My Mom took me to the United Kingdom and it was an amazing experience. I was 29, starting a new career that was pretty stressful and this vacation was a great get-a-way but also probably gave me my strong desire to travel. This began as my Mom was tracing our family heritage back to Ireland and Scotland. Once she got that far, that was it, time to go explore our roots.
The United Kingdom is made up of four countries, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It is an island nation in northwestern Europe. Everything is old and historic, even back to the Roman bath houses in Bath. It was an amazing adventure.
England
London
London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom, has a history stretching back to Roman times. At its centre stand the imposing Houses of Parliament, the iconic ‘Big Ben’ clock tower and Westminster Abbey, site of British monarch coronations.
Travel
Royal Business
Stonehenge
Historians and archaeologists have puzzled over the many mysteries of Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument that took Neolithic builders an estimated 1,500 years to erect. Built in several stages, Stonehenge began about 5,000 years ago as a simple earthwork enclosure where prehistoric people buried their cremated dead. The stone circle was erected in the centre of the monument in the late Neolithic period, around 2500 BC. Its massive scale suggests that Stonehenge was vitally important to the ancient peoples who built it, but the monument's purpose has been the subject of widespread speculation for centuries. Theories run the gamut, casting Stonehenge as anything from an ancient healing center to an alien landing site.
Bath
Founded by the Romans as a thermal spa, they built a temple around the springs in 50 AD. The temple was dedicated to Sul, a Celtic god, and Minerva the Roman goddess of healing. They also built public baths which were supplied by the hot springs. In the 18th century, under George III, it developed into an elegant town with neoclassical Palladian buildings, which blend harmoniously with the Roman baths.
Chester
Chester city walls consist of a defensive structure built to protect the city of Chester in Cheshire, England. Their construction was started by the Romans when they established the fortress of Deva Victrix between 70 and 80 AD. The city walls are the oldest, longest and most complete in Britain, parts of which are almost 2000 years old. Chester is the only city in Britain that retains the full circuit of its ancient defensive walls.
Wales
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
The Anglesey village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (Thlan-vire-poothl-gwin-gith-go-ger-ith-chwen-drob-oll-llan-dis-ilio-goh-goh-goch) is also known as Llanfair PG and the name means "St Mary's church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the fierce whirlpool of St Tysilio of the red cave Saying a name like Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch out loud is daunting. The record-breaking name born of a publicity stunt when the railway was built between Chester and Holyhead at the beginning of the 1850's. A local committee was put together to try and encourage trains, travellers and 19th century tourists to stop at the village in order to help develop the village as a commercial and tourist centre. It is believed that the name Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch was invented by a cobbler from Menai Bridge. Little did he know that he had implemented one of the most successful tourist marketing plans of all time!
Ireland
The Blarney Stone
The Blarney Stone otherwise known is Ireland as Cloch na Blarnan is a block of Carboniferous limestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle in Blarney, about 8 kilometres (5 miles) from Cork, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of the gab, great eloquence or skill at flattery. To kiss the Blarney Stone, the kisser must lean backwards and essentially kiss the stone upside down. I heard about the stories of how the locals would pee on the Blarney Stone at night and have a good laugh when the tourists would line up to kiss it in the morning. When we arrived at the Blarney Stone we were told by a tour guide that the little story is in fact true so no kissing the stone but great for a picture.
Pubs
Mom and I drank our way through Ireland and went to many local pubs. Our last name is Sullivan, a very common Irish surname so we were welcomed with open arms. The music and dancing always put a smile on my face, as well as the Guiness beer.
Scotland
Endinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is one of the oldest fortified places in Europe. The castle is a historic fortress which dominates the skyline of Edinburgh from its position on the Castle Rock. Archaeologists have established human occupation of the rock since at least the Iron Age. Castle Rock had been a military base and royal residence for centuries. However, the edifice that is known as Edinburgh Castle was built during the 12th century by David I, son of Saint Margaret of Scotland. The tensions between the English and Scottish monarchies nearly always centred on Edinburgh Castle. William Wallace along with Robert the Bruce, is known as Scotland's freedom fighter. Today they stand guard at the Edinburgh Castle entrance. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual series of military tattoos performed by British Armed Forces, Commonwealth and international military bands, and artistic performance teams on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in the capital of Scotland. The event is held each August as one of the Edinburgh Festivals.
