The Towers and Trilithon Tour- Part I: Dubai to Stratford-upon-Avon

The Burj Khalifa

Has this ever happened to you? Your Clinical Director comes up and says "You need to take some time off before the end of the year." Possibly not, but that's what happened to me in September. Not one to make waves, I started to plan for four weeks off in November. If I centered the leave around a Continuing Medical Education Course, I could defray some expenses, so I chose a three day course in London (more of the specifics in Part III). I have been wanting to go to the UK, having been there only once before in 1971 and Fayne was last there in the 60's, so we were long overdue. It is just about the furthest away spot on the globe from New Zealand, so why not break up the trip by stopping over somewhere new coming and going?
The four-week adventure was so full of activity I decided to make this an unprecedented triple posting:

• Part I- Timaru to Stratford-upon-Avon; 
• Part II- Liverpool up to London, and; 
• Part II- London until now. 

I apologize if I babble on excessively, but there is just so much I want to show and share. We packed our bags and were off to the first stop, Dubai, UAE and the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. 

Dubai

Dubai is a destination that we have been curious about for over ten years. 20 years ago it was literally a sleepy fishing village, but it has been transformed into an endless stretch of skyscrapers, shopping malls, golf courses, and amusement parks in the middle of the Arab world, a Las Vegas without the casinos. With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft), the Burj Khalifa dwarfs the other colossal structures around it. We ponied up the extra dirhams to go up to the upper observation deck on the 148th floor and enjoy the night view.  

The view from 555 m (1,821 ft) up makes everything else look tiny.

Burj at night

They are also very proud of the Dubai Fountain, "the world's second largest choreographed fountain system" (second to one in Manila), with light, water, and music performances multiple times daily. In keeping with the Vegas concept, it was designed by the same California crew that did the Bellagio Fountains. The name the Dubai Fountain was chosen by a contest. (I guess Founty McFountain was taken?) 
The whole city is a construction zone as they are building like mad preparing for Expo 2020. Up to 25% of all the world's construction cranes are in use there. Each new building would like to out-wow the others. 15 miles away from Downtown on the Persian Gulf is the Dubai Marina where the 75-story Cayan Tower twists 90' from base to top.
Another familiar icon is the Burj Al Arab, opened in 1999, a sail-shaped ultra-expensive hotel built on a man-made islet.

Barj Al Arab with Jumeira Public Beach in foreground

Also heavily featured in Dubai tourist information is the Atlantis Hotel, self-described as "a majestic 5 star Dubai hotel situated on the Palm, a man-made island that has captured the world’s imagination with its magnificent scale and ingenuity."  I guess I will have to take their word for it, because security forces won't even let you near the lobby, let alone any restaurants or attractions inside, unless you are a registered guest (we weren't). Oh, and as for the man-made islands shaped like a stenciled palm tree, it looks cool on maps or from an aerial shot, but is decidedly un-magical from ground level.

Me, outside the Atlantis, imagining the inside.

The Marina Eye Ferris Wheel is the next in the line to be world's tallest of the gigantic wheels, a craze started by the London Eye, opened for the Millennium in 2000. Ever since then, larger and larger wheels are popping up all over: Nanchang, Singapore, and Las Vegas. We wondered why it didn't move, but viewed from another angle we solved the puzzle: like many things in Dubai, it isn't finished.

Note the gap between 4 and 6 o'clock

The number one reason many go to Dubai is to visit the malls, and the quantity and vastness of the selection is impressive. With no sales tax and no VAT, one could do some very serious shopping.The Dubai Mall at the base of the Burj Khalifa and adjacent to the Dubai Fountain has an aquarium where you can scuba with sharks, an ice rink, and a waterfall with fiberglass sculptures of divers/swimmers.

Dubai Mall Waterfall with divers

Whatever you do, don't confuse the Dubai Mall with the Mall of the Emirates. That's the one with the indoor ski field.

