Photographic Journal of BettyLou Steadman

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2012 (547)
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Michael Walter
 
24 May 2012
May 24th, 4:20am 0 comments

Westminster Cathedral

Westminster Cathedral is the primary Roman Catholic cathedral in England, and one of London's few buildings in Byzantine style. The cathedral is decorated with beautiful friezes and mosaics.  The cornerstone was laid in 1895 and the structure was largely completed 8 years later.  The exterior of the building is built with red brick and Portland stone. More than 100 types of marble from all around the world grace the interior of the cathedral and lovely Byzantine mosaics cover the chapels and the vaulting of the sanctuary.  Source: http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/westminstercathedral.htm

After the bus left Stonehenge and took me back to London, it dropped me off at Victoria Station where I had to walk several blocks back to my hotel.  I passed this cathedral on my way to my hotel for the last three days of my time spent in London.  I previously sent pictures of this building earlier in the series, but I didn't know its name until now.
Westminster_cathedral

Bettylou Steadman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
Posted
 
24 May 2012
May 24th, 4:07am 0 comments

A Stonehenge Mound

Stonehenge is situated in a vast plain, surrounded by hundreds of round barrows, or
burial mounds.  The Stonehenge site is truly impressive, and all the more so, the closer you approach. Whatever its original purpose was, it should be treated as the ancients treated it, as a place of honor.  Source: http://www.britannia.com/history/h7.html

This is one of the burial mounds surrounding Stonehenge.  After this, we boarded the bus and drove back to London.

Stonehenge_8

Bettylou Steadman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
Posted
 
24 May 2012
May 24th, 3:53am 0 comments

Stonehenge 6

This is about as close as I was able to get to Stonehenge because of the ropes around it to keep people away from them.  It looks like you could just reach out and touch them from here.

Bettylou Steadman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.

(download)

Posted
 
24 May 2012
May 24th, 3:44am 0 comments

Stonehenge 5

Looking at Stonehenge from another angle:

Stonehenge_5

Bettylou Steadman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
Posted
 
22 May 2012
May 22nd, 5:53pm 0 comments

Stonehenge 4

Two major new theories have been proposed as to the purpose of Stonehenge.  One is that it was a place of healing -- the primeval equivalent of Lourdes. They argue that this accounts for the high number of burials in the area.  However they do concede that the site was probably multifunctional and used for ancestor worship as well.  Whatever religious, mystical or spiritual elements were central to Stonehenge, its design includes a celestial observatory function, which might have allowed prediction of eclipse, solstice, equinox and other celestial events important to a contemporary religion.  Source: Wikipedia

Stonehenge - Up close and in your face!

Bettylou Steadman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.

(download)

Posted
 
22 May 2012
May 22nd, 5:43pm 0 comments

Stonehenge 3

Over the years, various authors have suggested that supernatural or anachronistic methods were used to build Stonehenge, usually asserting that the stones were impossible to move otherwise. However, conventional techniques using Neolithic technology have been demonstrably effective at moving and placing stones of a similar size.  Source: Wikipedia

This is a different angle of viewing Stonehenge, and you can see some people in the lower left-hand corner of the picture.

Stonehenge_3

Bettylou Steadman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
Posted
 
22 May 2012
May 22nd, 5:36pm 0 comments

Stonehenge 2

Stonehenge was produced by a culture that left no written records. Many aspects of Stonehenge remain subject to debate. This multiplicity of theories, some of them very colourful, are often called the "mystery of Stonehenge".  There is little or no direct evidence for the construction techniques used by the Stonehenge builders.  Proposed functions for the site include usage as an astronomical observatory, or as a religious site.  Source: Wikipedia

Here's a view of Stonehenge without people in front of it.  The No. 4 marker was already there.  I did not add it to the picture.

Stonehenge_2

Bettylou Steadman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
Posted
 
22 May 2012
May 22nd, 5:23pm 0 comments

Stonehenge 1

Archaeological evidence found by the Stonehenge Riverside Project in 2008 indicates that Stonehenge could possibly have served as a burial ground from its earliest beginnings. The dating of cremated remains found on the site indicate that deposits contain human bone material from as early as 3000 BC, when the initial ditch and bank were first dug. Such deposits continued at Stonehenge for at least another 500 years. 
Source: Wikipedia

After our bus drove 77 miles from London to Stonehenge, we got out of the bus and proceeded to walk toward the monument in the rain.  It is roped off and we were not allowed to walk among the stones nor touch them.  We had to look at them from a distance, which wasn't all that bad considering their size.

Stonehenge_1

Bettylou Steadman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
Posted
 
21 May 2012
May 21st, 11:20pm 0 comments

Off to Stonehenge 2

We finally reached Stonehenge and got off the bus.  I'm glad I took a raincoat AND an umbrella.  It was raining hard and it wasn't easy to hold an umbrella while trying to take pictures of Stonehenge.

Off_to_stonehenge_2

Bettylou Steadman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
Posted
 
21 May 2012
May 21st, 11:17pm 0 comments

Off to Stonehenge 1

Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks. It is at the centre of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds.  [Wikipedia]

I was very excited when we could see Stonehenge in the distance from our bus window even though it was stormy and raining.

Off_to_stonehenge_1

Bettylou Steadman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
Posted
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