Trip to Bath and Stonehenge

Today was a beautiful day. We were picked up at our hotel by a charter bus (including a private guide) that took us the two short hours to Bath. On our way to Bath, we traveled through the countryside, and the tour guide gave us a brief history of Bath and the surrounding area. Once we arrived in Bath we were amazed to find how symmetrical and elegant was the city and even every building. All the buildings were also made of limestone from the area. We learned the natural light yellow/honey color had to be restored by thorough cleanings after the Industrial Revolution when the pollution had turned the buildings black.

After taking a short bus tour through the city of Bath, we got the opportunity to stop at the amazing Roman Baths. At the Roman Baths, we got to tour the site, see the breathtaking view of the hot springs, go through a museum about the springs, and try the hot spring water. After seeing the Roman Baths, we got some free time to explore the city. Some of our group tried traditional pasties or scones with clotted cream.

Next, we boarded the bus for a short drive to Stonehenge. On the way to Stonehenge our tour guide informed us about all the mysterious stories about how Stonehenge came to exist. Once at Stonehenge, we followed a marked path around the stones and used a self-guided audio machine to learn more about this structure from thousands of years ago.

We then headed back into London and had dinner at Mother Mash near the famous Canary Street in the Soho area. We were served a traditional meal of "pies and mash," which was basically a chicken potpie over mashed potatoes with a rich gravy. The meal reminded us of comfort food that we have back in the United States. After dinner, a short Tube ride brought us back to the hotel. We opted for an early night in after getting treats from the gourmet, 24-hour bakery across the street from our hotel.

Through outings like the ones we had today, we are getting more comfortable navigating the streets of London. We are also continuing to learn how to travel on the Tube and bus systems. We are excited to spend our last day in London visiting Covent Gardens (and more), riding on the London Eye, and eating a final, traditional meal.

Written by Jamie Pesik and Jamie Turner