral whilst very old, is quite liberal and forward-thinking. It regularly has art exhibitions and music concerts, and has a great cafe alongside it - where I saw a few of the priests eating lunch after 12o'clock prayers! I loved this water feature right in the middle of the cathedral - the water constantly flows over the edges but the water is so still it looks like a mirror, and reflects the ceiling arches and stained glass windows. Great for some arty-farty photos....