Day 6 - Stonehenge, Windsor Palace and Bath

A whirlwind (actually 11 hr) bus tour today.  Not our typical travel method, but the only way we can see these places in the time we have.  Off to meet our bus at 8 AM at the Millennium Mayfair Hotel about 2 blocks from where we're staying!

Continuing..... wonderful day with good weather until we were on our way home to London when the skies opened up.

First stop Windsor Palace or Castle depending on which tour guide you read- long walk from the coach park to the Palace where we first visited the lovely doll houses where everything (according to the story) worked including mini-Hover and toilet worked.  The Queen was at home - denoted by the Royal Standard flying over the Castle. She uses the Castle both as a private home, where she usually spends the weekend, and as a Royal residence at which she undertakes certain formal duties. Unfortunately she did NOT invite us for tea.  We toured the State apartments which are amazing - priceless works of art, many china sets that are also priceless and furnishings and chandeliers of gold, crystal and other precious stones.  We were not allowed to take pictures indoors but you can get an idea here.

We bought sandwiches and drinks at a little shop near the Windsor railroad station and headed about an hour's drive to  Stonehenge.  I know, some people think it's just a pile of rocks, but......  I'm still amazed that any group of people (for any reason - as yet unknown) could figure out a way to cart multi-ton stones from Wales to the western plains of England and then erect them with a foundation 9  feet underground to stand for so many years.  It was windy and cold but intriguing and fun nevertheless.  We took lots of pictures which I'll post later.  Another hour and a half and we arrived in Bath....a charming Georgian town with a Roman Baths' museum. We really enjoyed the baths and were exhausted and ready to go back to the Marriott.  It rained all the way home....and we got soaked just going from the bus to a taxi back to the hotel.  Really felt like London.  Very good sleep AND even I didn't wake up until 9 AM the next day!