Monday October 22. The first day of Susan's next decade. Today we were up with the sun. Here is the view from Anne's balcony in Gosport, looking East over the harbor toward Portsmouth.
Anne and her friend Richard drove us all northwest, for a very full day of learning about the ancient folks who lived in England over 5000 years ago. Our first stop was in Salisbury. Not the current town of Salisbury but the original town of Salisbury, now known as Old Sarum. 
It's a big hill a mile or two out outside of the new town, which the ancients (around 4000 years ago) fortified by hand-digging enormous ditches all round with antlers and pointy rocks and whatever else they could find or make for digging. Very impressive. Later on William the Conqueror built his castle on top of the same hill, after disbanding his army (there was nothing left to conquer). There was also a large cathedral. Today there is nothing left but ruins. Also -- Richard confirmed that this is, in fact, the same Salisbury Hill immortalized by Peter Gabriel. I hummed it to myself all during our visit. It would have been in my head all day had it not been for our next visit to...
Stonehenge
Which got me going on Spinal Tap. No-one knows who they were, or what they were doing. But their legacy remains, hewn into the living rock of Stonehenge. 
Not really a step up but still not so bad, and the kids enjoyed that song more. So Stonehenge was pretty remarkable. It's roped off now. Probably for the best since there were hundreds of people there, and many more buses arriving as we were leaving. Still you can get pretty close, and it's interesting to know you are standing at one of the oldest known human-inhabited locations on the planet. At least that's what we thought until we visited...
Avebury
Which is just a short ride northeast of Stonehenge. 
Avebury is a larger stone circle which is likely older and has a very nice village (Avebury) still inside. This area has been continually populated for about 6000 years. It's a powerful experience to walk among the stones. Just mind the sheep droppings. There was also a very nice gift shop and restaurant which Susan found to her liking!
1 comment:
How much fun! I love the pix of the places you've been -- it looks so strange, though, to see such large grown-up children with Sue and Doug...
Hope you are feeling better, Jacob!
McRudy misses you, sort of... He and Bella are staying out in the kennel due to some wonderful warm weather. They continue to practice biting one another's ears, and are working toward keeping their kennels (and my carpets) dry. Ahem.
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