Roman Bath

The Roman Bath was found by the Romans over 10,000 yes ago. This Golden City set in a valley set in the hills was a destination for all kinds of people. There is 43 minerals in the water and it stays at a steady 46C. 

Romans were building a road when they found the hot water, and they made it a temple to worship the goddess Sulis Minerva.

Water is green from the contact with the sun.

The pavement surrounding the bath is 2,000 yrs old

After the Romans abandoned England the bath was considered the Florida of England became a vacation spot.

After the 1600's people stopped bathing in it, they started drinking it

People came to the bath for their health, they would drink the water so that it could cure them, it was a place to meet people, ladies came to meet men and to shop.

Many people come to gamble, and get pregnant because the water was thought to raise fertility. This was a city people would come to reinvent themselves, kind of like a modern day Vegas. Now the cities population of 150,000 with a estimated student population of 80,000.

Sacred spring people used to throw coins in it to buy blessings from the god and to curse people 

Drinking the water, it was warm and tasted a bit weird! Cheers!

Stonehenge

We took a day trip to Stonehenge and to the Roman Bath. Stonehenge was really cool there are so many theories on how the stones got there and what they were used for. The big stones that are stood up weighed 40 tons and took 200 men to move them. The little ones that are on too weighed 5 tons and were strategically placed on top. There was a pointer rock that would show shadows on the rocks when the sun moved, my opinion is so that they could tell time like a sun dial. But there were 56 trenches dug and it is believed that the stones were used for the 56 times the sun sets in one month, (calendar? Possibly). This was massive! I could not imagine how long it took people to build this. 

Stonehenge selfie!

Tower of London

Tower Bridge

Also we visited the Tower of London. This was also interesting, I guess I'm a nerd but I am in love with the way they run things here, and how the government works. We saw where people were beheaded, including King Edward VIII's two wives, and the Bloody Tower. We talked to one of the Beefeaters and he said that there was around 130 soldiers and their families that live on site. The Crown Jewels of course are amazing! 

Armed guards

As many people know here in England firearms are illegal to own. Therefore 90% of officers here do not carry a firearm. I thought it was so cool to see the constables carrying firearms at the House of Parliament because it is an important government building, of course. Nick and I walked up to them and asked if we could take pictures of them and they said we could take pictures and if they happened to be in them it would be ok. I even got one to smile. They were so nice and talked to is for a while! I really can't believe how polite they are here, even when they are mad they are politely rude. I think it's funny.

House of Parliament

The Houses of Parliament and the Westminster Palace were interesting to learn about. They have two houses like us, House of Commons and House of Lords. In the House of Commons the members are elected and serve a term of 5 years, and the House of Lords are appointed for life. The House of Commons have more power than the House of Lords. The monarchy is not allowed into the House of Commons, I thought that was interesting that the Queen is banned from there only after she has been crowned. I learned so much today about this my brain is on over load, I will try and get this as accurate as possible! They vote by sitting on one side of the hallway, the right side is the agree side and the left side is the side the opposition sits. All votes have to be unanimous at all levels. The vote starts at the House of Commons, moved to the House of Lords and is the vote is not unanimous at that level the bill will get sent back to the house for reconsideration. Commoners can not sit down in the houses of parliament except in very small areas. You have to have an important tushy to be able to sit down! 

The bell in Elizabeth's Tower is named Big Ben, it weighs nearly 14 tons and it chimes on every hour. Each session is recorded via a stenographer and is published in a book and stores in the tower of Elizabeth.  

This was by far my favorite building from the outside, I took so many pictures on my camera. It blows my mind how people made is these buildings. It is so detailed I would think that it would take a century just to design the metal work!

Westminster Abbey has the most amazing sculptures inside of it! It took 500 years to build from start to finish, and I can see why! The tomb of the unknown warrior is the most visited tomb and it is the only tomb no one is allowed to walk on, not even the queen. After every royal wedding the bouquet is laid at this tomb after Queen Elizabeth, because she lost her brother in WWI and his body was never found. Every royal wedding, funeral and coranation is held at the Westminster Abbey. So many famous people were buried here, there were over 3,000 people who were remembered or buried here among those are: Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, King Edward the confessor, Winston Churchill, CS Lewis, Edgar Allan Poe, and many kings and queens. This place is by far the most beautiful place so far. 

Random pictures

Leicester Square

Street performers

You don't see that everyday!

The underground is maddening!

My M&M color, I think it is pretty accurate!

Dojo training

Yet again Constable Watson has out done himself! I had so much fun learning the hand to hand combat of the metropolitan police. Since they can only use batons and cs spray they have to rely on their common sense and their ability to calm down the situation. They are very well trained, and every officer has to be trained every six months through out their career. Everything that the police officer does in regard to the use of force has to be justified, every strike from a baton. The building that the dojo training took place in was the central location for all of the meals that are prepared and served to all of the constables that come to London from surrounding areas to help with the special events. They can push 500 officers through the cafeteria in an hour! This is a picture of the front wall, it is a replica of the titanic because the building has been around for that long. Forgive me but I can't remember what Constable Watson told us about that building, it had something to do with the planning of the titanic, or something completely different, but they built the building as a replicate of the titanic because of an important reason I can't remember haha!