Michele's Travel Blog: A Whirlwind Tour of Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Lacock & Bath

Today commenced early. There is no rest when cramming in noteworthy sites in one day. We departed Victoria Station (bus terminal) around 8:30am and arrived back into London around 8pm. Call me crazy.

As we head out of the city, our tour guide gives us a few tidbits on London. We pass by Hyde Park which is equivalent in size to Central Park in New York. Our guide tells us that the first concert in the park was in 1962. The band was The Rolling Stones. We pass by the Salisbury grocery store that the Queen Mother visited in 1990. She had never been in a grocery store. She was 90 years old.

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen. Its rich history spans almost 1000 years. The Castle floor area covers approximatley 484,000 square feet and covers an area of about 13 acres. When she is in residence, her personal standard flies from the Round Tower. You could spend an entire afternoon at Windsor. Upon our exit, we were fortunate enough to catch the Changing of the Guards. Elton John also has a home in Windsor.

We have all heard of Stonehenge which is a Unesco World Heritage site. There are many theories about how these rocks were transported here and their purpose. You will see in the photos a mound. These mounds exist around the immediate area and are burial sites. The bodies discovered in the mounds were all in the fetal position. No one has been able to decipher why

On route to Bath (which is where the roman baths were discovered) we stop in a quaint village called Lacock for lunch. Once you see the pictures you will understand why this has become a popular place for filming. Portions of Harry Potter were filmed here as well as Pride and Prejudice. And, of course, the pub was great where I had my official plate of “fish, chip and green peas”. I saved a little room for their steamed pudding. Notice the four forks in the photo. I shared the desert with three gals I met from Brazil.

The countryside to Bath is breathtaking. Cool rolling hills. I just know I am going to love this place. Bath is also a Unesco World heritage. We arrive and I am in awe at the Bath Abby which stands in the background. As we approach the drop-off, I realize there will not be enough time to explore the area. To appreciate the rich history and beauty of Bath you need a full day. Unfortunately, I only have time for a quick tour of the Bath Abby and Roman baths.

As mentioned previously, I met some nice Brazilian gals who now live in Miami. This is one of the fun parts of travelling. After the tour ended, we all grabbed a beer at “Punch & Judy’s in Convent Square. It was a happening spot @ 8:30pm. I could envision Mr. Casey bellied up to the bar and yakking it up with the locals. Then off to the Roadhouse” for a bite. We were set to leave after dinner, but the band started playing. Before we knew it, it was 1am. What can I say, we were having fun. Our server told us this place closed at 3am. However, if we were interested there were other pubs that open at 3am and close at 11am. Thank goodness we were smart enough to go home.