Our friendly driver, Marco, collected us this morning and we headed to Stonehenge. As we left the much loved Kensington (which I could easily get used to, thank you very much), we saw that the front porch has been decorated for the Chelsea Garden Show. They are all about their gardens in England.

Our travel agent really managed our expectations about Stonehenge, warning us about traffic jams, crowds, long walks, an inability to get close to the stones. Basically that it was not going to be a good day. Either she was just wrong, or really low expectations made for an enjoyable morning. There was no traffic, the crowds weren’t bad, the weather was gorgeous, the exhibits were fascinating and the actual Henge was powerful. We loved getting a glimpse into a time in pre-history. Just when you begin to get used to things that were built in the fourth century, you go see something that was created before we began to record time.  

From there we drove to Bath. The first glimpse when you begin to come into town is amazing. It is completely unlike London or Canterbury. The entire town is built out of a honey-colored stone. It almost looks like a giant child’s model of a Georgian city. It is every book by or featuring Jane Austen come to life. Our tiny hotel is right in the middle of everything. We took Marco to lunch before he headed back to London. We have been extremely fortunate with our driver/guides so far.  

Evans, being a great sport, walked with me to the Jane Austen museum which I loved. I read every word and watched each video. It breaks my heart to think that she was all but penniless the last several years of her life. She did finally make money before her death, which meant her beloved sister Cassandra was left with a bit of independence, but still it is sad. Before being forced to move in with their brother, the sisters and their widowed mother lived in hired rooms in a terrible neighborhood. It is no wonder Bath lost its charm for Jane.

But, it has not lost its charm for us. We wandered and looked at things, but also spent a large part of the afternoon enjoying the terrace/square outside our hotel. Late this afternoon we finally wandered off in search of dinner and found a great place within walking distance – but everything in Bath is within walking distance.  

Tomorrow we tour Bath properly and will take many more photos. I am off to soak my toes in preparation.