We finally took the kids to Stonehenge! - 14 May 2016

They have built a new visitor's center at Stonehenge since Preston and I saw it 6 years ago, which is really nice and has some fantastic displays. We explored here first before taking a bus up to the stones. 

These huts are what they think the people lived in nearby while Stonehenge was being built. The area itself doesn't seem to have had any permanent villages or cities. It was more of a sacred place that was visited, not lived at.

A replica of one of the actual stones and how they think they were moved in 3000 B.C.  They were rolled along on the tops of logs(that is, if it wasn't aliens that built it ;).
 I can't even imagine how heavy those things are!

Trying to "hold" Stonehenge...didn't quite work! :)

I made each of the kids get an individual photo in front of it. They don't yet understand how cool it is to visit such an iconic landmark of England. They will someday...I hope!

I love how this photo sums up our adventures:
Dal is embarrassed that mom is taking so many pictures, Addy is sweet so she gets whatever she wants, Sam is making everyone laugh,
Kaylie is disgusted with her brothers,
and Nate has just injured himself and/or is hungry! ;)

It was a good day!

Salisbury Cathedral - 14 May 2016

The weather said rain but it ended up being a gorgeous day to explore.
We drove to Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge.
A little history about Salisbury Cathedral:
Construction on the cathedral began in 1220 and was completed only 38 years later. That is extremely fast for a cathedral of this size at that time! The spire is the tallest in England at a height of 404 feet.

I accidentally called it the Sainsbury Cathedral and then Dallin took this photo from the car park. (Sainsbury's is a grocery store here. He thought this was funny as it looks like it is indeed Sainsbury Cathedral).

We were walking up to the cathedral and passed this interesting display. I think this guy rescues birds. Anyway, we were fascinated with this real owl.

The city of Salisbury is on the River Avon.

Very interested in the plant growth at the bottom of the river.  I like "The King's Head Inn" behind. I wonder which king's head they are referring to? And what happened to it? :)

We spy the spire!

My favorites and a picturesque bridge. I often have to pinch myself when
I think that we have the awesome experience to be here. Sometimes, when I'm homesick, I have to remind myself of it too :)

The large gate into the old city. I wonder what was behind this short door just inside.

People must have been shorter then.

I'm glad they love flowers here. There are always planters of flowers in public squares.

I am always amazed at both the craftsmanship and the durability of
these almost-a-thousand-years-old buildings!

We were allowed to take photos inside. Here is a model of the cathedral, showing how it was built.

The oldest working clock. It is made of hand-wrought iron. They think it was made around 1386!

A very modern, I think 2012, baptismal font. 

Nate is pictured in front of his tomb below. We found out an interesting story about him: At some point his tomb was opened and a rat was found in his skull. The rat was found to have arsenic in it.  Longespee had died suddenly and mysteriously. Sounds like the mystery is solved to me.
What do you think?

Can you see how these pillars are bent a bit? These and three others are supporting the weight of the spire. I think the spire is winning! YIKES! I had to reassure one child of mine that the cathdral would not collapse while we were inside :)

This told us the wind speed at the top of the spire, it was fun to watch.
We saw a big gust at one point.

Nathan was doing a scavenger hunt to find things in the cathedral.
This cricket was one of the things he had to find. I love the wood carvings!

We had fun at the bumping stone. As a new choir boy joins he has to get his head bumped here. Apparently it's been happening for hundreds of years. Look at how worn the stone is below!

The lovely cloisters.

This is the Chapter House. The best part of this room is that one of the 4 surviving original copies of the Magna Carta is housed here. It is inside a tent (behind Nate below) to protect it from the sunlight. No photos allowed! This copy is the best preserved. It was kept in a drawer and basically lost for a long time! Maybe you remember how we didn't see one of the copies of it at the British Library Magna Carta or Bust and Preston was disappointed, but now he can check it off his bucket list! ;)

Nate is holding a copy. It is only one sheet long in very neat and small print.
 It was really interesting to look at!

Walking back to the car we saw a mommy and her ducklings in the river. 

Stay tuned for Stonehenge next!