Windsor Castle

I still can't believe I didn't do this post a couple weeks ago when I had a series of pics on my Shutterchance (SC) blog. Too many things going on (too many excuses!).

Or maybe I saved the best for the last! Which raises the question, which WAS the best of the 3 places we were so lucky to see: Stonehenge, Bath (last post) or Windsor Castle? Luckily, I don't need to make that decision because all 3 places are as different as they can be.

This Windsor Castle is something else! It's the largest inhabited castle in the world and dates back to 1070 when William the Conqueror reigned. Here's my photo album of 72 pics. The pics I'm posting here are different from the ones I showed on SC, if you want to start here and see the week's series I posted there (in large format).

Even before walking inside the castle walls, from the outside you get quite a feel for the immense bulwark this place is! And with a clock, of course. :)

When you see the flag raised atop this Round Tower, you know that the Queen is in residence. Since she's usually at Buckingham Palace during the week (when the flag is raised there), it's a fairly safe assumption it is the weekend when the flag is raised here. It was: Saturday, February 24th.

We walked through the Norman Gate (above) to get to the State Apartments and, more specifically, the Queen Mary's Dolls' House (below) from 1924. The doll house, believe it or not, has running water and electricity! It's 3 feet tall and is filled with thousands of objects made by leading craftsmen, artists and designers.

What amazed me about this castle, that covers 484,000 square feet of floor area alone, is how many roads and walkways were along castle walls. DUH! Everything is connected!

The main place of worship for the residents is St. George's Chapel, built from the 15th to 16th centuries. Photos were not allowed but this is one outside the nave that I was able to sneak in.

After walking through the chapel, we had time to watch the changing of the guard at 12:30p before heading back to the coach.

This ends that fabulous excursion day when we were in London back in February. I'll never forget it in all my life!

Shower or Bath?

You know those questions when you have to be spontaneous with your answer to find out quick info about each other when you first meet? Dennis has a list of these he can shoot off. In fact, when he and Amy first met almost a year ago, that's what they were doing--finding out about each other through these questions of opposites. If you're single , they're a great way to get to know someone. :)

How's that for my introduction to my Bath (England) pics from when we were there that Saturday excursion on February 24th! I've already shown you my Stonehenge pics and could have sworn I did a post on Windsor Castle (I guess that was Shutterchance!). I'll have to do the castle later but here's my Bath photo album (63 pics).

My sister, Ruth, was the first one who told me that Jane Austen (of Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion fame) lived there, from 1801 until 1806. Apparently she didn't like the city but I found it to be absolutely charming, along the River Avon.

At the River Avon just a brief walk from city center is the Pulteney Bridge, "one of only four bridges in the world with shops across the full span on both sides." This is a view of the bridge from the south side but my album has views also from the north. I did NOT have time to walk across the bridge and check out the shops, but that's something I'd want to do if ever we go back.

As is typical of almost all old European cities, the main cathedral, the Bath Abbey, is right in city center, a stone's throw from the river. Since Bath was the last of our 3 stops, we caught it from mid to late afternoon, just as the sun was setting. So beautiful!

The biggest attraction of the city, of course, is the Roman baths that date back 2000 years ago. "The city is founded around the only naturally occurring hot springs in the United Kingdom." And of course, that's where my title comes in. With all that the Romans knew about transporting water and aquaducts, you'd think that they'd have baths and showers both as options (maybe they did?). But I guess you can't beat those hot springs, so that's what they're known for!

Speaking of which. After the tour of the baths, we had a chance to drink some of the hot mineral water, which I did. I think if you were able to do that every day, you'd cure everything that ailed you. HA!

In a couple days I'll do the post on Windsor Castle that I thought I had already done. Till then, enjoy a Bath! :)