Ski Dubai

After two full days and nights there, here is my summary. It is an interesting, bizarre modern place, well worth a visit, which combines many disparate elements: Sharia Law, jet-setters, conspicuous wealth and consumption, set at the edge of the Arabian Desert on the Persian Gulf. Like Vegas, it seems supremely unnatural thing to spring up in the desert. It is hard to imagine it will be sustainable long term, but then again I don't understand why the US stock market keeps going up. I wouldn't mind another brief stop-over as there is more to see and do, but a second visit is not a high priority.

England

(Note: Perhaps, like me, your English geography could use a little brushing up. I clipped this map from Lonely Planet and it gives a basic idea of where we went.)

46 years is a long time but I still have vivid memories of my only previous visit to the UK in 1971. I was twenty, traveling on a shoe-string, and planned my trip around crashing in London with the generous sister of a dear friend and visiting my UC Berkeley classmates studying abroad at Oxford, Edinburgh, and St. Andrews. It was a grand time, but it left much of the country unexplored. I recall bitterly cold March days, limited daylight, no central heating, and lots of street-side fish and chips wrapped in newspapers. I knew things might be quite different, but wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was the weather better than feared, housing warmer, the population much more diverse, and the food infinitely improved (#3 and # 4 are likely related).

Windsor and Environs

The flight from Dubai went smoothly and we arrived at Heathrow Airport midday, picked up the rental car, and headed 10 miles to Windsor Castle, home to the Queen's favorite London-area residence and "the world's largest and oldest continually occupied fortress" according to Lonely Planet.

It is truly a grand palace and has been home to British royalty going back to the 11th century and William the Conqueror (AKA: "William the Bastard", because he literally was). The royal family was not in, so we could visit a large portion of the grounds, including St. George's Chapel, Queen Mary's Dolls' House, and the State Apartments. This is distinct from other royal palaces I have visited in that it is still in use for private and public functions, less of a museum and more of lavish dream of how royalty live. Imagine a royal family still living in the Louvre or the Hermitage.

A statue of Queen Victoria in front of Windsor Castle

Photos are not allowed inside but I will link to pages of photos you can view if you like. St. George's Chapel  (images) dates from the 14th century, is a magnificent Gothic structure full of history, the final resting place of ten sovereigns including Henry VIII, the home of  the Order of the Garter (the most exclusive knights' club), and in 2018 it will be the site of the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle (perhaps you heard of the engagement).
Queen Mary's Doll's House was constructed for the wife of King George V in the 1920's to a precise 1:12 scale (one inch=one foot). It is a fantasy with incredibly authentic functioning details: electricity, plumbing, tapestry, linen, tiny bound volumes of special stories written by famous authors, cars that run, shotguns that break and load, etc., etc. These images will give you the idea.

The Library

The Garage

Lastly, we walked through real life-sized room after sumptuous room filled with armor, fine art, and regal furnishings in the State Apartments. This is where the monarch has special state dinners for visiting dignitaries or host special events like her recent celebration of QEII and Philip's 70th wedding anniversary. It is all the more remarkable because many of the rooms were meticulously restored after a devastating 1992 fire. I would have liked to have spent hours more there, but things closed up at 5:15 and we were ushered out.

Looking from the village, past Victoria, to the Castle

The quaint village of Windsor nestles up against the castle grounds and (like much of the country) is beginning to dress up for Christmas.

Until my visit I did not know that the most famous English Boys' School, Eton College, is directly across the Thames River from Windsor. Founded in 1440 by Henry VI, countless prominent men have studied there: royals, politicians, actors, authors, and artists. A young Prince William walked over to Windsor Castle on weekends to have tea with his nan, the Queen. I will always associate it with the phrase "The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton" (attributed to the Duke of Wellington), but this was amended by George Orwell in 1941 as:

‘Probably the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton, but the opening battles of all subsequent wars have been lost there.’

Looking across the Thames to Eton

So many other famous places are clustered nearby, like Ascot Racecourse, and Runnymede, site of signing of one of the most important documents in world history, the Magna Carta. I was a bit nonplussed to find a sparse muddy field bisected by a local road with a sign proclaiming "Runnymede: A home to politics and picnics for over 1000 years" . Understated, no? Clearly, it has mostly been a hay-field most of the last eight centuries.

Of the three embellishments that exist, two are American. The Magna Carta memorial was erected by the American Bar Association in 1957.

The ABA's Magna Carta Memorial

Up a hill a bit is the JFK Memorial, dedicated in 1965 with Jackie and Bobby in attendance, followed by a reception at the castle. (Interesting fact: The ground on which the memorial sits was gifted by the UK to the USA.)

JFK Memorial

The latest and most provocative addition was dedicated on the 800th anniversary of the sealing (it was not actually signed) of the "Great Charter". The Jurors by sculptor Hew Locke features 12 bronze chairs with symbols of past and present struggles for freedom, equality, and the rule of law (all good things to reflect on).

Winchester

Windsor was the jumping-off point for exploration of as much of the country we could see outside of London for the next 12 days. After Runnymede, the first stop was Winchester. The only thing I knew of Winchester was the song about its Cathedral, an inexplicable novelty record hit in 1966. It turns out, the Cathedral and city are well worth a visit. In fact, one could spend months visiting medieval cathedral cities around the British Isles, each with their own charms, claims to fame, and tales of historic events in their long and turbulent history. Typically they also have local and knowledgeable volunteer docents to guide you through all that.

Winchester Cathedral exterior...

and interior

Winchester boasts the longest Gothic cathedral in Europe, a beautifully illuminated 12th C. bible, a modern-looking stained-glass window constructed in 1660 from shards left behind after Oliver Cromwell's men destroyed the original, the grave of Jane Austin, and intricately carved oaken choir stalls, one featuring a mischievous-looking "Green Man".

Choir stalls

Green Man detail

Next visit I will explore the center of the gated city associated with the legendary Kings Arthur and Alfred the Great but we were off to another nearby cathedral city.  

Salisbury

This cathedral can boast of the tallest spire in England, a handsome facade, the oldest working clock (1386), and the best preserved of the four surviving original parchment copies of the Magna Carta in the octagonal Chapter House. Because of preservation concerns for the 800 year-old document, it is housed in a tent and only a few are permitted in at a time, no photos allowed.

Salisbury Cathedral- West Front

A better view of the famous spire

View from the choir to the nave

The very old clock

Salisbury Chapter House with tent for M. C.

Walking through medieval city gate makes the past very alive today.

However, the main reason most come to Salisbury is not for the cathedral, but because of its proximity to Stonehenge.

Henges

OK, let's start out with something that makes no sense: Stonehenge is not a true henge even though the word derives from Stonehenge. Whaa??? Someone has defined a henge as a circular ditch inside an outer bank, but at Stonehenge the ditch is outside and the bank inside. "So what?", say I. It is a certified World Heritage Site immortalized in the film This Is Spinal Tap, and an absolute must-see. There are older, larger, and more technically challenging constructions, but the circular structure, the signature gigantic trilithons (two stone posts with a third lintel-stone spanning them), and the mysteries of its function and construction make it spellbinding. The giant stones are aligned so that at the winter solstice the sunset is on a line through a marker stone (called the Heel Stone) to the center of the monument, and the summer solstice sunrise 180' opposite. (I never really thought of that before.)
But really, nobody knows. Go there, experience it, feel its mystical power, and make up your own answers.

Two giant heads in foreground with tiny neolithic monument

If you are like me, perhaps you have forgotten/never knew about the Battle of the Beanfield in 1985. Mass arrests occurred when 1,300 police intercepted 600 New-Agers and neo-druids trying to get to Stonehenge for the summer solstice. It was a big mess, and since then the public is not allowed inside the stone circle, but can still get quite close.
Although it is an international tourist magnet now, Stonehenge was not always so. As was the case at Runnymede, for centuries the locals had to decide on preserving and honoring their history and culture vs. growing hay and raising sheep. They invariably took the agricultural option. Two roads pass very near the stone circle. It was not legally protected until 1882 and owned privately until gifted to the country in 1918. The caricature of the British as being reserved, "stiff upper lip and all that", would seem to apply in these cases. They just resist making a big deal about things, in contrast to, oh I don't know, the USA?
An even better example of British laissez faire is found 25 miles north at Avebury, the site of the world's largest megalithic stone circle (and a true henge). If time allows, after Stonehenge drop by there. It is by far the largest henge circle, with a ditch diameter of over 1,000 feet and depth of 30 feet (compared with 320' and 6' of its more renown cousin), but it does lack the hypnotic trilithons. At Avebury a medieval village grew up in its center, sheep are still grazing, and visitors are allowed to touch and even climb on the rocks. People come and lay down near the megaliths hoping to soak up spiritual healing power. It probably was what is was like visiting Stonehenge a century ago.

