213/365 Adventure

"Not Eye, Says I!"

We arrived in London this evening after a day of travel.  We packed up and left Bristol this morning with our first stop being Stonehenge.  It looks exactly like all the pictures you have ever scene.

I wish that we could have seen it either at sunrise or sunset.  Unfortunately we were there in the middle of the morning with thousands of other tourists.  I could help myself and had to play with some filters just to see what it might have looked tike had the light been different.

I love the lone bird sitting atop the stone.

From Stonehenge we headed the short distance to Salisbury.  I was excited about this since this town is the namesake of my birthplace, Salisbury Maryland.  We began our visit here with a traditional pasty from the West Cornwall Pasty Shop.  We strolled the streets for a little bit.  Unfortunately, it was very warm, the hottest day thus far this season.  It was then off to the cathedral.

Salisbury Cathedral

This cathedral has the tallest spire in Britain.  I had thought that I would take the tour to the top, but time ran out and I missed that opportunity.  So, pictures from the interior will have to suffice.

This candle is in the Chapel of Conscience, a chapel dedicated to all of those who were killed for standing up for their beliefs.  This candle is the symbol for Amnesty International.  The brilliant blue window in this chapel (and you can also see it in the above picture of the sanctuary, was a gift from the people of Chartres.  That explains the richness of its color.  Chartres Cathedral is know for its vibrant blues in its stained glass.

The very first picture, my true picture of the day, was taken with my phone from the front of our hotel.  The blue arc of light over the buildings is the Eye of London, the tallest ferris wheel in all of Europe reaching 400 feet high.  A part of me, a very small part, would love to ride it for the magnificent views and the great photo opportunities, but the other 99% knows that my fear of heights would make this a terrible choice for me.  I have a few days to overcome my fear and change my mind, but I doubt seriously that that will happen!