tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34302972187527720122024-03-21T01:56:50.542-07:00Traveling InfoVisiting a new place, find the info, tips, do's and dont's here.tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.comBlogger204125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-39286626208928313372010-05-19T06:03:00.000-07:002010-05-19T06:04:51.276-07:00Gedong Songo - Gallery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN-goETqzTVDhy7wT7tbPOU8cUDEng9p84JQJHD6Ox6AhoxXgqbAxmDB-53ds26v1P2F7g5PO0L-E7ivG5IyEx0MAsrQ_0LBFQ6mdqg2hps17jE3P_Ra6IckXInVqbBDeZm4jhBd7stc/s1600/traveling123_blogspot_com_gedongsongo4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN-goETqzTVDhy7wT7tbPOU8cUDEng9p84JQJHD6Ox6AhoxXgqbAxmDB-53ds26v1P2F7g5PO0L-E7ivG5IyEx0MAsrQ_0LBFQ6mdqg2hps17jE3P_Ra6IckXInVqbBDeZm4jhBd7stc/s320/traveling123_blogspot_com_gedongsongo4.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWK4RGE8lI3WHjPAOfusy778M1Ho6M7msHgrFws-2A2iMdkZdThDJrE1WSey28b6rO9C6o69aEEmdVG9zPNDYdfvjKsPcz7VyCle4OXz7KQO9x_AqvryoQX9RC2mhe_gyve89Alb5VxsI/s1600/traveling123_blogspot_com_gedongsongo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWK4RGE8lI3WHjPAOfusy778M1Ho6M7msHgrFws-2A2iMdkZdThDJrE1WSey28b6rO9C6o69aEEmdVG9zPNDYdfvjKsPcz7VyCle4OXz7KQO9x_AqvryoQX9RC2mhe_gyve89Alb5VxsI/s320/traveling123_blogspot_com_gedongsongo2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Fi_p3XDNdU3n-iy-nQsaQswE60qEDy5vfLhdZwrDkNSNl4hbi49P_cWzkljHcYGU_oOdCEqJGY7mPXt6-kclmU02SCy5c0ntDQch4V2l0Rv5MuU-1W8Nfyz94RwWDiSZGkb2AKPDMbM/s1600/traveling123_blogspot_com_gedongsongo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Fi_p3XDNdU3n-iy-nQsaQswE60qEDy5vfLhdZwrDkNSNl4hbi49P_cWzkljHcYGU_oOdCEqJGY7mPXt6-kclmU02SCy5c0ntDQch4V2l0Rv5MuU-1W8Nfyz94RwWDiSZGkb2AKPDMbM/s320/traveling123_blogspot_com_gedongsongo1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxEOx7bsf_AGZpZDZvNagK6Bkm5KhRjp0uTS-X86q92oWszpnWRHLVcM2L1mCG9xc_DNOkQg7PJMAeUJ6WFM_wewOFDtin1nY82dK1OhHuEvv7La9rFqmuysR-0Ifsy2dSdGpgPFTT2Y/s1600/traveling123_blogspot_com_gedongsongo3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxEOx7bsf_AGZpZDZvNagK6Bkm5KhRjp0uTS-X86q92oWszpnWRHLVcM2L1mCG9xc_DNOkQg7PJMAeUJ6WFM_wewOFDtin1nY82dK1OhHuEvv7La9rFqmuysR-0Ifsy2dSdGpgPFTT2Y/s400/traveling123_blogspot_com_gedongsongo3.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Related Post</b><br />
<a href="http://traveling123.blogspot.com/2010/05/gedong-songo.html">About Gedong Songo</a>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-85603078612849952052010-05-19T05:51:00.000-07:002010-05-19T06:04:17.674-07:00Gedong SongoThis is a resort on the slope of mount Ungaran, about 900 meters above sea level. Gedong Songo (nine buildings), a group of small 8th century Hindu Javanese temples, can be reached either by car or on horseback from the town. Built at about the same time as the temples of the Dieng complex, Gedong Songo is one of the most beautifully sited temple complexes in Central Java and the views alone are worth the trip. Gedung Songo ('Nine Buildings') belong to the earliest antiquities of Java, they follow up the temples on the Dieng Plateau directly, for what about time. They were also built high in the mountains in an area full with volcanic activity; and they were also from Hinduist origin. But where the temples on Dieng Plateau are somewhat squeezed into a foggy valley, Gedung Songo are spread over the higher parts of the mountains, which guarantee a splendid view. On clear days, the horizon is one long row of volcanoes, from mount Lawu in the east, towards mount Sumbing, mount Sundoro and Dieng Plateau in the west.<br />
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The temples were built between 730 and 780, the first temple excepted, which could have been built some 30 years later. Gunung Songo is not the original name and also doesn't point at the number of structures. The number nine has a special meaning in the Javanese culture, in which there is a strong attachment to numbers. The temples are located at about the same distance from each other (100 meters, 200 meters) on a naturally formed terrace of edge of a mountain<br />
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<b>On Google Maps</b><br />
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<small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=ungaran+gedong+songo&sll=-7.130447,110.404358&sspn=0.039603,0.077162&ie=UTF8&hq=gedong+songo&hnear=Ungaran,+Indonesia&ll=-7.22917,110.317185&spn=0.603793,0.247686" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small><br />
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<a href="http://traveling123.blogspot.com/2010/05/gedong-songo-gallery.html">Gedong Songo Gallery</a>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-55461986036621697312010-01-18T02:33:00.000-08:002010-01-18T02:34:43.866-08:00Indonesia - Bluebird Taxi Contact NumberJAKARTA<br /><br />Head Office :<br />Jl. 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Raya By Pass Nusa Dua No. 4, Jimbaran - Denpasar - Bali<br />phone : (0361) 701621, fax : (0361) 701628<br />E-mail : mkt.gb.bali@bluebirdgroup.com<br /><br />Order by phone (24 hours) :<br />BALI TAKSI & GOLDEN BIRD : (0361) 701111<br /><br />Customer Care Center: (0361) 701 621<br />E-mail: customercare@bluebirdgroup.com<br /><br />Hotel Outlets :<br />Bali Cliff Resort, Bali Hyatt, Bali Padma Hotel, Bvlgari Resort & Hotel Bali, Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, Grand Hyatt, Hard Rock Hotel Bali, Nikko Bali Resort & Spa, Ramada Bintang Bali Resort, Ramada Resort Benoa, Ritz Carlton Bali Resort, The Westin Bali & Bali International Convention Center<br /><br />Other Outlets :<br />Ace Hardware, Ngurah Rai Airport – International & Domestic arrival terminals, Musro Discotheque, Pepito Supermarket, Tiara Dept. Store<br /><br /><br />BANDUNG<br /><br />Jl. 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Basuki Rachmat 106-128, Surabaya 60271<br />phone : (031) 5326403/06, 5311234 ext. 80158, fax : (031) 5326421<br />E-mail : gbsby@surabaya.wasantara.net.id<br /><br />Customer Service : (031) 3720909<br />E-mail : customercare@bluebirdgroup.com<br />Hotel Outlets :<br />Hotel Ibis, Hotel Singgasana, Hyatt Regency Surabaya, ITC Bunguran, Majapahit Oriental Surabaya, Mercure Surabaya, Novotel Surabaya, Plaza Hotel Surabaya, Sheraton Surabaya Hotel & Tower, Somerset Hotel & Service Residence, Shangri La Surabaya<br /><br />Other Outlets :<br />Citi of Tommorow, East Point, Graha Bumi Mandiri, Mal BG Junction, Plaza Surabaya, Royal Plaza, RS Surabaya Internasional, RS Husada Utama, RS Perak Hospital Center, Surabaya Town Square, Sogo TP IV<br /><br /><br />YOGYAKARTA<br /><br />GOLDEN BIRD : Shopping Arcade Hotel Melia Purosani, Jl. Suryotomo No. 31, Yogyakarta 55122<br />phone : (0274) 589521 ext. 555, phone/fax : (0274) 7588185 (Office Hour), (0274) 869123 ext. 89214 (24-hour), E-mail : gb_yogya@indosat.net.id<br /><br />Hotel Outlets :<br />Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta, Melia Purosani Hotel, Plaza Jogjakarta Hotel<br /><br /><br />MANADO<br /><br />BLUE BIRD & GOLDEN BIRD : JL.Balai Kota II No.30 RT003/RW 01 Kel.Tikala Kumaraka, Kec. Wenang, Manado Sulawesi Utara<br />Phone : (0431) 86 1234tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-63348842081216443462010-01-14T20:45:00.000-08:002010-01-15T06:10:59.238-08:00Indonesia : Mount Bromo<a href="http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy230/rangga168/bromo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 438px; height: 233px;" src="http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy230/rangga168/bromo.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mount Bromo (2,329 metres) is easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. It sits inside the massive Tengger caldera (diameter approximately 10 km), surrounded by the Laut Pasir (Sea of Sand) of fine volcanic sand. The overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly, especially when compared to the lush green valleys all around the caldera.<br /><br />The major access point is Cemoro Lawang (also Cemara Lawang or Cemora Lawang - blame the East Javanese accent!) at the northeastern edge of the caldera, but there are also trails from Tosari (northwest) and Ngadas (southwest). The village of Ngadisari, on the road from Probolinggo about 5.5 km before Cemoro Lawang, marks the entrance to the national park. Both Cemoro Lawang and Ngadisari are rather picturesque, with brightly-painted houses and flower beds outside.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Tenggerese</span><br />The area in and around the park is inhabited by the Tenggerese, one of the few significant Hindu communities left on the island of Java. The local religion is a remnant from the Majapahit era and therefore quite similar to that on Bali but with even more animist elements. The Tenggerese are believed to be descendents of the Majapahit prices and were driven into the hills after mass arrivals in the area of devoutly Muslim Madurese in the 19th century. These Madurese immigrants were labourers working for Dutch coffee plantation owners and the native Hindu people of the region soon found themselves outnumbered and either converted to Islam or fled to the inhospitable high mountain tops where they remain today.<br /><br />The religion is quite low key though (certainly when compared to Bali) with the most visible manifestation of faith being the rather austere Poten temple in the sea of sand. The Tenggerese number about 600,000 and they reside in 30 villages scattered in and around the park with smaller communities elsewhere in East Java.<br /><br />For many visitors, the sight of the angular-faced, sunburned, moustachioed Tenggerese wrapped in poncho-like blankets, trotting about on ponies with craggy mountains as the backdrop, more resembles Peru than Indonesia!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Landscape</span><br />If ever a landscape were need to demonstrate the meaning of the phrase desolate beauty, then this is surely it. Rugged, barren volcanic peaks, gravel plains and that sea of sand. Truly unworldly.<br /><br />The park also includes large areas which are very lush and green fed by rivers from the high tops. The medium elevations are clad with much thinner forest before this gives way to the barren plateau and peaks.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Flora and fauna</span><br />In the parts of the park which most interest visitors (the caldera and mountain tops) flora and fauna is limited - a general lack of vegetation. At lower elevations and away from the sea of sand there are though lush green valleys with a typical tropical forest flora. The higher elevations before the tree line ends are largely clad with casuarina (cemara) forest.<br /><br />Down in the valleys, a few leopard cats are present but rarely seen. Java rusa deer, muntjac, marbled cat and wild pig are amongst the mammals more likely to be glimpsed by casual visitors. This park is not so renowned for birdwatching as others in Java but up on the plateau you often see hawks and eagles soaring over the valleys below.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Climate</span><br />Temperatures are refreshingly cool during the day but outright cold at night as temperatures can drop close to zero in the summer and are rarely much above 5°C in winter. Daytime temperatures anywhere in the park never exceed 20°C with low teens being normal.<br /><br />It can rain at anytime and the mean average rainfall is 6,600 mm. Most of that comes in the wet season though - November to March. During periods of heavy rain in January and February especially, many parts of the park are inaccessible due to flooding. Landslips are also a real issue at these times.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Official Tourism Offices</span><br /><ul><li>East Java Tourism Office, Jalan Wisata Menanggal, Surabaya, East Java, ☎ +62 31 8531815 or 8531820 (eastjava@indosat.net.id). </li><li>East Java Tourism Office, Jl Jendral Basuki Rachmat 6, Malang, East Java, ☎ +62 341 323966.</li><li>Office of the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, Jl Raden Intan No6, Malang, East Java, ☎ +62 341 491828 (tn-bromo@malang.wasan-tara.net.id).</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How to Get there</span><br />By plane<br />The nearest major airport is in Surabaya, three to four hours away by car (and more by bus). Surabaya is well served by regular domestic flights from Jakarta and Bali and some other countries in Asia.<br />There is a small regional airport at Malang with flights from Jakarta only and access from here makes sense if you intend to enter the park via the Tumpang/Ngadas route.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">By road</span><br />There are three established routes into the park.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">The Probolinggo -> Ngadisari Route</span><br />The nearest larger town is Probolinggo, on the north coast of Java about 45 km as the crow flies from the park (but it feels a lot further). This is by far the commonest route used to access the park as it is the most straightforward (but not necessarily the most interesting). About 6 km west of Probolinggo on the main coastal highway, turn south at the village of Ketapang. From there the road snakes up for 40 km through Sukapura (not a bad idea to stay the night here as the hotels are good) to Ngadisari and finally Cemaro Lawang on the edge of the caldera. Total journey time about 1 hour and 30 minutes.<br /><br />To get to Probolinggo from Surabaya, take a Damri shuttle bus from the Juanda International Airport in Surabaya to the Bungurasih bus terminal (also called Purabaya) in the city. Then take an express Patas air-conditioned bus for the 2 to 3 hour journey from Surabaya to Probolinggo.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">The Pasuruan -> Tosari Route</span><br />This route is only a little harder than the Probolinggo option and Pasuruan has the benefit of being closer to Surabaya. From Pasuruan on the main north coast road between Surabaya and Probolinggo, take the road 45 km south to Tosari via Pastepan. Irregular buses ply this route or you can drive it in a regular car. From Tosari to Wonokitri it is another 3 km via a local bemo or on the back of a truck. From Wonokotri up to Bromo it is a really nice three hour 14 km trek, so you do need to start very early if you want sunrise. Alternatively you should be able to hire a 4 x 4 with a driver for that journey. There is accommodation in both Tosari and Wonokitri.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Malang -> Tumpang Route</span><br />This route approaches from the south east and is seldom used due to the lack of facilities. Certainly the most off-the-beaten-path way to approach the park. Take a microbus from Ardosari bus station in Malang to Tumpang and then a 4WD vehicle or a heavy truck from Tumpang to Ngadas. There are no facilities to speak of at Ngadas but you will find informal accommodation in family homes in the village. At Ranupani up on the top there is very simple homestay accommodation avaiable - ask at the park office there. The route from Ngadas on to the caldera is interesting because it transverses the Sea of Sand and directly passes Mount Bromo. A dirt road leads across the flat bottom of the caldera, up to Jemplang on the southern rim and on to Ranupani where you should check in at the park office. You have to take a 4WD vehicle (unless you prefer to walk).