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Early this morning we were assisted by our very speedy bellman in loading our bags on the golf cart, we had another great breakfast at Coworth Park and we were collected by our prompt pre-scheduled driver to take us to the cruise ship port at Southampton. Since Margaret has not been to Stonehenge previously, we had decided, to do a drive-by of the “pile of rocks” (this is what Judy called Stonehenge last night). This took us a bit out of the way but, what the heck, it was a rainy day and we had plenty of time.
The driver was a lovely chap named Tony and he gave us some great background on UK politics and history. It’s interesting how cab drivers know a LOT about politics…I guess it’s because they are in their cars listening to talk radio all day! After a 1 ½ hour drive through some beautiful countryside, we arrived at Stonehenge – and Judy was right! It is really just a pile of rocks located on the side of the highway. It was still drizzling outside so we decided to snap a few snapshots and wave to the landmark while we stayed safe and dry in the car.
Stonehenge, a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is the remains of a ring of standing stones. It is in the middle of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds. Archaeologists believe it was built anywhere from 3000 BC to 2000 BC. It was produced by a culture that left no written records. Many aspects of Stonehenge remain subject to debate. There are a number of theories, some of them very colorful, are often called the “mystery of Stonehenge”. This is not a mystery we are going to solve today!
Our driver was gracious enough to stop at a sporting goods store so we could purchase some warmer clothing…we had packed for a “summer cruise” and while it is June, it feels like March here in the UK. Better to be safe than cold and miserable and we managed to find a very reasonably priced sporting goods store close to the docks. Armed with our jackets we then stopped at an ASDA store and Dale ran in to pick up some provisions.
The embarkation went off without a hitch, it managed to clear up a bit as we headed South down the channel and passed by Cowes and the Isle of Wight, a place we had visited a few years ago to see our son sail in a youth sailing regatta. Right off the bat we had dinner at one of the specialty restaurants, the Asian themed Red Ginger. The sushi was great and we managed to sit next to a delightful couple from Manchester who are currently living in Majorca, an island off the coast of Spain. They were to become good friends by the end of the cruise. That’s them in the last gallery picture.
We are very happy with the beautiful, 1200 person Marina, pleased with our stateroom suite and are anxiously looking forward to seeing the Baltic region!
Margaret’s Top Picks:
London Day 3 Full Gallery: