June 24, 1968

 June 24, 1968

Get up early and get ready for Stonehenge tour.  Weather is cool but not too bad.  After nice breakfast we set out.  Our lecturer is a cultured, droll, dandy by the name of Christopher.  We drove through lush greenery again.  More lovely villages and hamlets to the recently built cathedral at Guildford.  They were connected with Winchester cathedral but a new bishop was installed and started building this cathedral.  Stopped because of the war; resumed building afterwards.  Completed around 1961.  We have coffee tea and biscuits and then go in cathedral modern. On beautiful hill.  So well done.  Traditional Gothic but modernized to the nth degree.  Light, bright, beautiful place.  The blue is special.  Originally a certain flower was crushed and used for the dye.  Hence, the very special Guilford Blue. Everything trimmed in this and gold.  Very soft and restful.  I loved it.

       Go on towards Winchester, see many hop fields.  It used to be that people would take a working holiday, or they say “going hopping”.  Winchester is aging and archaeologists in present time are finding things around it.  See tags of this fastened all around.  Always something here from time of the Romans.Changed many times.  Dark ages - William the Conquerer crowned here.  Jane Austin buried here among others.  Constantine.  King Alfred the Great christen ed here.  The present one in some form started early 1000’s.  Winchester (reminder Chester was a Roman town).  Was a walled city.  The river through town is the Itchen.  Statue of Alfred in town.  Have lunch at St. Cross Hotel.  Pretty good.

      Guard tells us about Wallops.  I’ve forgotten.  Something to do with hops.  

      On to Stonehenge, a strange and paralyzing site.  Evidence proves it was here before the Druids.  Around 1400 B.C. and druids come later and used it for their weird ceremonies.  

      On through more beautiful country to Salisbury for tea - which is very good - tea, dainty sandwiches, bread and jam, cake.  (Remember shuffling things around and guide getting us more).   

     Salisbury cathedral started around 1220 - finished up in some form in 1243.  Spire; 1300’s and weighs six and a half tons.  Funny buttresses.  Oldest clock in Europe.  Funny contraption rings (bells). The hours, that’s all.  Sir Christopher Wren restores parts of this by order of the Queen.  Has a beautiful chapter house, octagon.  Intricate carvings.  There is a copy of the Magna Charta here.  In cloisters we see Cedars of Lebanon trees.  Ancient cremation burial place.  Remember asking the man there about the new one.  

     Off to London.  Long ride.  85 miles back from here.  After leaving James station see restaurant.  Go in.  Indian or east Indian food - Karachi Restaurant - most wonderful.  David wary, orders eggs chips and coke.  We three have exotic curry rice chicken and special sauce, shish kabob fruit of far away places .

     Get real silly.  Luchi nut makes Daves eyes funny and he chokes on guava or mango.  We kid while he’s drinking his tea.  Hilarious.  Chokes, spits it all over himself and the table.  We laugh till we cry.  Think we might be kicked out.  He goes out to cool off and dry his coat.  We walk for awhile and buy candy.  Cabby the rest of the way home.