<br /><br /><a href="http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy230/rangga168/Indonesia%20Landscape/IMG_3055.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy230/rangga168/Indonesia%20Landscape/IMG_3055.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do</span><br />When timing any activities in the area, bear in mind that sunset is soon after 5 PM and sunrise is correspondingly early at around 5:30 AM. This means you will usually need to get up by 3:30 AM or so to get to a watchpoint in time for dawn.<br /><br />For the keen hiker, this park is a dream come true and you can make your own schedule. There are so many possibilities once you are away from the obvious well known area at Mount Bromo.<br /><br /><ul><li> Mount Bromo edges tinged with sulphur and always bubbling, is the main sight here and sadly, for some tourists it is the only sight. To reach it on foot, pick the left fork at Cemoro Lawang's solitary crossing, then head down the ramp into the caldera and then across the caldera to the Hindu temple (Poten) at the foot of the mountain. From the temple a steep path of 250 concrete steps leads to the edge of the crater and a precarious meter-wide ledge from where you can gaze into the steaming crater. Local jeep-hirers will often try to persuade tourists that the journey to the mountain is not within walking distance in order to hire them jeeps or ponies, but the walk from the tourist centre to the top of the mountain should take no longer than 90 minutes and is about 3km. </li><li>Mount Penanjakan (2,770m), located just north of the caldera, is a mountaintop viewpoint accessible by paved road from Tosari and hence popular with jeeps and even tour buses. Most of the crowd comes to see the dawn at 5 AM and you will likely have the large concrete observation post to yourself if you arrive later in the day. A steady hike from Bromo to Batok and then around the rim to Penanjakan will take about three hours and the last ascent of about 500 metres is very stiff indeed but truly worthwhile. Ancient Javanese Hindu texts tell of how Bromo-Penanjakan-Semeru (or Mahameru as it was then) was the spiritual axis of the universe and the point of all creation. The view from Penanjakan will explain why - it is truly breathtaking. This is where most of those iconic picture postcard views are taken from. After you have had your fill of the views, a hike back across the sea of sand to Cemoro Lawang will take about two hours. </li><li>Mount Semeru can be climbed over two days but it is a venture for serious trekkers only and requires a high level of physical fitness. A permit must obtained in advance and would be climbers should be very aware that the mountain will be off-limits during periods of eruptive activity. This is a very active volcano. If you do decide you are up for this you should be able to find a guide to go at least part of the way with you at the park office in Ranupani. That office is also the best source of information for an assessment of the current state of the mountain and for hooking up with serious climbers from around the world. </li><li>Viewpoint #2, along the trail from Cemoro Lawang to Mount Penanjakan, is an excellent way to get a stunning view of the caldera without the crowds. To reach it, head west from Cemoro Lawang (past the Cemoro Indah hotel) for 6 km, passing Tenngerese farms and fields. The paved road eventually turns into a twisty mountain trail that ends with a flight of stairs on the right, and the viewpoint (with concrete shelter) is at the top. Allow 90 minutes hours for the climb up at a steady pace and bring along a flashlight if attempting this at night. From here, you can continue onto Mount Penanjakan by following the trail upwards, after which the trail merges onto the paved road to the viewpoint (total time about 60 minutes one way). If planning to return the same way, mark the spot where the trail emerges onto the road (if you pass a stone lantern on the way down you have gone too far!), and note that descending on this section can get slippery due to loose sand and rocks. As of September 2008, the direct route from Cemoro Lawang up to Penanjakan and Viewpoint #2 is severely damaged because of landslides. The path is still passable, but it can be tricky to spot the dangerous parts in the dark — each vistor should have their own flashlight. </li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What to see</span><br /><ul><li>By far the most common activity in the park is visiting the collapsed but still smouldering Mount Bromo, located in the huge, unearthly moonscape of a caldera known as the Sea of Sand (Pasir Lautan). The much photographed view of steaming Mount Bromo surrounded by the Sea of Sand, its rather serene neighbour Mount Batok and mighty Mount Semeru as the southern backdrop, is one of the great iconic images of Indonesia. </li><li>Mount Batok (2,440m) is a brown volcano at the north centre of the caldera. Unlike the other nearby peaks it is no longer active and actually has some vegetation growing on it, mostly casuarina (cemara) trees that somehow manage to survive even on volcanic ash. </li><li>The Upacara Kasodo (also Kasada) is held every year at the full moon of the 12th month of the Tenggerese calendar and it is the most demonstrable Tenggerese religious ceremony. The Tenggerese invoke the approval of the gods to ensure a successful harvest, to be spared from any natural calamities and to be cured of disease. Selected Tenggerese men climb down to precarious ledges on the Bromo crater wall and catch the offerings thrown down by their excited neighbours above. A scramble ensues for possession of the offerings and whole thing is both exciting and rather terrifying as it is not unknown in all the mayhem for a "catcher" to slip off his ledge and fall. You can check the date of the next Upacara Kasodo at the East Java Tourism Office in Surabaya (+62 31 567 7219). </li><li>Madakaripura Waterfall. These spectacular falls in the foothills of the park are easily reached by anyone visiting with their own transport. From Sukapura take the north-heading road towards Tongas and after about 6 km close to the village of Sapih the turning to the falls is signposted on your left. Continue down this small road to reach the car park for the falls. There are often lots of hawkers in the car park waiting to hire or sell you umbrellas to protect from the spray. There are actually seven waterfalls here some of which drop over the access path during the wet season, so an umbrella is not as silly as it sounds. Legend abounds here: bathing in the chill waters is said to be an elixir of life, the water is regarded as holy by the Tenggerese and is used in their important ceremonies, and the great Majapahit prime minister Gajah Madah is reputed to have meditated here. A very attractive and relaxing spot. </li><li>The Poten. This is the Tenggerese Hindu temple that sits looking eerily beautiful in the sea of sand close to Mount Bromo. There is something quite magical about this place and the frugality of its decoration and austere design seems very appropriate for the location. Easily found, you really cannot miss it. </li><li>Lakes Ranupani and Ranu Regulo. These small, serene and always misty lakes are adjacent to the village of Ranupani on the south side of the crater. The village is the usual start point for ascending Mount Semeru and there is a park office here. Most visitors to this side of the crater will be happy though to take in the beauty of the small highland lakes and leave climbing Mount Semeru to the professionals. Ranupani is an extremely mystical village even by East Javanese standards and the rather ghostly lakes only add to the feelings of spirituality here. If this side of the crater appeals to you, it should be possible to arrange some simple homestay accommodation in Ranupani - ask at the park office. </li></ul>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-50877926954050399922009-07-05T06:38:00.000-07:002009-07-05T06:48:21.056-07:00Dartmoor National ParkDartmoor isn't just wild in places, it's special too and is a wonderful place to visit all year round. With nature reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, endangered birds, rare plants and thousands of archaeological sites, including burial chambers, stone circles and menhirs - more than anywhere else in North Western Europe - there is something of interest for everyone on Dartmoor.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxsKBc2j6QiKv8hohzch31rhmQRwOVn04Lu_T7ahRndZO6oYe1Hk9oOdE7hASuesXePbDcbjx7Nu0I4M75zNsyWPJtj67EsDbceA31bjkwiXZ_KLDFSRPx4yMIjLkhf2d59jL1s8mdIo/s1600-h/dartmoor.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 439px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxsKBc2j6QiKv8hohzch31rhmQRwOVn04Lu_T7ahRndZO6oYe1Hk9oOdE7hASuesXePbDcbjx7Nu0I4M75zNsyWPJtj67EsDbceA31bjkwiXZ_KLDFSRPx4yMIjLkhf2d59jL1s8mdIo/s320/dartmoor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354971989739432370" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Weather</span><br />The weather on Dartmoor can be unpredictable and often very different from the coastal areas of Devon. Metcheck.com provide a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/HOBBIES/mountain_forecast.asp?LocationID=1171">forecast of the weather at Yes Tor</a> (external link, opens new window) on the north moor which is very useful for walkers.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What to See and Do around Dartmoor National Park</span><br />Dartmoor has lots of attractions to enjoy including castles and historic houses, gardens, museums and heritage centres. There are also forest walks, waterfalls, animal and wildlife parks, railways, arts and crafts centres and farmers' markets. As well as places to visit you can enjoy a whole host of activities ranging from moorland walks, cycling, fishing and golf to swimming, outdoor pursuits and adventure. The link below gives you access to an interactive map showing where you can find Dartmoor's many attractions and activities including Information Centres, car parks and public toilets. Selecting the "i" button will display a list of map items together with their opening hours and useful contact details where available. Additionally there is a printable <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/vi-dartmoor-map-2008.pdf">PDF map</a> ( 846Kb)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Accommodation</span><br />If you need to book accommodation within Dartmoor National Park, the Tourist Information Centres offer a 'book-a-bed-ahead' service, both locally and nationally. A free holiday and accommodation guide is also available from the Dartmoor Partnership Ltd (formerly the Dartmoor Tourist Association). <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-planningyourvisit/vi-findingsomewheretostay.htm">Read more in the Accommodation section</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Google Maps</span><br /><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=50.566667,-4&ie=UTF8&ll=50.566667,-4&spn=0.449224,1.234589&z=10&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=50.566667,-4&ie=UTF8&ll=50.566667,-4&spn=0.449224,1.234589&z=10&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-19704296162439377592009-06-28T22:39:00.000-07:002009-06-28T22:52:35.805-07:00RHS Garden, Wisley<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7fD6eMX1NBz69fDTaWXWcI29fCGJAR2RD73xm4bYZnvkwG8wH9txPlvtZyGLNCQ0JmGJpDYVIH_cfG708rMpDU4ya2FKC52vkCLgUSIdqeUmCoP94s1QUCm9umexpnpsGwU04meXYzs/s1600-h/laboratory-wisley.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 109px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7fD6eMX1NBz69fDTaWXWcI29fCGJAR2RD73xm4bYZnvkwG8wH9txPlvtZyGLNCQ0JmGJpDYVIH_cfG708rMpDU4ya2FKC52vkCLgUSIdqeUmCoP94s1QUCm9umexpnpsGwU04meXYzs/s320/laboratory-wisley.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352623303909875250" border="0" /></a><br />The Royal Horticultural Society's garden at Wisley in the English county of Surrey south of London, is one of the three most visited paid gardens in the United Kingdom alongside Kew Gardens and Alnwick Garden.[citation needed] It is one of four public gardens run by the Society, the others being Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall and Rosemoor.<br /><br />Wisley was founded by Victorian businessman and RHS member George Ferguson Wilson, who purchased a 60 acre (243,000 m²) site in 1878. He established the "Oakwood Experimental Garden" on part of the site, where he attempted to "make difficult plants grow successfully". Wilson died in 1902 and Oakwood (which was also known as Glebe Farm) was purchased by Sir Thomas Hanbury, the creator of the celebrated garden La Mortola on the Italian Riviera. He gifted both sites to the RHS the following year. Since then Wisley has developed steadily and it is now is a large and diverse garden covering 240 acres (971,000 m²). In addition to numerous formal and informal decorative gardens, several glasshouses and an extensive arboretum, it includes small scale "model gardens" which are intended to show visitors what they can achieve in their own gardens, and a trials field where new cultivars are assessed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMidoIlzbPyz3uzeC97Ibvh66GI1S96jfFBx5Z2DHgRAEL1olb8oWHGS5FB8D3PEqzgAQeetefsLTRpIkngXJqb0zRhyoMrDaKddVrk8QXwugSVWm_6gB78N_wAe2gujs7v_C6z12VwFc/s1600-h/Wisley_panorama.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 470px; height: 106px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMidoIlzbPyz3uzeC97Ibvh66GI1S96jfFBx5Z2DHgRAEL1olb8oWHGS5FB8D3PEqzgAQeetefsLTRpIkngXJqb0zRhyoMrDaKddVrk8QXwugSVWm_6gB78N_wAe2gujs7v_C6z12VwFc/s320/Wisley_panorama.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352621314838367714" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The laboratory, for both scientific research and training, was originally opened in 1907, but proved inadequate. It was expanded and its exterior was rebuilt during World War I. It was made a Grade II Listed building in 1985.<br /><br />In April 2005 Alan Titchmarsh cut the turf to mark the start of construction of the Bicentenary Glasshouse. This major new feature covers three quarters of an acre (3,000 m²) and overlooks a new lake built at the same time. It is divided into three main planting zones representing desert, tropical and temperate climates. It was budgeted at £7.7 million and opened June 26, 2007<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Google Maps</span><br /><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.313,-0.4742&ie=UTF8&ll=51.313,-0.4742&spn=0.07511,0.145912&z=12&output=embed" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="350"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.313,-0.4742&ie=UTF8&ll=51.313,-0.4742&spn=0.07511,0.145912&z=12&source=embed" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-20741863629293172282009-06-26T05:13:00.000-07:002009-06-26T05:39:12.126-07:00Sissinghurst Castle Garden<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaTkJUy4ne2S4gcGhzsGQybj6lzmVr7iijm8I3WOp9jBD-dcZzEwHjejjXaY4CiDXrsmZdFZzFEiU8P-GJjhK9edl0azFh7xnBSeIifWLSzH7frqthC_jVdTunSoCnhMaS5Pqf5XbQms/s1600-h/gardens_sissinghurst.