Avebury Stone Circle with sheep and village in backround

A better view of the deep Avebury henge

Bristol

If you refer to the map at the start of this section you will see our drift was west of London and that led us to Bristol. My previous knowledge of Bristol came from two sources: in New Zealand they use the Bristol Stool Scale to assess patient's BMs, and; a multi-part ponderous puzzle from a pub quiz which listed many obscure facts to lead you to the proper answer, i.e., Bristol. We ended up spending three nights there, appreciating it more each day. The initial reason I put it on the itinerary was I planned to visit a physician and his wife who worked for a while in Timaru, Harbans and Irene Bhakri. Their home is south of Bristol, about a 30-minute drive, or >60 if you get lost as perhaps we did.  They graciously hosted us for dinner and it was very good to see them again. We also got some helpful tips from Irene, as I will mention below.

Bristol Floating Harbour

Bristol is the 8th largest city in the UK but its charms are not immediately obvious. Driving around was not easy as it is an older city with streets twisting around bends in the Avon River. Once, in frustration, I flagged down and paid a cab driver to lead me the 10 blocks to our hotel. But the river is the reason Bristol exists, as it soon empties into the sea making Bristol a major sea port. (Fun fact: There are multiple different Rivers Avon as the name is derived from the Welsh word afon, meaning river.) For a time it was the second busiest port in Britain, and was a major hub of New World exploration and trade (John Cabot left from there in 1497 to explore N. America), the slave trade, and later the Industrial Revolution. An important manufacturing city, it suffered significant damage from bombing in WWII, but has rebounded as a city with aerospace and computer industries, two universities, and a vibrant art scene.
In 2011 the city opened M Shed dockside in an old transit shed. Its aim is to display items on transport, people, and the arts, as well as to come to terms with Bristol's significant role in the slave trade. As an example, a map highlights how riches from the 18th C. slave trade built the city.

One of their favorite sons is Banksy, the anonymous but world-famous graffiti artist. The cargo ship converted into performance venue ship Thekla was "tagged" by Banksy in 2003 with a stenciled image entitled The Grim Reaper. With some controversy the panel was removed, in part to preserve it, and is on the wall in the museum.

The Grim Reaper

Banksy Portrait

Bristolians (sometimes called Ciderheads?)are also proud of Wallace and Gromit, created by Nick Park and produced by the local Aardman Animations.

Wallace (L) & Gromit (R)

Mr. Park is not from Bristol, and neither was early 19th century engineering genius Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but his imprint is everywhere.

Statue of I. K. Brunel

Well known in the UK and the Empire, I had never heard of him (until he was the answer to a recent trivia question...see a pattern?), but the list of his works is stunning. His projects include building the London to Bristol Great Western Railroad in the 1830's (including a two-mile tunnel), cutting the the London-Bristol trip to less than three hours. Other projects include a tunnel under the Thames in London (still part of the transit system), multiple bridges, and ships. Some projects were completed by others after his death in 1859. His most famous bridge is the Clifton Suspension Bridge across the Avon Gorge.

Clifton Suspension Bridge, down river from Bristol city center

In 1843 his visionary design for the SS Great Britain produced the first steel-hulled screw propeller driven ocean liner, the longest and fastest ship of her day. Her life story is a remarkable rambling tale. She eventually found herself in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands in 1886 after a fire damaged her beyond repair, where she was docked and used as a floating coal bin until being scuttled in 1937 in shallow water a few miles away. In WWII the British Navy scavenged some iron to make repairs to the HMS Exeter. 

