Wow!  Wake up in London and you immediately feel your accent shift!  Everything feels Royal!  After a flight from Ireland, a one-hour train ride to our guest house and a good nights rest, I can’t be more excited about today’s adventure!  A PRIVATE tour of Stonehenge!

Over the past few years England has realized that Stonehenge is more than just a mystery and they are moving quickly to protect it from future damage – therefore, visitors are only allowed to view from a roped off area.  UNLESS – you are one of the 150 people a day (100 at sunrise and 50 at sunset) allowed to visit the stones after the park closes and the ropes have been removed.  But, before you get there – we visited the town of Baths where they have unearthed Roman Baths dating back to before 836BC!  The hot water still flows and there is no way you can walk among the building and not feel the history there!  Another hour through bright yellow fields of canola in full bloom and we dined in a 13-century pub in the town of Lacock.  This little village was put on the map with the filming of Harry Potter – the village was the home of Harry’s parents!

And then hundreds of photographs were taken at Stonehenge.  I can’t wait to share some when I get home!

Arriving back in London at 11:00pm left us needing a light day the next morning.  We decided to walk the Royal tour – riding the tube and popping up above ground at Big Ben!  I will share that this was the most emotional moment for me.  When Dad and I talked about me taking the trip – he would always say “go to London and see Big Ben” – I know that he was smiling down from above as I stood in front of this beautiful clock!   Our walk lead us by Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral where we went up to the bell tower for a full view of the city, Buckingham Palace, the Palace Guards, and of course Big Ben and the House of Parliament.

A more moving moment was the funeral procession of the police office killed in the attack a couple of weeks ago.  They broadcast the church organ playing throughout the town.  It was beautiful to see how peaceful the people of London paid their respects.

Early to bed – early to rise – there is a train to catch – under the English Channel at 247mph to:

PARIS!!