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 164px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaTkJUy4ne2S4gcGhzsGQybj6lzmVr7iijm8I3WOp9jBD-dcZzEwHjejjXaY4CiDXrsmZdFZzFEiU8P-GJjhK9edl0azFh7xnBSeIifWLSzH7frqthC_jVdTunSoCnhMaS5Pqf5XbQms/s400/gardens_sissinghurst.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351612239902717762" border="0" /></a>The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, near Cranbrook, Goudhurst and Tenterden, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England. Indeed, some garden enthusiasts would put it first.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">History</span><br />Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. Sissinghurst's garden is one of the best-loved in the whole of the United Kingdom, drawing visitors from all over the world. The garden itself is designed as a series of "rooms", each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls.<br /><br />The site is ancient— "hurst" is the Saxon term for "an enclosed wood". A manorhouse with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages.The house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and hugely enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her uncle as the male heir.<br /><br />After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDBxRCOS5CLtwbi8noRjsorGywcj9Lvqu_AsFV8FmQW2u-0YNIA2dE697QFNirosrEPSsDlCLSnfAzeytvqFM-RZrrmuzgR4psCSQcUqwiHe4Xqvflfr2MLtdFItMvU-mJ3AobuhGrY0/s1600-h/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden_Lageplan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 397px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDBxRCOS5CLtwbi8noRjsorGywcj9Lvqu_AsFV8FmQW2u-0YNIA2dE697QFNirosrEPSsDlCLSnfAzeytvqFM-RZrrmuzgR4psCSQcUqwiHe4Xqvflfr2MLtdFItMvU-mJ3AobuhGrY0/s400/Sissinghurst_Castle_Garden_Lageplan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351609721664599026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of:<br /><ul><li>Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens</li><li>the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset laid out by Nicolson's friend Colonel Reginald Cooper DSO. Cothay was later described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country."</li><li>Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Vita Sackville-West was instrumental in preserving.</li></ul>Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Admission prices</span><br /><ul><li>Gift Aid Admission (Standard Admission prices in brackets): £9.80 (£8.80)</li><li>child £4.90 (£4.40)</li><li>family £24.50 (£22)</li><li>Groups £7.80 (only applies to booked groups)</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Facilities</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Parking</span> In main car park. Drop-off point</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Building</span> Level entrance. 5 wheelchairs. Step to library. 78 steps in tower</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">WCs</span> on level ground at ticket office and via ramp at restaurant</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Grounds </span>Partly accessible, some steps, uneven and narrow paths. Map of accessible route. The garden is not suitable for PMVs</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shop</span> Level entrance</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Refreshments</span> Level entrance</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Getting there</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bus services </span>Special link from Staplehurst to Garden, Tuesday, Sunday and Bank Holidays only (telephone property for times) otherwise Arriva 5 Maidstone–Hawkhurst (Passing Staplehurst station) Alight Sissinghurst 1¼ mile (20 min walk)</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cycles</span> NCN18, 8ml View local cycle routes on the National Cycle Network website</li><li>Bus 2 miles north east of Cranbrook, 1 mile east of Sissinghurst village on Biddenden Road, off A262</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">By train</span> Staplehurst 5½ miles</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">On foot</span> From Sissinghurst village, past church to footpath on left, signposted to garden. Path can get muddy</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contact details</span><br />01580 710701 (Infoline)<br />01580 710700<br />Fax: 01580 710702<br />Email: <span style="font-style: italic;">sissinghurst@nationaltrust.org.uk</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Google Maps</span><br /><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.115833,0.581667&ie=UTF8&ll=51.115833,0.581667&spn=0.013874,0.038581&z=15&output=embed" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="350"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.115833,0.581667&ie=UTF8&ll=51.115833,0.581667&spn=0.013874,0.038581&z=15&source=embed" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-5467301309357439322009-06-23T00:38:00.000-07:002009-06-23T00:57:56.819-07:00Warwick CastleWarwick Castle (<span style="font-style: italic;">pronounced /ˈwɒrɪk/</span>) is a medieval castle in Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire, England. It sits on a cliff overlooking a bend in the River Avon. Warwick Castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 within or adjacent to Anglo-Saxon burh of Warwick. It was used as a fortification until the early 17th century, when Sir Fulke Greville converted it to a country house. It was owned by the Greville family, who became earls of Warwick in 1759, until 1978<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qWWv4Akf3JwjEogPOFr261JHFr1hNJaLESG8HKh1janCoon9GPZCJ1TgxxbXAtw2t_OWtSzEE-VY0VAOLOlrqJwn6ZRzjeBNb6mwHHJTTlNAi-3mK25Oo11rb28HiHIcxw3uw8CS-xw/s1600-h/warwick-castle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qWWv4Akf3JwjEogPOFr261JHFr1hNJaLESG8HKh1janCoon9GPZCJ1TgxxbXAtw2t_OWtSzEE-VY0VAOLOlrqJwn6ZRzjeBNb6mwHHJTTlNAi-3mK25Oo11rb28HiHIcxw3uw8CS-xw/s320/warwick-castle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350425070380178450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />From 1088, the castle traditionally belonged to the Earl of Warwick, and it served as a symbol of his power. The castle was taken in 1153 by Henry of Anjou, later Henry II. It has been used to hold prisoners, including some from the Battle of Poitiers in the 14th century. Under the ownership of Richard Neville – also known as "Warwick the Kingmaker" – Warwick Castle was used in the 15th century to imprison the English king, Edward IV. Warwick Castle has been compared with Windsor Castle in terms of scale, cost, and status.<br /><br />Since its construction in the 11th century, the castle has undergone structural changes with additions of towers and redesigned residential buildings. Originally a wooden motte-and-bailey, it was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the facade opposite the town was refortified, resulting in one of the most recognisable examples of 14th century military architecture.<br /><br />In the 17th century the grounds were turned into a garden. Warwick Castle was purchased by The Tussauds Group in 1978 and opened as a tourist attraction. It is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.<br /><br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQupHRB6tpzrfThp3wVCdmZmnVTvGaWBR_dm0UAa5TjLyUPxod1gS22iixdzGkvjPzJe9DpgDGTnjP0jdgjK9LiZNIsfIMvo-3uic8cfGgRiK9CgKCGZaSdkc3K48BJGPVx9QrauG9Puc/s1600-h/warwick-castle-plan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQupHRB6tpzrfThp3wVCdmZmnVTvGaWBR_dm0UAa5TjLyUPxod1gS22iixdzGkvjPzJe9DpgDGTnjP0jdgjK9LiZNIsfIMvo-3uic8cfGgRiK9CgKCGZaSdkc3K48BJGPVx9QrauG9Puc/s320/warwick-castle-plan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350427896815987314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Layout</span><br />The current castle, built in stone during the reign of King Henry II, is on the same site as the earlier Norman motte-and-bailey castle. A keep used to stand on the motte which is on the south west of the site, although most of the structure now dates from the post-medieval period. In the 17th century the motte was landscaped with the addition of a path. The bailey was incorporated into the new castle and is surrounded by stone curtain walls.<br /><br />When Warwick Castle was rebuilt in the reign of King Henry II it had a new layout with the buildings against the curtain walls. The castle is surrounded by a dry moat on the northern side where there is no protection from the river or the old motte; the perimeter of the walls is 130 metres (140 yd) long by 82 metres (90 yd) wide. The two entrances to castle are in the north and west walls. There was originally a drawbridge over the moat in the north east. In the centre of the north west wall is a gateway with Clarence and Bears towers on either side; this is a 15th century addition to the fortifications of the castle. The residential buildings line the eastern side of the castle, facing the River Avon. These buildings include the great hall, the library, bedrooms, and the chapel.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Opening Times</span><br />4th April - 1st November 2009 10am-6pm (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.warwick-castle.co.uk/plan-your-day/opening-times.aspx?css=1">click here for more uptodate info</a>)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ticket Admission</span><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.warwick-castle.co.uk/tickets-and-offers/ticket-prices.aspx?css=1">Click here for detail Ticket Price</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How to get there</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >By Road</span><br />The Castle is well signposted, and less than two miles from junction 15 of the M40. Our address is:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Warwick Castle<br />Warwick<br />Warwickshire<br />CV34 4QU</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >By Rail</span><br />Warwick Station is approximately one mile from the Castle. A direct service into London Marylebone (1 hour 45 minutes) or Birmingham Snow Hill is available. For information visit www.centraltrains.co.uk or www.chilternrailways.co.uk.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >By Air</span><br />Birmingham International Airport is only a 40 minute drive.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >By Excursion</span><br />Various operators run tours to Warwick, including:<br /><ul><li>Evan Evans from London, call for further information on 020 7950 1777.</li><li>Golden Tours from London, call for further information on 020 7233 7030.</li></ul><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Car Parking</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4S_7mANJG4FhL-ViICrhW3ndWyJVJW_Zhdh4YErpod8EAsYepbovpnGdt0zeyZsSUl9Kf9cBbC1fU0Crzr_5HxmHju24z-0n2RG8ERszxJGO_0i0WhF1ILUpCfyDKQYnTBYkIJkk_Wk/s1600-h/carpark-warwick.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 117px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4S_7mANJG4FhL-ViICrhW3ndWyJVJW_Zhdh4YErpod8EAsYepbovpnGdt0zeyZsSUl9Kf9cBbC1fU0Crzr_5HxmHju24z-0n2RG8ERszxJGO_0i0WhF1ILUpCfyDKQYnTBYkIJkk_Wk/s400/carpark-warwick.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350427410216474546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Click to enlarge</span><br /></span></div><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Google Maps</span><br /><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=52.2793,-1.585&ie=UTF8&ll=52.2793,-1.585&spn=0.013522,0.038624&z=15&output=embed" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="350"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=52.2793,-1.585&ie=UTF8&ll=52.2793,-1.585&spn=0.013522,0.038624&z=15&source=embed" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-54126054088698967332009-06-17T02:54:00.000-07:002009-06-17T03:42:50.828-07:00Winchester Cathedral<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8du1wYOGWP_4TXJFUdbis0tITglbkV694bHRSKT44P_rev_49ht3__snCCSZs6GGSJSGcHEwxyY-zBGA7-qvSbcS-LvslIkR0FRAX_yDuCkAd7PoNT9DtziFz5-NOD5iUCUmvd85qfZM/s1600-h/winchester1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 147px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8du1wYOGWP_4TXJFUdbis0tITglbkV694bHRSKT44P_rev_49ht3__snCCSZs6GGSJSGcHEwxyY-zBGA7-qvSbcS-LvslIkR0FRAX_yDuCkAd7PoNT9DtziFz5-NOD5iUCUmvd85qfZM/s200/winchester1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348240875034649634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">History & Heritage</span><br />This Cathedral Church, so named because it houses the throne (or ‘cathedra’) of the Bishop of Winchester, has its origins in the seventh century, when a Christian Church was first built on the site. Since then it has played a fundamental part in the life of this ancient city, and a role in our nations history.<br /><br />The site of the original CathedraBegun in 1079 in the Romanesque style, this Cathedral is at the heart of Alfred's Wessex and a diocese which once stretched from London's Thames to the Channel Islands. Its bishops were men of enormous wealth and power, none more so than William of Wykeham, twice Chancellor of England, Founder of Winchester College and New College Oxford. The chantry chapels and memorials of these great prelates are a feature of the Cathedral. These influential bishops also developed, re-fashioned and adorned this great Cathedral. There pilgrims sought the shrine of local saints, notably a former bishop, Saint Swithun, whose festival (15 July) was said to set the pattern for the weather for the next forty days.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-FOgAHE91mfNdTlzUj8EX-MosHx6YFZPOmopFViPoMvfYxvl9nymYMIDuMDBJkpGYc9OFQIkJzyRtteba9MjEk8628r6ey73BTX6yGlsAdo6HNgmrsbEBbEQOGLaB_EtVoouhrvAqwE/s1600-h/winchester-organ.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-FOgAHE91mfNdTlzUj8EX-MosHx6YFZPOmopFViPoMvfYxvl9nymYMIDuMDBJkpGYc9OFQIkJzyRtteba9MjEk8628r6ey73BTX6yGlsAdo6HNgmrsbEBbEQOGLaB_EtVoouhrvAqwE/s200/winchester-organ.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348244355460060178" border="0" /></a>The Cathedral was also the church of the community of Benedictine monks from its earliest days. Elements of the monastic buildings may still be traced through the Cathedral Close. Central to the life of the monks was the opus dei (the Work of God), the regular offering of prayer which they sang in the quire. The discipline of praying regularly for the world is continued today, most notably in the said morning office and the daily singing of Evensong by the Cathedral choir. Evensong still takes place in the choir of the Cathedral, the choir stalls with their magnificent gabled canopies, elaborately carved with flowers and plants, owls and monkeys, dragons, knights and green men.