Tuesday, September 4, 2012

A Historic Sight and Falling into Place

I was so excited on Sunday, not just because Jess and I were meeting up, I was super stoked about that but also because she was taking me to the famous ruins of Stonehenge- which at the time I thought were just some rocks.

She was suppossed to have picked me up earlier but due to traffic because of the airshow - planes and jets flew over our house for 4 days it was so cool - it took her a bit longer to get in from London so we started our adventure a little later than planned but we didn't mind. 

Talk, talk, talk, talk;  we never stopped talking,  it's like we never run out of things to say.  I don't know what we talked about but we never stopped!  It only took us about an hour to get to Stonehenge,  you can see it off to the right just sitting there, in an open space looking so grand and holy.  Of course by the time we parked and got out of the car - as it does often here in sunny <--- pure sarcasm England - it started to rain.  The sky was grey and dull and a drizzle began to fall, so just like London I have grey pictures.  Jess wearing a short sleeve shirt, shorts and sandals -it doesn't get overly hot in England so as soon as there is a bit of sunshine the Brits swarm to the beach even if it's 20 degrees out they are in shorts and tank tops as if they are on a tropical island - puts on her ski jacket, it was quite the fashion statement.

Stonehenge

Before we even stepped foot on the path surrounding the monument I was snapping pictures I was so excited to be on a little history field trip for the afternoon  I had seen a picture of it and said to Dan "wow baby that looks cool, can we go"  his response "it's just some rocks." Was he ever wrong.


Stonehenge is located in the English county of Wiltshire (about an hour North from where we are).  The history of it is quite interesting.  The first phase began in 3100 BC with the last known construction being around 1600 BC, the first phase was the circular bank and ditch that surrounds the monument.  The sturcture that is standing is what is left of the original structure, you can no longer walk into at as parts of it were stolen by collectors. The stones with the blank like stone going across the top is the outer part of the structure, they (at one point) formed a a connecting circle.  The inner part of the circle consisted of two half horseshoes of (smaller) bluestone sturctures and the central stone structure (please don't quote me I know I am a little confused on the structure).

The actual purpose behind it is unknown,  to think that the outer ditch and the structure itself could be linked it is incredible considering the amount of years in between.   The structure was built around the same time as the Egyptian Pyramids and like the Pyramids (and of course the Sphynx) it is not quite known how they built the structure as they did not have building apparatuses they way we do today.  It is said the Sumarians were the ones that built the Sphynx so I am wondering if they had anything to do with the construction of this?  

A Calendar

Like I stated above the actual purpose behind it is not actually known though one belief is that it was used a calendar.  At certain times of the year when the sun shines through the central stone structure it will shine through one of the outer circle openings and that represents June, the next month it will do the same thing except it will be through the next stone on the left, further left in August and so on.

Heelstone

The Heelstone is outside of the entrance to Stonehenge and it leans inwards towards the circle.  If you stand northeast at the entrance of the sturcture, the sun will rise over the heelstone during summer solstice.

More Stories

It has also been said that the rocks are healing rocks called the Giants dance, which giants had brought from Africa to Ireland for their healing purposes.

It has also been said that they are related to the druids.

It is also said that the surrounding land was used for burials and when you leave the monument and head back to the parking lot you can see burial mounds surrounding the area; it's a little weird.

The history and stories behind it is really interesting there is soo much to write about but if you would like some more information on it please Click Here .

I love looking at places like Stonehenge, trying to picture what it was like thousands of years ago,  how they built it, what really went on there, what it was used for.  I found it so mysterious and as much it wasn't an old ruin of the colesium or a natural wonder like Ayers Rock and the Olga's  I couldn't take my eyes off of it.  I always feel so trans -like around structures and world wonders,  I really just want to know as much as I can about them and be a sponge their history and culture.  I really thought it was incrdible how it can be used as a calendar,  a lot more interesting then our electronic ones these days lol sometimes I feel like we have lost the true essence of life with all our electronics and factory made things.  Stonehenge mmight have taken thousands of years but it definatly lasts longer and doesn't go out of date as fast as my computer does.

After Stonehenge, Jess took me to Winchester to the house where she grew up to have dinner with her parents.  The drive, although rainy was nice.  We of course talked but I really enjoyed the scenery.  Winchester is more country living with english type cottages that remind me of something out of a fairy tale very rounded and cozy looking,  lots of trees and...I dont know I said to Jess that it almost looked like something out of a book,  like it didn't look real,  it looked like a fairy tale place that you would only find in the pages of a book,  that really is the only way I can describe it.  

After a lovely dinner with her parents - her mum didn't understand why I wouldn't drink any wine - it was time to go home but Jess wanted to drive me through the New Forest where we could see wild horses.  "That's really great Jess but umm,  it's dark outside now, how am I suppossed to take pictures or see anything."  "Oh,  I never thought about that."  "When you said you wanted to take me after dinner I knew it was going to be dark but I figured you knew what you were doing"  Yes, two blondes, it makes sense.

We did drive through the New Forest,  I would love to talk about the flowers and the big trees over hanging on the road that made it like a tunnel, but it was pitch black our only light was from the headlights of Jess's car.  We did see some wild horses,  I pulled out my camera to take some video but it's really not that exciting as when they leave the glare from the headlights you can't see anything and it's quite pointless.  I can say that in the New Forest they have towns.  It really looked incrdible so I would definately like to go back again, plus there are heaps of hiking trails so it's definatly a day adventure.

Things are going really great here...Dan is doing so well at work and they really like him.   I have been helping out at the neighbours.  I have been cleaning and trust me it really needs to be cleaned.  It took me 3 and a half hours to scrub their kitchen and 2 hours to scrub and clean out the fridge,  I still have to scrub the walls and vacum up the spiders in the corners lol.   "How lucky are we, we have a made."  said his 7 year old daughter  he tried explaining to her I wasnt a maid but I guess in her eyes I am.  There is a lot to be done,  the up keep of little things like sweeping is neglected as well as the major things so its taking some time but they are giving me some money so it is really helping Dan and I at the moment - with the getting paid monthly he still hasn't seen his first cheque yet.  I also have a job interview at a cafe on Thursday so I am really excited.  Finally everything is falling into place for us.

 I have been keeping really busy.  My book was published last week,  I have begun writing another one and TOMORROW (Wednesday)  I am appearing as a guest travel blogger on www.iwalk4love.com every month, twice a month!  I am really excited!  I'm really starting to get my writting out there and I am super excited to see where it takes me.  Please follow the webpage for my updates,  it will be blogs, travel tips and postcards - some of my photography!  It's going to be great!  So please don't forget to check the webpage tomorrow -  to be honest, seeing my name and picture up there was almost as good as seeing my name in lights :)


*all notes and info about Stonehenge was taken (and possibly quoted)  from Wikipedia.  Please go to www.wikipedia.com for more information on Stonehenge*


 

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