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chantries & Monuments</span><br />Winchester Cathedral is famous for its chantry chapels, where daily masses were said for the bishops buried within them. The two earliest are in the nave: that of William of Edington (Bishop 1345-66) was designed to stand below the Norman arcade; William of Wykeham's soaring monument was built at the same time as his reconstructed nave. The remaining four chantry chapels stand in the retrochoir. Cardinal Henry Beaufort (1404-47) chose a site next to the final shrine of St Swithun. On a corresponding position on the north side is the chantry chapel of William Waynflete (1447-86), who was provost of Eton (1442-7) and founder of Magdalen College, Oxford. The chapel of Richard Fox (1501-28) was built during his lifetime, on the south side of the feretory platform behind the high altar. The aged, blind bishop is said to have spent much time here in prayer and meditation. His chapel is a marvellous example of the stone-carver's art. The small statues are modern; the original figures of saints were destroyed at the Reformation. The Bishop's 'cadaver' effigy facing the south aisle reminds the passer-by of the transient nature of life.<br /><br />On the north side of the feretory platform, Bishop Gardiner's Chantry Chapel is an amazing hybrid of English late Gothic and Continental Renaissance style deriving ultimately from Fontainebleau. Stephen Gardiner (1531-55) was the last important Roman Catholic bishop of Winchester, during the reign of Mary Tudor (Queen Mary I). He officiated at her marriage to Philip of Spain, which took place in Winchester Cathedral. Other, smaller memorials tell their own fascinating story. In the recently refurbished 'Fishermen's Chapel' in the south transept is the grave of Izaak Walton. Outside the Lady Chapel the statue of Joan of Arc seems to ignore the nearby effigy of Cardinal Beaufort. Sir George Gilbert Scott's imposing 19th-century monument to Bishop Wilberforce (son of the social reformer) stands in the south transept. Also of interest are the tomb of Jane Austen and the statuette commemorating the 'Winchester Diver'.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Visitor Information</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Worship</span><br />Open daily for worship and prayer from 7.30am until 6pm (5.30pm Sunday). There is no charge for those who come to public worship or to pray privately. Monthly service times are listed here.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Opening Times</span><br />Occasionally times may vary for special services and events, please check our closures list if making a special visit.<br />9am - 5pm - Monday to Saturday<br />12.30pm - 3pm - Sunday<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Admission</span><br />There is no admission fee for those attending services or praying privately. Entrance is by donation on Sundays and certain Holy Days (Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Christmas Day)<br /><br /><ul><li>Adults: £6</li><li>Children under 16 with family: Free</li><li>Concessions (over 65s) and groups of 10 or more: £4.80</li><li>Full time students/language schools, and unemployed: £3.50</li><li>Annual passes are available from the Cathedral for £6, we ask UK tax payers to Gift Aid where possible.</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Library & Triforium Gallery Opening Times</span><br />April - October<br /><ul><li>Monday: 2 - 4 pm (last entry 3.30 pm). </li><li>Tuesday - Saturday & Bank Holiday Mondays: 10.30 am - 4 pm (last entry 3.30 pm)</li></ul>November, December & March<br /><ul><li>Wednesday & Saturday: 11 am - 3.30 pm</li></ul>January - February<br /><ul><li>Saturday: 11 am - 3.30pm</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contact Information</span><br />The Cathedral Office<br />1, The Close, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9LS.<br />Telephone: 01962 857200, Fax: 01962 857201<br />Email: cathedral.office@winchester-cathedral.org.uk<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Map</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDIY6r37TwiAIRs2zWabCCHwZG6vH6-fXB7sanMJOwVpEDMzW588vzhqjUjKesdzmspae5s_crSft_wGa0SClnY8ekY8NlNUPLlF6r9WBxWhqz9zeV1M3gohEh7DQutZ4gwvMD9AKTIw/s1600-h/winchester-chatedral-areamap.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDIY6r37TwiAIRs2zWabCCHwZG6vH6-fXB7sanMJOwVpEDMzW588vzhqjUjKesdzmspae5s_crSft_wGa0SClnY8ekY8NlNUPLlF6r9WBxWhqz9zeV1M3gohEh7DQutZ4gwvMD9AKTIw/s200/winchester-chatedral-areamap.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348239282361492562" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSK-apAbyVRFXAW3iKnvzt6Cs15VQkT4I1PZohg6r4XZf3SC9WnL88RIqt0ZDJh7pHrmPsEGpQLiT89hKDRQ5TR1_PeDFnzMP0OuXW3qlnuofJ5avhTMuPj1cvirAjYt2wpqvlxX9IhE/s1600-h/winchester-chatedral-closeamap.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSK-apAbyVRFXAW3iKnvzt6Cs15VQkT4I1PZohg6r4XZf3SC9WnL88RIqt0ZDJh7pHrmPsEGpQLiT89hKDRQ5TR1_PeDFnzMP0OuXW3qlnuofJ5avhTMuPj1cvirAjYt2wpqvlxX9IhE/s200/winchester-chatedral-closeamap.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348240378238370162" border="0" /></a>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-63342234751448091382009-06-14T10:08:00.000-07:002009-06-14T10:31:06.483-07:00Dunster Castle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3RIZYk-FEjlBBQaqM5e_BzKMdTr4D9Rsf1GXUoLSBd-QdM4OW7diE67trlgi_B8qGsaaiGZuHMElA-KpArBTX-_74VQsuSsoP4SAPcRd5WERzRkEQjhztUGv5ij83HX7i9YyAG1ISg0/s1600-h/dunstercastle-hall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3RIZYk-FEjlBBQaqM5e_BzKMdTr4D9Rsf1GXUoLSBd-QdM4OW7diE67trlgi_B8qGsaaiGZuHMElA-KpArBTX-_74VQsuSsoP4SAPcRd5WERzRkEQjhztUGv5ij83HX7i9YyAG1ISg0/s320/dunstercastle-hall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347236049974797922" border="0" /></a>Dunster Castle is the historical home of the Luttrell family located in the small town of Dunster, Somerset, England (grid reference SS991434). Colonel Sir Walter Luttrell gave Dunster Castle and the greater part of its contents to the National Trust in 1976. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.<br /><br />There has been a castle at the top of the hill at Dunster for more than 1,000 years. The Domesday Book records one on this location before 1066.<br /><br />The castle was granted by William the Conqueror to William de Mohun, whose family lived there until the castle was sold in 1376 by Lady Joan de Mohun to Lady Elizabeth Luttrell. Lady Elizabeth's descendants owned Dunster Castle until 1976.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKO_zALAIP28pppV7v1V84XhmJKI0fs-GkzL1iaO5BBm-UO0FDTTFafGTjnUVdMJ5vvZ0niVezL6FEkv1wNQsck7aTCbOT2AtS9eycpl8Spx6U16Jl_IQFRr_j5UJAmrLr0STJSrF7MM/s1600-h/dunster_castle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKO_zALAIP28pppV7v1V84XhmJKI0fs-GkzL1iaO5BBm-UO0FDTTFafGTjnUVdMJ5vvZ0niVezL6FEkv1wNQsck7aTCbOT2AtS9eycpl8Spx6U16Jl_IQFRr_j5UJAmrLr0STJSrF7MM/s320/dunster_castle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347232741649848194" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The castle dominates a steep hill overlooking the picturesque village of Dunster. The hill has been fortified since Saxon times, although nothing now remains of these early defences. During the early medieval period the sea reached the base of the hill offering a natural defence, and strong walls, towers, ramparts and outworks protected the other sides.<br /><br />By the 15th century the sea had receded and the Luttrells created the deer park. When Sir George Luttrell inherited in 1571, the castle was dilapidated and the family were living elsewhere. In 1617, Sir George employed the architect, William Arnold, to erect a new house in the lower ward of the castle. During the Civil War, Dunster was a Royalist stronghold under the command of Colonel Wyndham. In November 1645 Parliamentary forces started a siege which lasted until an honourable surrender of the castle in April 1646. Dunster shared the fate of many other Royalist castles and had its defences demolished to prevent any further use against Parliament. All that now remains of the medieval fortifications are the impressive gatehouse and the stumps of two towers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfXZNw_6PA3CLjJ4-4EfFukY24tdRdq6OmRdx8TZyz6zFhUwypgLSJ1inHdvgcTePNJyq3MnZdkgxPe0PqbRP4KvztM7WnqTML1qLD2C7etxJMY796j1rbyaFfe2PrF1P6ejDkEEgWeY/s1600-h/dunstercastle-lovers_bridge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfXZNw_6PA3CLjJ4-4EfFukY24tdRdq6OmRdx8TZyz6zFhUwypgLSJ1inHdvgcTePNJyq3MnZdkgxPe0PqbRP4KvztM7WnqTML1qLD2C7etxJMY796j1rbyaFfe2PrF1P6ejDkEEgWeY/s320/dunstercastle-lovers_bridge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347236533615415810" border="0" /></a>The house was modified and developed over the following centuries, and much of the current appearance dates from the 18th century when the park was landscaped and the Green Court, terraced grounds and follies were created. Much of the furniture in the house also dates from this period.<br /><br />Dunster Castle is home to the National Plant Collection of Strawberry Trees.<br /><br />The National Trust have installed solar panels behind the battlements on the roof in order to provide electricity and make the premises more environmentally friendly. This is the first time they have done this on a Grade I listed building, and is expected to save three tonnes of carbon a year.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Admission prices</span><br /><ul><li>Gift Aid Admission (Standard Admission prices in brackets): £8.60 (£7.80)</li><li>child £4.20 (£3.80)</li><li>family £20.50 (£18.60)</li><li>family (1 adult) £12.80 (£11.60)</li><li>Groups (£7)</li></ul><ul><li>Garden & park only: £4.80 (£4.30)</li><li>child £2.20 (£2)</li><li>family £11.80 (£10.60)</li><li>family (1 adult) £7 (£6.30)</li></ul><br />Discounts available on West Somerset Railway for Dunster Castle visitors<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Facilities</span><br /><ul><li>Shopping: NT shop</li><li>Dogs: In park only on lead</li><li>Parking: Parking, 300 yards</li><li>Education: Suitable for school groups. Live costumed interpretation. Adult study days</li><li>Families & children: Baby-changing facilities. Baby back-carriers admitted. Front-carrying baby slings for loan. Family guide. Children's guide. Children's quiz/trail. Wheel-friendly route in gardens. Buggy park. Colouring sheets. Activity days. Ghostbusters' trail. Family events</li><li>Refreshments:Variety of food available in Dunster Village (not NT)</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How to get there</span><br /><ul><li>Bus services: First 398 Tiverton–Minehead; also 28 Taunton–Minehead (passing Taunton railway station), alight Dunster Steep, ½ mile</li><li>Cycles: View local cycle routes on the National Cycle Network website</li><li>By road: In Dunster, 3 miles south east of Minehead. NT car park approached direct from A39</li><li>By train: Dunster (West Somerset Railway) 1 mile</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contact details</span><br />01643 823004 (Infoline)<br />01643 821314<br />Fax: 01643 823000<br />Email: dunstercastle@nationaltrust.org.uk<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Google Maps</span><br /><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=Dunster+Castle&fb=1&split=1&gl=id&cid=0,0,4828388766476663408&ei=XS41SvLWLcWNkAXQ6KyKCg&ll=51.182958,-3.444142&spn=0.006295,0.006295&iwloc=A&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=Dunster+Castle&fb=1&split=1&gl=id&cid=0,0,4828388766476663408&ei=XS41SvLWLcWNkAXQ6KyKCg&ll=51.182958,-3.444142&spn=0.006295,0.006295&iwloc=A&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-53331813440992391142009-06-11T10:13:00.000-07:002009-06-11T10:27:39.917-07:00Hadrian's Wall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPckmfe24G72DiYzvCR-oNbWD_9vv91yP1enKt4_AC20mTVPY_a3Q-JiLakl3o8tjtJ0FQKCrjuZYuCdFbabgSYAOjoH-VjWP8k0vlsLHM7JH8UQZH-2QbGuhKIIt5wnWNqKpCXHmatJ4/s1600-h/Hadrians_Wall_map.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 173px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPckmfe24G72DiYzvCR-oNbWD_9vv91yP1enKt4_AC20mTVPY_a3Q-JiLakl3o8tjtJ0FQKCrjuZYuCdFbabgSYAOjoH-VjWP8k0vlsLHM7JH8UQZH-2QbGuhKIIt5wnWNqKpCXHmatJ4/s320/Hadrians_Wall_map.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346120383240636930" border="0" /></a>Hadrian's Wall (Latin: perhaps Vallum Aelium, "the Aelian wall") is a stone and turf fortification built by the Roman Empire across the width of what is now northern England. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the middle of three such fortifications built across Great Britain, the first being from the River Clyde to the River Forth under Agricola and the last the Antonine Wall. All were built to prevent raids on Roman Britain by the Pictish tribes (ancient inhabitants of Scotland) to the north, to improve economic stability and provide peaceful conditions in Britain, and to mark physically the frontier of the Empire. Hadrian's Wall is the best known of the three because its physical presence remains most evident today.<br /><br />The wall marked the northern limes in Britain and also the most heavily fortified border in the Empire. In addition to its use as a military fortification, it is thought that the gates through the wall would also have served as customs posts to allow trade taxation.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7peFBK0NpDtV_Na0EANcQXzpdfzQWLat9omnIOM6tdkS05R8i7ymjNvFHhZKZqpH9OdAlpBwDtLhcE4Q-W1PEkRQzmmp7uKh0agkT-fDLH3rUaWy2FP9YmraBvMHnHNyooHEeEGklPA/s1600-h/Milecastle_39_on_Hadrian's_Wall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7peFBK0NpDtV_Na0EANcQXzpdfzQWLat9omnIOM6tdkS05R8i7ymjNvFHhZKZqpH9OdAlpBwDtLhcE4Q-W1PEkRQzmmp7uKh0agkT-fDLH3rUaWy2FP9YmraBvMHnHNyooHEeEGklPA/s320/Milecastle_39_on_Hadrian's_Wall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346120703758433394" border="0" /></a><br />A significant portion of the wall still exists, particularly the mid-section, and for much of its length the wall can be followed on foot by Hadrian's Wall Path or by cycle on National Cycle Route 72. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England, where it is often known simply as the Roman Wall. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. English Heritage, a government organization in charge of managing the historic environment of England, describes it as "the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain".<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hadrian's Wall Path</span><br />The Hadrian’s Wall Path is a long distance footpath in the north of England, which became the 15th National Trail in 2003. It runs for 84 miles (134.5 kilometres), from Wallsend on the east coast of Great Britain to Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast. The path runs through urban areas, and over moors. For most of its length it is close to the remains of Hadrian's Wall, the defensive wall built by the Romans on the northern border of their empire. This is now recognised as a World Heritage Site.<br /><br />The walking is easy, though muddy in places. The highest point on the path is only 1,000 feet (300 m), and for most of its length the path is more or less flat. Though most of the Wall runs through remote countryside, there are lengthy sections which pass through the cities of Newcastle and Carlisle. The path is well signposted. For most of the walk there are many signs of human activity, and, in summer, many other walkers. Though there are villages and farms near to the path, there are not many places to buy food and drink, especially in the middle sections. The part of the path between Chollerford and Walton is the highest and wildest part of the path; it is also the part where the Wall is most visible, and includes several important Roman forts.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">An itinerary</span><br />This itinerary breaks the walk into six stages.<br /><ul><li>Wallsend to Heddon-on-the-Wall - this section is 15 miles (24 km) long. The path starts by the Swan Hunter Ship Yard. Before starting the walk, it is worth visiting the nearby site of the Roman fort of Segedunum. Most of this section runs through urban areas, including through the center of Newcastle upon Tyne, and along the banks of the Tyne. Only the last part, leading to Heddon-on-the-Wall, is in open countryside. There are occasional glimpses of the Wall.</li><li>Heddon-on-the-Wall to Chollerford - this section is 15.5 miles (24.9 km) long. This section is almost entirely through open countryside. The Wall is occasionally visible, and the Vallum (earthworks) is frequently visible on the south side.</li><li>Chollerford to Steel Rigg - this section is 12 miles (19 km) long. The Roman fort of Chesters is close to the start of this section. The path starts to rise now and the countryside becomes moor, rather than farmland. This is one of the best parts of the walk. Much more of the Wall is visible, and parts of it run along the edge of crags, giving superb views over the open countryside to the north. The path passes the Roman fort at Vercovicium (Housesteads), which has been extensively restored and contains much of interest. The Pennine Way long distance path branches off north just after this.</li><li>Steel Rigg to Walton - this section is 16.25 miles (26.15 km) long. This is another excellent section across open countryside, with the Wall occasionally visible. The Roman fort at Birdoswald has a museum. The Pennine Way long distance path joins the Hadrian’s Wall Path near the village of Greenhead. As the path approaches Walton, Lanercost Priory is a short walk to the south. Much of the Priory was built with stones taken from the Wall.</li><li>Walton to Carlisle - this section is 11 miles (18 km) long. This section of the path moves back down into farmland, and crosses the M6 motorway. Part of the path is alongside the River Eden, passing through a pleasant park and over a large footbridge.</li><li>Carlisle to Bowness-on-Solway - this section is 14.75 miles (23.74 km) long. The first part of this section is rather boring, but the walking improves once the path gets beyond the outskirts of Carlisle. Most of the path runs alongside either the River Eden or the Solway Firth. There is not much of the Wall to be seen, but the walking is open and pleasant. The path ends in the village of Bowness-on-Solway.</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Accommodation and services</span><br />The increasing popularity of the walk, and the lack of accommodation along the route, has made it necessary to book lodgings well in advance.<br /><br />If one has a vehicle, the attractive small town of Corbridge has three hotels, and is a convenient point from which to tackle the path. There are five youth hostels near the path.<br /><br />Services such as accommodation, restaurants and taxis can be best found by using the Google Maps UK site. This takes listings from the UK Yellow Pages and other sources and locates them on Google’s maps. Additional information on accommodations can be found on the National Trail website.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=54.937794%7E-2.305756&style=r&lvl=10&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1&cid=4B1903CD6836267B%21209">Click here for Bing Map</a></span>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-34869194353096992372009-06-09T11:00:00.001-07:002009-06-09T11:19:35.802-07:00Corinium Museum<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfllNUcLMW8qNv4XoX7CqvCDe5hWg0x8pUyBAiq_CEF486lcUYwzarRBGRfNom2YEalrqjraKHu3OjCm_nV2t_JJW1g6dK_995HFH1kacZB15RnkJWLJk8QKBPJz8zHy_C10DcEZZSk1o/s1600-h/corinium+museum.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfllNUcLMW8qNv4XoX7CqvCDe5hWg0x8pUyBAiq_CEF486lcUYwzarRBGRfNom2YEalrqjraKHu3OjCm_nV2t_JJW1g6dK_995HFH1kacZB15RnkJWLJk8QKBPJz8zHy_C10DcEZZSk1o/s320/corinium+museum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345391896279550130" border="0" /></a><br />Discover the treasures of the Cotswolds at the award winning Corinium Museum, in Cirencester.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Roman Britain's second city</span><br />Step through a triumphal arch to arrive in Corinium; second largest city in Roman Britain, population c. 15, 000.<br /><br />Experience life as a Roman. Marvel at the stunning mosaics. Dress as a Roman soldier. Explore their engineering and artistry.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Face to face with the Saxons</span><br />Revealed to the world for the first time the Anglo-Saxons of Butler's Field, Lechlade. Re-united with their astonishing treasures. Our ancestors brought to life through forensically re-constructed heads. Look them in the eye. Wonder how life was.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wool, wealth and war</span><br />Trace a path from the Iron Age to the English Civil War. A story of war, of wool, of royalty; of dissolved monasteries and of a local worthy's rise from rags to riches.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Explore the history of eighteenth and nineteenth century Cirencester</span><br />Investigate a computer database of our fantastic collection of historic photographs of Cirencester. Look at the model of the town and watch the buildings light up and tell you their history!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Opening Time</span><br />Mon - Sat: 10 to 5 and Sundays 2 to 5 - including Bank Holidays<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Admission Prices</span><br /><ul><li>Adults £4.25</li><li>Senior Citizens (age 60+) £3.50</li><li>Children (5 to 16) £2.00</li><li>Students (age 16+ valid Student Card) £2.75</li><li>Families (2 adults and 2 children) £11.50</li><li>One carer per disbabled person free</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contact</span><br />email: museums@cotswold.gov.uk<br /><br />Corinium Museum, Park Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 2BX<br />Phone: 01285 655 611<br /><br />Google Maps<br /><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=corinium+museum&sll=51.672555,-2.043457&sspn=0.877191,2.471924&g=cirencester&ie=UTF8&cid=11777284179922434559&ll=51.735427,-1.973248&spn=0.037208,0.072956&z=13&iwloc=A&output=embed" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="350"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=corinium+museum&sll=51.672555,-2.043457&sspn=0.877191,2.471924&g=cirencester&ie=UTF8&cid=11777284179922434559&ll=51.735427,-1.973248&spn=0.037208,0.072956&z=13&iwloc=A" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-82394606764844308722009-06-07T05:06:00.000-07:002009-06-07T05:39:43.394-07:00Roman Painted House<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAWeI1o8v9RLJl55kvL1BH9ndb79fRIm7ClNdMeYemRIWTv6jKbpUUVywE7tRZstcrla4Md39magJuBnnJFrQFV-fLKnZPS2PmKAodbLsnUVlaAvLYXEM4oLYvpK2O0zaYXRh_uJiNTY/s1600-h/roman-painted-house.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAWeI1o8v9RLJl55kvL1BH9ndb79fRIm7ClNdMeYemRIWTv6jKbpUUVywE7tRZstcrla4Md39magJuBnnJFrQFV-fLKnZPS2PmKAodbLsnUVlaAvLYXEM4oLYvpK2O0zaYXRh_uJiNTY/s320/roman-painted-house.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344561117210110674" border="0" /></a>The Roman Painted House is a Roman mansio, a hostel for government officials, which was built in c. 200. It was discovered in 1970 by the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit and, as it houses some of the finest example of Roman murals in Britain (over 400 sq ft (37 m2). of painted plaster, the most extensive ever found north of the Alps), it has been called "Britain's Buried Pompeii".<br /><br />Above a lower dado, of red or green, an architectural scheme of multi-coloured panels framed by fluted columns is still visible. The columns sit on projecting bases above a stage, producing a clear 3-D effect. Parts of 28 panels survive, each with a motif relating to Bacchus, the Roman God of wine. This Bacchic link, and the building's proximity to the baths, port and fort, has been said by some to suggest that the Painted House was once a brothel. However, this is entirely circumstantial evidence (frescos in brothels tended to be more explicit, as in those at Pompeii, and Bacchic motifs are very commonly found in simply domestic areas) and so most academics believe the rooms are too small to have supported this line of work and instead support its designation as a mansio.<br /><br />Other features of the Painted House include the Dover Gems, a medieval cut in the floor allowing the hypocaust system to be viewed and a medieval skeleton found in the nearby St Martin-le-Grand church, nicknamed "Fred" by the volunteers who keep the museum running.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83Z2ikt4EE-M7xdMIjMI3ahGYKMYZesO94zx9uiQqjXnXlGKGr4jDMy96W2Ml04B36RSiPcU7C1fMGEnh4tQ-b8YGlcSTGUfM3mcJZroslSWssg-e-dNiWNEg1z5KoVBEIQ7VSkbbKJI/s1600-h/roman-painted-house-plan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83Z2ikt4EE-M7xdMIjMI3ahGYKMYZesO94zx9uiQqjXnXlGKGr4jDMy96W2Ml04B36RSiPcU7C1fMGEnh4tQ-b8YGlcSTGUfM3mcJZroslSWssg-e-dNiWNEg1z5KoVBEIQ7VSkbbKJI/s320/roman-painted-house-plan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344560212471155218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Fort Bastion</span><br />Some decades after the fort wall was constructed by the Roman army, it was supplemented with a small number of projecting towers or 'bastions'. These strengthened the walls and provided high vantage points in terms of visability and defence.<br /><br />One of the bastions was placed across the remains of rooms 5 and 6 of the Painted House; the lower 4-6 feet of the bastion still survives.<br /><br />Because it was constructed some decades after the wall, the construction of the bastion is quite different in form. Its external face consists of flint and sandstone, with two courses of tiles.<br /><br />Traces of the Painted House can be seen projecting from beneath the plinth of the bastion.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Fort Wall</span><br />In A.D. 270 Roman army engineers constructed a major fort of more than 5 acres, with a masssive stone wall on all four sides, and enclosing or cutting through many earlier buildings.<br /><br />The 8 foot-thick west wall of the fort (still standing to some 7 feet in height) cut through Rooms 3 and 4 of the Painted House.<br /><br />The wall has been robbed in the southern part of the site, but a 16 foot length survives in the north area.<br /><br />The wall was built from local materials, with the external face constructed from neatly squared blocks of calcareous tufa, and the inner face mostly of roughly squared chalk blocks. The foundation consisted of irregular masses of stone, brick and mortar -- mostly obtained from the demolition of the nearby buildings. The core of the wall was roughly constructed, containing much re-used material.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Saxon Hut</span><br />During the excavation of Room 1, detailed examination of a large rectangular area -- associated with layers of burnt debris -- showed that in about A.D. 800, Anglo-Saxons had built a large sunken hut there.<br /><br />A semi-basement, about 20 feet by 12 feet, had been excavated in the earth fill of Room 1 and a wooden hut of upright boards and posts had been built -- this is typical of the Anglo-Saxon houses (grübenhauser) of the 5th to 8th centuries.<br /><br />The hut had been used for weaving, as nearly 200 circular, clay loomweights have been found -- baked hard when the house eventually burned down.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Opening Times</span><br />April - September<br /><ul><li>Sunday 1pm to 5pm.</li><li>Other days 10am to 5pm (NOT Mondays)</li></ul><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Last entry 4.30pm</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(Also open October to March for pre-booked parties.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ticket Price</span><br /><ul><li>Adults £2.00</li><li>Concessions £1 (Children, Students, OAPs).</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Facilities</span><br />Trains and Buses Nearby.<br />FREE CAR PARKING ON FORECOURT.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contact</span><br />Dover Roman Painted House Trust,<br />New Street, Dover, Kent, CT17 9AJ<br />Telephone: Dover ( 01304 ) 203279<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Google Maps</span><br /><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=roman+painted+house&sll=51.136278,1.310806&sspn=0.221887,0.617981&g=dover+kent&ie=UTF8&cid=13369090597770991762&ll=51.132185,1.315012&spn=0.018851,0.036478&z=14&iwloc=A&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=roman+painted+house&sll=51.136278,1.310806&sspn=0.221887,0.617981&g=dover+kent&ie=UTF8&cid=13369090597770991762&ll=51.132185,1.315012&spn=0.018851,0.036478&z=14&iwloc=A" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-27363611416510582832009-06-06T12:49:00.000-07:002009-06-09T08:53:47.182-07:00Kew Gardens - Photo Gallery<p><a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483527-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483527.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483528-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483528.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483530-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483530.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483532-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483532.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483781-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483781.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483784-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483784.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483788-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483788.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483790-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483790.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><p><a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483824-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483824.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483785-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483785.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483535-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483535.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483534-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483534.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/View-17483787-Traveling--Kew-Gardens.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview6/017483787.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-11582023911680805362009-06-05T12:53:00.000-07:002009-06-05T13:04:26.469-07:00AveburyAvebury is the site of a large henge and several stone circles in the English county of Wiltshire surrounding the village of Avebury. It is one of the finest and largest Neolithic monuments in Europe dating to around 5,000 years ago. It is older than the megalithic stages of Stonehenge, which is located about 32 kilometres (20 mi) to the south, although the two monuments are broadly contemporary overall. It lies approximately midway between the towns of Marlborough and Calne, just off the main A4 road on the northbound A4361 towards Wroughton. The henge is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a World Heritage Site.<br /><br />Avebury is a National Trust property.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSCCXyqUaTRic5Hl64tm1Y9dYoDkSxkM4I7J7I02UcadKm_WZUF8sY2j_jbcvXmTf49qMEBU14_qX75216ZRDUa6kssTlnLe3d7vJ2uhp2TcM8Gqf-PgghUFEfXLvAsN-NKwVKl4jM8I/s1600-h/avebury.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 111px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSCCXyqUaTRic5Hl64tm1Y9dYoDkSxkM4I7J7I02UcadKm_WZUF8sY2j_jbcvXmTf49qMEBU14_qX75216ZRDUa6kssTlnLe3d7vJ2uhp2TcM8Gqf-PgghUFEfXLvAsN-NKwVKl4jM8I/s320/avebury.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343934930868537602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The monument</span><br />Most of the surviving structure consists of earthworks known as the dykes, consisting of a massive ditch and external bank henge 421 metres (1,381 ft) in diameter and 1.35 kilometres (0.84 mi) in circumference. The only known comparable sites of similar date (Stonehenge and Flagstones in Dorset) are only a quarter of the size of Avebury. The ditch alone was 21 metres (69 ft) wide and 11 metres (36 ft) deep, with its primary fill carbon dated to between 3400 and 2625 BC. A later date in this period is more likely although excavation of the bank has demonstrated that it has been enlarged, presumably using material excavated from the ditch. The fill at the bottom of the final ditch would therefore post-date any in an earlier, shallower ditch that no longer exists.<br /><br />Within the henge is a great Outer Circle constituting prehistory's largest stone circle with a diameter of 335 metres (1,099 ft). It was contemporary with or built around four or five centuries after the earthworks. There were originally 98 sarsen standing stones some weighing in excess of 40 tons. They varied in height from 3.6 to 4.2 m as exemplified at the north and south entrances. Carbon dates from the fills of the stoneholes date between 2800 and 2400 BC.<br /><br />Nearer the middle of the monument are two other, separate stone circles. The Northern inner ring measures 98 metres (322 ft) in diameter, although only two of its standing stones remain with two further, fallen ones. A cove of three stones stood in the middle, its entrance pointing northeast.<br /><br />The Southern inner ring was 108 metres (354 ft) in diameter before its destruction. The remaining sections of its arc now lie beneath the village buildings. A single large monolith, 5.5 metres (18 ft) high, stood in the centre along with an alignment of smaller stones until their destruction in the eighteenth century. There is an avenue of paired stones, the West Kennet Avenue, leading from the south eastern entrance of the henge and traces of a second, the Beckhampton Avenue lead out from the western one.<br /><br />Aubrey Burl conjectures a sequence of construction beginning with the North and South Circles erected around 2800 BC, followed by the Outer Circle and henge around two hundred years later and the two avenues added around 2400 BC.<br /><br />A timber circle of two concentric rings, identified through archaeological geophysics possibly stood in the northeast sector of the outer circle, although this awaits testing by excavation. A ploughed barrow is also visible from the air in the northwestern quadrant.<br /><br />The henge had four entrances, two opposing ones on a north by northwest and south by southeast line, and two on an east by northeast and west by southwest line.<br /><br />Despite being a man-made structure, it was featured on the 2005 TV programme Seven Natural Wonders as one of the wonders of the West Country because it consists of natural components.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Getting There</span><br /><ul><li>Bus: Stagecoach in Swindon 49 Swindon–Trowbridge; Wiltshire and Dorset 96 Swindon–Pewsey. Both pass close Swindon</li><li>By road: 6 miles west of Marlborough, 1 mile north of the Bath road (A4) on A4361 and B4003</li><li>By train: Pewsey 10 miles; Swindon 11 miles</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Facilities</span><br /><ul><li>Shopping: In old Granary. Museum shop also sells books on archaeology</li><li>Parking: 500 yards (pay & display) off A4361. NT and EH members free. Parking during the Summer Solstice in late June may be limited. Telephone estate office before travelling. Overnight parking prohibited</li><li>Refreshments: The Circle Restaurant (licensed). The Trust's only vegetarian restaurant, specialising in vegan and gluten-free dishes, using organic and local produce</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Google Maps</span><br /><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.428611,-1.854167&ie=UTF8&ll=51.434695,-1.849995&spn=0.003445,0.009656&z=14&iwloc=A&output=embed" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="350"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.428611,-1.854167&ie=UTF8&ll=51.434695,-1.849995&spn=0.003445,0.009656&z=14&iwloc=A&source=embed" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a><br /><br /></small><div style="text-align: right;"><small>official web site : <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-index.htm">http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-index.htm</a></small><br /></div>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-55525056072744360772009-06-04T09:13:00.000-07:002009-06-04T09:37:55.089-07:00Tintagel Castleis a castle currently in ruins found on Tintagel Island, located near the village of Tintagel in Cornwall, England, UK. The 'Island' is in fact a peninsula subject to erosion by the sea. The site was perhaps originally a Roman settlement, though the remains of the castle that stand today date from the 13th century. The castle is traditionally linked to the legend of King Arthur and as such it is currently a popular tourist site run by English Heritage.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUr-FZXsTHaCSjFzFJFxvfnecE6XCdgfv1SUjFM12EkcyVVyCQp9KscPCHHjFBs4e3oDRXUJpKhKE8h7Hc0XKo0vqyCz4KalWbm8EHZRrcmARk9yOS968tIQlZVV_DgmH_4GQn0tFfArE/s1600-h/tintagel-castle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUr-FZXsTHaCSjFzFJFxvfnecE6XCdgfv1SUjFM12EkcyVVyCQp9KscPCHHjFBs4e3oDRXUJpKhKE8h7Hc0XKo0vqyCz4KalWbm8EHZRrcmARk9yOS968tIQlZVV_DgmH_4GQn0tFfArE/s320/tintagel-castle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343512402622071858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ticket Price</span><br /><ul><li>Adult: £4.90</li><li>Children: £2.50</li><li>Concession: £4.20</li><li>Family Ticket: £12.30</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Useful Information</span><br /><ul><li>Address: Cornwall - PL34 0HE</li><li>Road Access: On Tintagel Head, 600 metres (660 yards) along uneven track from Tintagel; no vehicles except Land Rover service, extra charge</li><li>Bus Access: Western Greyhound 594/5 from Bude, 584/594 from Wadebridge (withconnections on 555 at Wadebridge to Bodmin Parkway railway station)</li><li>Telephone: 01840 770328, Local Tourist Information: Tintagel Visitors' Centre:01840 779084; Camelford (Summer only): 01840 212954; Padstow: 01841533449</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Further Info</span><br /><ul><li>Parking is located in the village, 600 metres away; Please note there is a steep climb up steps to reach the castle</li><li>Access to the castle is difficult for disabled visitors (via over 100 steep steps). There is a Land Rover service from the village which can take visitors to the exhibition and shop (Apr-Oct only). Contact the site for service information.</li><li>Disabled access limited. No disabled paking on site. (Land Rover service to castle Apr-Oct, extra charge). Parking (600 metres [660 yards] in the village), not English Heritage.</li></ul><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Google Map</span><br /><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tintagelcastle&sll=52.751162,-3.147965&sspn=6.851436,19.775391&ie=UTF8&ll=50.664338,-4.753691&spn=0.071946,0.071946&output=embed" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="350"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=tintagelcastle&sll=52.751162,-3.147965&sspn=6.851436,19.775391&ie=UTF8&ll=50.664338,-4.753691&spn=0.071946,0.071946" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-6612803464519354872009-06-02T01:42:00.000-07:002009-06-02T01:56:41.077-07:00Glastonbury Abbey - Photo Gallery<p> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=17394330&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview5/017394330.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=17394360&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview5/017394360.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=17394361&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview5/017394361.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=17394362&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview5/017394362.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=17394332&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview5/017394332.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=17394331&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview5/017394331.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=17394363&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview5/017394363.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=17394376&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview5/017394376.jpg" border="0" /></a></p>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-6653335886964872482009-06-02T00:58:00.000-07:002009-06-02T01:57:46.089-07:00Glastonbury Abbey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhIApYe5YTQGzAEDwnyJ2FlGArcxo_p8Pf_FNo1J4ssHP4EA9KqgBde7fuDZm0DpuGEFsqWcYbUGP99nOg3cL-fhmaigxQ4_4JmOotMTwqtx2k8buka_gcjvFflJoLiajbZDB1iqBQYQ/s1600-h/Glastonburyabbey.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhIApYe5YTQGzAEDwnyJ2FlGArcxo_p8Pf_FNo1J4ssHP4EA9KqgBde7fuDZm0DpuGEFsqWcYbUGP99nOg3cL-fhmaigxQ4_4JmOotMTwqtx2k8buka_gcjvFflJoLiajbZDB1iqBQYQ/s320/Glastonburyabbey.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342637895151791650" border="0" /></a><a href="http://traveling123.blogspot.com/2009/06/glastonbury-abbey-photo-gallery.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Glastonbury Abbey Photo Gallery</span></a><br /><br />You can find here a romantic ruins, 36 acres peaceful parkland with pounds, orchard and wildlife areas.<br /><br />Also you can find unusual gift at Glastonbury Gift Shop that sit beside ticket office.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">History</span><br />In 1955 Ralegh Radford's excavations uncovered Romano-British pottery at the west end of the nave.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saxon era</span><br />A community of monks were already established at Glastonbury when King Ine of Wessex enriched their endowment. He is said to have directed that a stone church be built in 712, the foundations of which now form the west end of the nave. Glastonbury was ravaged by the Danes in the ninth century. The contemporary reformed soldier Saint Neot was sacristan at Glastonbury before he went to found his own establishment in Somerset. The abbey church was enlarged in the tenth century by the Abbot of Glastonbury, Saint Dunstan, the central figure in the tenth-century revival of English monastic life, who instituted the Benedictine Rule at Glastonbury. Dunstan became Archbishop of Canterbury in 960. Dunstan built new cloisters as well. In 967, King Edmund was laid to rest at Glastonbury. In 1016 Edmund Ironside, who had lost England to Canute but held onto the title of King of Wessex, was buried there too. King Cnut's charter of 1032 was "written and promulgated in the wooden church at Glastonbury, in the kings presence".<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Medieval era</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Norman conquest</span><br />At the Norman Conquest in 1066, the wealth of Glastonbury made it a prime prize. The new Norman abbot, Turstin, added to the church, unusually building to the east of the older Saxon church and away from the ancient cemetery, thus shifting the sanctified site. Not all the new Normans were suitable heads of religious communities. In 1077, Thurstin was dismissed after his armed retainers killed monks right by the High Altar. In 1086, when Domesday Book was commissioned, Glastonbury Abbey was the richest monastery in the country. Abbot Henry of Blois commissioned a history of Glastonbury, about 1125, from the chronicler William of Malmesbury, whose De Antiquitate Glastoniensis Ecclesiae is our source for the early recorded history, and much awe-inspiring legend as well. Then as now, legend worked more strongly than raw history to bring the pilgrims who sustained the Abbey's reputation and contributed to its upkeep.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">King Arthur's grave</span><br />In 1184, a great fire at Glastonbury destroyed the monastic buildings. Reconstruction began almost immediately and the Lady Chapel, which includes the well, was consecrated in 1186. There is evidence that, in the twelfth century, the ruined nave was renovated enough for services while the great new church was being constructed. If pilgrim visits had fallen, the discovery of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere's grave in the cemetery in 1191 provided fresh impetus for visiting Glastonbury. According to two accounts by the chronicler, Giraldus Cambrensis, the abbot, Henry de Sully, commissioned a search, discovering at the depth of 16 feet (5 m) a massive hollowed oak trunk containing two skeletons. Above it, under the covering stone, according to Giraldus, was a leaden cross with the unmistakably specific inscription Hic jacet sepultus inclitus rex Arthurus in insula Avalonia ("Here lies interred the famous King Arthur on the Isle of Avalon").<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Annexation to Bath and Wells</span><br />Five years later, in 1197, Savaric FitzGeldewin, bishop of Bath and Wells, persuaded Pope Celestine III to allow the annexation of Glastonbury Abbey to his diocese. He officially moved his Episcopal seat there, but the monks would not accept their new Bishop of Glastonbury and he was kept away from the abbey. The bishops continued to use the title Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury until finally renouncing their claim to Glastonbury in 1219. Services in the reconsecrated Great Church had begun on Christmas Day, 1213, most likely before it was entirely completed. King Edward I and Queen Eleanor attended the magnificent service at the reburial of King Arthur's remains to the foot of the High Altar in 1278.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">14th century</span><br />In the 14th century, only Westminster Abbey was more richly endowed and appointed than Glastonbury. The abbot of Glastonbury kept great state, now attested to simply by the ruins of the abbot's kitchen, with four huge fireplaces at its corners. The kitchen was part of the magnificent Abbot's house begun under Abbot John de Breynton (1334–42). It is one of the best preserved medieval kitchens in Europe, and the only substantial monastic building at surviving at Glastonbury. Archaeological excavations have revealed a special apartment erected at the south end of the Abbot's house for a visit from Henry VII, who visited the Abbot in a royal progress, as he visited any other great territorial magnate. The conditions of life in England during the Wars of the Roses became so unsettled that a wall was built around the Abbey's precincts.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dissolution of the Monasteries</span><br />At the start of the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, there were over 800 monasteries, nunneries and friaries in England. By 1541, there were none. More than 15,000 monks and nuns had been dispersed and the buildings had been seized by the Crown to be sold off or leased to new lay occupiers. Glastonbury Abbey was once more a rich plum. In September 1539, the Abbey was stripped of its valuables and Abbot Richard Whiting (Whyting), who had been a signatory to the Act of Supremacy that made Henry VIII the head of the church, resisted and was hanged, drawn and quartered as a traitor on Glastonbury Tor on November 15, 1539.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ruins</span><br />By Shakespeare's time, two generations later, Glastonbury was one of the "bare ruin'd choirs Where late the sweet birds sang."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Google Maps</span><br /><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.145556,-2.714444&ie=UTF8&ll=51.151678,-2.710276&spn=0.013865,0.038624&z=14&iwloc=A&output=embed" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="350"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.145556,-2.714444&ie=UTF8&ll=51.151678,-2.710276&spn=0.013865,0.038624&z=14&iwloc=A&source=embed" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gift Shop Opening Times</span><br /><table class="borderedtable" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><th align="center"><p>Open</p></th> <th align="center"><p>Close</p></th> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>January</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>10:00am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>4:30pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>February</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>10:00am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>5:00pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>March</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>9:30am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>5:30pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>April</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>9:30am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>6:00pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>May</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>9:30am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>6:00pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>June</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>9:00am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>6:00pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>July</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>9:00am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>6:00pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>August</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>9:00am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>6:00pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>September</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>9:30am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>6:00pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>October</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>9:30am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>5:00pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>November</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>9:30am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>4:30pm</p></td> </tr> <tr> <th valign="top" align="center"><p>December</p></th> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>10:00am</p></td> <td valign="top" align="center"><p>4:30pm</p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Useful Contact</span><br />General Information : info@glastonburyabbey.com<br />Telephone: +44 (0)1458 832267<br />Fax: +44 (0)1458 836117<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Glastonbury Abbey</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Abbey Gatehouse</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Magdalene Street</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">GLASTONBURY</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Somerset</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">BA6 9EL</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">United Kingdom</span>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-13958315678894058642009-06-01T11:38:00.000-07:002009-06-01T11:43:05.283-07:00Traveler Sending Email Trouble Solved<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5b8Di3O1GibiQMOnMGtZ-JUZw7hRjQwFd7mSX2ZSqLAe0IyXP9W4uvXxktPit3ypLNpUedDdn0V8HWBnKjD0QVMSd2WiGzOU4fEoQEDOR-jxrTzRRkB74xQUZ91f0XtnyW4zOdqoHFlQ/s1600-h/laptop_pda.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 175px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5b8Di3O1GibiQMOnMGtZ-JUZw7hRjQwFd7mSX2ZSqLAe0IyXP9W4uvXxktPit3ypLNpUedDdn0V8HWBnKjD0QVMSd2WiGzOU4fEoQEDOR-jxrTzRRkB74xQUZ91f0XtnyW4zOdqoHFlQ/s320/laptop_pda.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342431530877115650" border="0" /></a><br />If you're a frequent traveler, perhaps, sometimes get problems when sending emails. 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To Register</a><br /></div>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-3081826869099443872009-06-01T11:25:00.000-07:002009-06-02T01:15:57.868-07:00Intelligent Cruiser EBook<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFI1KvMO1P33FDKxa6pPiDE8s390Y1MBMkoa6JGvnwng_vGTOseRd6yBTvgY7Xo7agGfzPE-Un7vZ_JoxilkJL42o6vRHCU5gAk26TlyQ54ZAR0smciEU3xV2RrrPVD4s59MFOywRJ5U/s1600-h/cruiseebook.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 118px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFI1KvMO1P33FDKxa6pPiDE8s390Y1MBMkoa6JGvnwng_vGTOseRd6yBTvgY7Xo7agGfzPE-Un7vZ_JoxilkJL42o6vRHCU5gAk26TlyQ54ZAR0smciEU3xV2RrrPVD4s59MFOywRJ5U/s320/cruiseebook.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342428412523752882" border="0" /></a>If you want to avoid being taken advantage of by the cruise lines and save an absolute boatload of money in the process, then keep on reading...<br /><br />The Intelligent Cruiser is about giving you the vital tools to turn an ordinary cruise into an absolute masterpiece of a vacation, for a price you'll never believe.<br /><br />The insider information I reveal is so effective in saving people obscene amounts of money that this book is both feared and despised by every cruise ship executive. 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To get Intelligent Cruiser EBook</a></div>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-40714231116568551882009-05-30T06:14:00.000-07:002009-06-06T13:03:06.416-07:00Kew Gardens<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://traveling123.blogspot.com/2009/06/kew-gardens-photo-gallery.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Click here for Kew Gardens Photo Gallery</span></a><br /></div><br />The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to simply as Kew Gardens, are extensive gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. The director is Professor Stephen D. Hopper, who succeeded Professor Sir Peter Crane. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is also the name of the organisation that runs Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place gardens in Sussex. It is an internationally important botanical research and education institution with 700 staff and an income of £56 million for the year ended 31 March 2008, as well as a visitor attraction receiving almost 2 million visits in that year. The gardens are a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Created in 1759, the gardens celebrated their 250th anniversary in 2009.<br /><br />The Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is responsible for the world’s largest collection of living plants. The organisation employs more than 650 scientists and other staff. The living collections include more than 30,000 different kinds of plants, while the herbarium, which is the largest in the world, has over 7 million preserved plant specimens. The library contains more than 750,000 volumes, and the illustrations collection contains more than 175,000 prints and drawings of plants. The Kew site includes four Grade I listed buildings and 36 Grade II listed structures in an internationally significant landscape.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3RgOMzHaMnmeXdWgnrLrgAbl6u99RX2G_tIIJeciJpio1Fu1WHcouLR077cq8B8_WGKb3MbHlVIbDzJi-zOB7zfW6I2g5gx1eIRIFIi31Uka82u_AhfjL13WqaArQOSqGdp4l8FZJxQ/s1600-h/kew-garden.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 48px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3RgOMzHaMnmeXdWgnrLrgAbl6u99RX2G_tIIJeciJpio1Fu1WHcouLR077cq8B8_WGKb3MbHlVIbDzJi-zOB7zfW6I2g5gx1eIRIFIi31Uka82u_AhfjL13WqaArQOSqGdp4l8FZJxQ/s320/kew-garden.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341606701806157394" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">History</span><br />Kew Gardens originated in the exotic garden at Kew Park formed by Lord Capel of Tewkesbury. It was enlarged and extended by Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales, the widow of Frederick, Prince of Wales, for whom Sir William Chambers built several garden structures. One of these, the lofty Chinese pagoda built in 1761 still remains. George III enriched the gardens, aided by William Aiton and Sir Joseph Banks. The old Kew Park (by then renamed the White House), was demolished in 1802. The "Dutch House" adjoining was purchased by George III in 1781 as a nursery for the royal children. It is a plain brick structure now known as Kew Palace.<br /><br />The collections grew somewhat haphazardly until the appointment of the first collector, Francis Masson, in 1771. In 1840 the gardens were adopted as a national botanical garden. Under Kew's director, William Hooker, the gardens were increased to 30 hectares (75 acres) and the pleasure grounds, or arboretum, extended to 109 hectares (270 acres), and later to its present size of 120 hectares (300 acres).<br /><br />The Palm House was built by architect Decimus Burton and iron-maker Richard Turner between 1844 and 1848, and was the first large-scale structural use of wrought iron. The structure's panes of glass are all hand-blown. The Temperate house, which is twice as large as the Palm House, followed later in the 19th century. It is now the largest Victorian glasshouse in existence.<br /><br />Kew was the location of the successful effort in the 19th century to propagate rubber trees for cultivation outside South America. In February 1913 the Tea House was burnt down by Suffragettes Olive Wharry and Lilian Lenton during a series of arson attacks in London.<br /><br />In October 1987 Kew Gardens lost hundreds of trees in the Great Storm of 1987.<br /><br />In July 2003, the gardens were put on the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Transport</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Public transport</span></span><br />The nearest combined rail and London Underground station is Kew Gardens (District Line and London Overground) to the east of the gardens. To the north, Kew Bridge railway station is about 10–15 minutes from the main entrance, with trains to Clapham Junction and Waterloo. There are two bus route suitable for the gardens, 65 and 391<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Cycle and Car</span></span><br />There are cycle racks located just inside the Victoria Gate, Main Gate and Brentford Gate entrances to the park. For those arriving by car there is a 300-space car park outside Brentford Gate.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfe68aiNzpavA9LU0ErLFj-kvKxTchLDeiFA0-5rCSZBJv6xRLSfgtIb7ETq3AGZy9lCu7Jk8-ECdrk2A1dizalGwh0b4sGSc9hREPeryk0UWajTNmX6C25ufEsNXnxySOqPzWek1isg/s1600-h/Kew_Gardens_winter.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 69px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfe68aiNzpavA9LU0ErLFj-kvKxTchLDeiFA0-5rCSZBJv6xRLSfgtIb7ETq3AGZy9lCu7Jk8-ECdrk2A1dizalGwh0b4sGSc9hREPeryk0UWajTNmX6C25ufEsNXnxySOqPzWek1isg/s320/Kew_Gardens_winter.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341607290039033746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Attractions</span><br /><ul><li>Alpine House</li><li>Chokushi-Mon</li><li>Minka House</li><li>Marianne North Gallery</li><li>Museums</li><li>The Nash Conservatory</li><li>Pagoda</li><li>Princess of Wales conservatory</li><li>Treetop walkway</li></ul><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kew Gardens on Google Maps</span><br /><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kew+gardens+britain&sll=55.378051,-3.435973&sspn=12.883251,39.550781&g=britain&ie=UTF8&ll=51.485712,-0.286674&spn=0.006882,0.019312&z=14&iwloc=A&cid=5087205327389338835&output=embed" scrolling="no" width="425" frameborder="0" height="350"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=kew+gardens+britain&sll=55.378051,-3.435973&sspn=12.883251,39.550781&g=britain&ie=UTF8&ll=51.485712,-0.286674&spn=0.006882,0.019312&z=14&iwloc=A&cid=5087205327389338835" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-30852038132920085442009-05-25T03:11:00.000-07:002009-05-25T03:26:36.878-07:00Tower of LondonThis ancient fortress continues to pack in the crowds with its macabre associations with the legendary figures imprisoned and/or executed here. There are more spooks here per square foot than in any other building in the whole of haunted Britain. Headless bodies, bodiless heads, phantom soldiers, icy blasts, clanking chains—you name them, the Tower’s got them. Centuries after the last head rolled on Tower Hill, a shivery atmosphere of impending doom still lingers over the Tower’s mighty walls. Plan on spending a lot of time here.<br /><br />The Tower is actually an intricately patterned compound of structures built throughout the ages for varying purposes, mostly as expressions of royal power. The oldest is the White Tower, begun by William the Conqueror in 1078 to keep London’s native Saxon population in check. Later rulers added other towers, more walls, and fortified gates, until the buildings became like a small town within a city. Until the reign of James I (beginning in 1603), the Tower was also one of the royal residences.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLUYx9ItRIYBdeZQ4CkJnjcOyiWLcCQn0kxyz23DtpVuYhnTVuGr4Jg1EpXS-CNZLH249taPPYFOx61RTw1CaEgj95HdKDt8MMhdWvA5SPu_LXMWXi6X4q9LZx4xSmfDlZgfKSVqGne8/s1600-h/Tower_of_london.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLUYx9ItRIYBdeZQ4CkJnjcOyiWLcCQn0kxyz23DtpVuYhnTVuGr4Jg1EpXS-CNZLH249taPPYFOx61RTw1CaEgj95HdKDt8MMhdWvA5SPu_LXMWXi6X4q9LZx4xSmfDlZgfKSVqGne8/s320/Tower_of_london.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339705502339981634" border="0" /></a><br /><br />But above all, it was a prison for distinguished captives. Every stone of the Tower tells a story—usually a gory one. In the Bloody Tower, according to Shakespeare, Richard III’s henchmen murdered the two little princes (the sons of Edward IV). On the walls of the Beauchamp Tower, you can still read the last messages scratched by despairing prisoners. Through Traitors’ Gate passed such illfated, romantic figures as Robert Devereux, the second earl of Essex and a favorite of Elizabeth I. A plaque marks the eerie place at Tower Green where two wives of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, plus Sir Thomas More, and the 4-day queen, Lady Jane Grey, all lost their lives.<br /><br />The Tower, besides being a royal palace, a fortress, and a prison, was also an armory, a treasury, a menagerie and, in 1675, an astronomical observatory. Reopened in 1999, the White Tower holds the Armouries, which date from the reign of Henry VIII, as well as a display of instruments of torture and execution that recall some of the most ghastly moments in the Tower’s history. In the Jewel House, you’ll find the tower’s greatest attraction, the Crown Jewels. Here, some of the world’s most precious stones are set into robes, swords, scepters, and crowns. The Imperial State Crown is the most famous crown on earth; made for Victoria in 1837, it’s worn today by Queen Elizabeth II when she opens Parliament. Studded with some 3,000 jewels (principally diamonds), it includes the Black Prince’s Ruby, worn by Henry V at Agincourt. The 530-carat Star of Africa, a cut diamond on the Royal Scepter with Cross, would make Harry Winston turn over in his grave. You’ll have to stand in long lines to catch just a glimpse of the jewels as you and hundreds of others scroll by on moving sidewalks, but the wait is worth it.<br /><br />The presumed prison cell of Sir Thomas More is open to the public. More left this cell in 1535 to face his executioner after he’d fallen out with King Henry VIII over the monarch’s desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon, the first of his six wives. More is believed to have lived in the lower part of the Bell Tower during the last 14 months of his life, although some historians doubt this claim.<br /><br />A palace inhabited by King Edward I in the late 1200s stands above Traitors’ Gate. It’s the only surviving medieval palace in Britain. Guides at the palace are dressed in period costumes, and reproductions of furniture and fittings, including Edward’s throne, evoke the era, along with burning incense and candles.<br /><br />With the opening of a visitors center and the restoration of the Tower’s 13th-century wharf, the attraction is more user-friendly than ever before. To the west of the Tower is Tower Hill Square, designed by Stanton Williams, with a series of pavilions housing ticketing facilities, a gift shop, and a cafeteria.<br /><br />Don’t forget to look for the ravens. Six of them (plus two spares) are all registered as official Tower residents. According to a legend, the Tower of London and the Kingdom will stand as long as those black, ominous birds remain, so to be on the safe side, one of the wings of each raven is clipped.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Admission</span><br /><ul><li>£15 ($27) adults</li><li>£12 ($22) students and seniors</li><li>£9.50 ($17) children</li><li>£43 ($77) family ticket for 5 (but no more than 2 adults)</li><li>free for children under 5</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Schedule</span><br /><ul><li>Mar–Oct Tues–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun & Mon 10am–6pm</li><li>Nov–Feb Tues–Sat 9am–5pm, Sun & Mon 10am–5pm</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">More Info</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Tower Hill, EC3.&0870/756-7070</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">www.tower-of-london.org.uk</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Google Maps</span><br /><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tower+of+london&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.821085,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=51.51793,-0.072269&spn=0.006878,0.019312&z=14&iwloc=A&cid=16077952242208847218&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=tower+of+london&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.821085,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=51.51793,-0.072269&spn=0.006878,0.019312&z=14&iwloc=A&cid=16077952242208847218" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-44922082606174811062009-05-24T18:12:00.000-07:002009-05-24T18:22:51.418-07:00StonehengeThis huge circle of lintels and megalithic pillars, believed to be approximately 5,000 years old, is considered by many to be the most important prehistoric monument in Britain. Some visitors are disappointed when they see that Stonehenge is nothing more than concentric circles of stones. But perhaps they don’t understand that Stonehenge represents an amazing engineering feat because many of the boulders, the bluestones in particular, were moved many miles (perhaps from southern Wales) to this site. If you’re a romantic, you’ll see the ruins in the early glow of dawn or else when shadows fall at sunset. The light is most dramatic at these times, the shadows longer, and the effect is often far more mesmerizing than it is in the glaring light of midday.<br /><br />The widely held view of 18th- and 19th-century Romantics that Stonehenge was the work of the Druids is without foundation. The boulders, many weighing several tons, are believed to have predated the arrival in Britain of the Celtic culture. Recent excavations continue to bring new evidence to bear on the origin and purpose of Stonehenge. Controversy surrounds the prehistoric site, especially since the publication of Stonehenge Decoded by Gerald S. Hawkins and John B. White, which maintains that Stonehenge was an astronomical observatory—that is, a Neolithic<br />"computing machine" capable of predicting eclipses.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnM5kv9f7f22k8CB90jBgkGRYDtb1NIw3Hw-zBdUNyjh5e9LvC4Py9ThGpL5Fdpf-kqAjnpecJCF8kD6TG8Ntj8kU_GlE5_HRvLdIkNSjIr02kDvB-k06Jpo1CAQSgpBHqfYsj4ITr9oQ/s1600-h/stonehenge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnM5kv9f7f22k8CB90jBgkGRYDtb1NIw3Hw-zBdUNyjh5e9LvC4Py9ThGpL5Fdpf-kqAjnpecJCF8kD6TG8Ntj8kU_GlE5_HRvLdIkNSjIr02kDvB-k06Jpo1CAQSgpBHqfYsj4ITr9oQ/s320/stonehenge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339564985814675106" border="0" /></a><br />Your ticket permits you to go inside the fence surrounding the site that protects the stones from vandals and souvenir hunters. You can go all the way up to a short rope barrier, about 15m (50 ft.) from the stones. A full circular tour around Stonehenge is possible. A modular walkway was introduced to cross the archaeologically important avenue, the area that runs between the Heel Stone and the main circle of stones. This enables visitors to complete a full circuit of the stones and to see one of the best views of a completed section of Stonehenge as they pass by, an excellent addition to the informative audio tour.<br /><br />Insider’s tip: From the road, if you don’t mind the noise from traffic, you can get<br />a good view of Stonehenge without paying admission to go for a close-up encounter.<br />What we like to do is climb Amesbury Hill, clearly visible and lying 11⁄2 miles (2.4km) up the A303. From here, you’ll get a free panoramic view.<br /><br />Wilts & Dorset (& 01722/336855; www.wdbus.co.uk) runs several buses daily (depending on demand) from Salisbury to Stonehenge, as well as buses from the Salisbury train station to Stonehenge. The bus trip to Stonehenge takes 40 minutes, and a round-trip ticket costs<br /><br /><ul><li>£6.50 ($12) for adults</li><li>£3.25 ($5.85) for children ages 5 to 15 (4 and under ride free)</li><li>£4.50 ($8.10) seniors</li><li>£12 ($22) family ticket</li></ul><br />At the junction of A303 and A344/A360.&01980/623108 for information.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Admission</span><br /><ul><li>£5.50 ($9.90) adults,</li><li>£4.10 ($7.40) students and seniors,</li><li>£2.80 ($5.05) children,</li><li>£14 ($25) family ticket</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Schedule</span><br />June–Aug daily 9am–7pm;<br />Mar 16–May and Sept–Oct 15 daily 9am–5pm;<br />Oct 16–Mar 15 daily 9:30am–4pm<br /><br />If you’re driving, head north on Castle Rd. from the center of Salisbury. At the first roundabout (traffic circle), take the exit toward Amesbury (A345) and Old Sarum. Continue along this road for 13km (8 miles) and then turn left onto A303 in the direction of Exeter. You’ll see signs for Stonehenge, leading you up A344 to the right. It’s 3km (2 miles) west of Amesbury.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">See on Google Maps</span><br /><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=stonehenge&ie=UTF8&ll=51.186714,-1.822186&spn=0.006927,0.019312&z=14&iwloc=A&cid=9968744135386431355&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=stonehenge&ie=UTF8&ll=51.186714,-1.822186&spn=0.006927,0.019312&z=14&iwloc=A&cid=9968744135386431355" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-91653176540323690782009-03-01T08:01:00.000-08:002009-03-01T08:08:02.751-08:00Ninini Beach<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhoklf6wiNdPFMwo7X_ZmKjY9nvsZjktTwZ-K1JqVVI2GWpA8nnt_niihUbEqV2R10N2c65lSxR2jBHNxCPzPBcAxAN1y42fd9Sh-rZsQ2eeDGCrVwLK1sWdNa4WWm3ysciIE6silMJE/s1600-h/ninini-beach.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhoklf6wiNdPFMwo7X_ZmKjY9nvsZjktTwZ-K1JqVVI2GWpA8nnt_niihUbEqV2R10N2c65lSxR2jBHNxCPzPBcAxAN1y42fd9Sh-rZsQ2eeDGCrVwLK1sWdNa4WWm3ysciIE6silMJE/s320/ninini-beach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308251263379520850" border="0" /></a><br />If you are looking for a good snorkeling/swimming beach off the beaten track, this small beach, consisting of two sandy coves separated by lava, is a great place to get away from the crowds. Some local residents call this Running Waters Beach due to the former irrigation runoff when sugar was in production here. Located at the northern end of Nawiliwili Harbor and hidden behind some cliffs, this beach is generally protected from the wind and currents.<br /><br />However, high surf can kick up, and southern storms can charge in suddenly. The small northern sandy cove has good snorkeling and swimming most of the year. Follow the trail down from the dirt road to the beach.<br /><br />Occasionally a few nudists show up here, but remember—nudity is against the law in Hawaii and you can be prosecuted (for lewd and lascivious behavior—how would you like that on your record?). We prefer the larger beach because of the gentle sandy slope (great for sunbathing) and because the sandy bottom makes for great snorkeling. When the surf does roll in here, the bodysurfers will be in the water.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How to get here</span><br />Take Ahukini Road toward the airport; when the road appears to end, veer left (still on Ahukini Rd.) and head for the ocean. When the road meets the ocean, turn right on the dirt road that circumnavigates the airport with the ocean on your left. Travel about 21⁄2 miles on this dirt road to the Nawiliwili Lighthouse. Look for the two trails down to the ocean.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Other Info</span><br />Ninini Beach has no facilities and no lifeguard.tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3430297218752772012.post-38425565555210551912009-01-20T08:02:00.000-08:002009-01-20T08:06:40.955-08:00Hokaido Image Gallery<p><a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=14169448&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview4/014169448.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=14169469&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview4/014169469.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=14169499&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview4/014169499.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=14169516&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview4/014169516.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=14169683&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview4/014169683.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=14169699&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview4/014169699.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=14169771&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview4/014169771.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=14169883&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview4/014169883.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=14169925&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview4/014169925.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=14169983&owner=spartan" target="_blank"><img src="http://preview.shareapic.net/preview4/014169983.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><a style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank" href="http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?gid=539356&owner=spartan">Click here for Full Gallery of Hokaido</a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> </p>tazmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02048655034222381911noreply@blogger.com0