In light of her historical significance, a persistent, dedicated, and well-financed group were determined to salvage her and bring her back to her birthplace, the docks of Bristol. In 1970, the rescue was launched, the ship floated up, put on pontoons, and towed back to Bristol. (You can find a BBC Chronicle documentary entitled "The Great Iron Ship" detailing this on YouTube.)  The restoration took another herculean effort as the ambient humidity in the dry dock was dissolving the iron hull at an alarming rate. An ingenious special dry dock was built to allow dehumidification to save the ship, and she was reopened for visiting in 2005 in the state she is now.  

Inspecting the hull below the surface of the glass ceiling of the dry dock

SS Great Britain deck

Captain at the wheel

Bath

Head of Sulis-Minerva

Irene Bhakri suggested we could avoid the hassle of driving and parking by taking the train from Bristol to visit Bath. It was brilliant! Bath is on the line to and from London with many trains a day and takes only 30 minutes. There is an extensive Roman Bath complex, the medieval Bath Abbey, and landmark Georgian architecture to enjoy. 

The Roman Bath complex with the Abbey Tower behind. Originally a high roof covered the pool.

The Romans loved to bathe, and were drawn to the natural hot springs. It takes several hours to wander through the complex of lead-lined pools, hot, tepid, and cold, changing rooms, men's and women's facilities.  The Romans melded an existing goddess, Sulis, with their own Minerva, and called the town Aquae Sulis. After almost 400 years of occupation and rule the Romans withdraw in 410 AD, leaving the baths to fall into disrepair and eventually be built over by later structures. The ruins had to be rediscovered and renovated starting in the 18th C. An extensive museum houses many artifacts and sculptures and they are still excavating. Fascinating curios include "curse tablets", metal fragment written to beseech the goddess to wreak vengeance on "whomever stole my bathing tunic" (seriously). Also, a hoard of over 17,000 silver Roman coins was discovered nearby in 2008.

Everything above the water line has been constructed since 1700

A carved relief said to be a Gorgon's head

Carving- The Three Mother Goddesses

Roman coins

A Bath curse tablet

The medieval Bath Abbey is adjacent to the Roman ruins. The ornate west facade details angels climbing up and down stone ladders, perhaps inspired by a dream of an early bishop.

Detail of angels and ladders

Pulteney Bridge (1773) over the Avon, lined with shops

The 18th century saw the development of Georgian architecture (named for the Kings George I-IV). John Wood and son helped define the era with works like the Royal Crescent, a semicircular row of 30 terraced houses. The truth was that the Woods only designed the facades, that each interior was left to another builder to complete. No. 1 Crescent Circle is open for tourists to indulge in their Georgian fantasies.

Royal Crescent Panorama

Cotswolds & Stratford-upon-Avon

From Bristol we headed northeast, first going through the Cotswolds, a large hilly area stretching nearly from Bath to Stratford-upon-Avon. It was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1966, and is noted for buildings of distinctive local golden limestone, rolling grasslands ideal for sheep and wool, and quaint and well-preserved villages. We passed through part of this area earlier around Avebury (with its thatched-roofed structures)  and now we transversed it via a more northerly route on to our next stop. The Lonely Planet guide suggested we visit Painswick, a pristine hilltop village which had a prosperous wool and weaving industry in days past . St.Mary's Church is 14th C. vintage and ringed by +/- 99 sculpted yew trees. 

St. Mary's Church

Painswick Town

An historic plaque attesting to the Painswick wool and weaving industry

The village is pristine, but it was very quiet and felt very much out of season. Stratford-upon-Avon never quite goes out of season. It is the center of Bardolatry, a term coined by G. B. Shaw for the excessive worship of the Bard of Avon, William Shakespeare. A mecca for fans since the 1700's, it has led to the preservation of an impressive number of Elizabethan-era buildings, including Will's birthplace.

Original Shakespeare home

The bedroom where he is thought to have been born

The family home where his father also had his glove-making business is faithfully maintained in the style of his times. The extremely knowledgeable local guides have been asked and can answer almost any Bard-related question you may have. You can enter the room where it is believed he debuted as the third of eight offspring of John and Mary Shakespeare.
Down the street you can visit the grammar school where he learned the basic tools of his trade.

King Edward VI Grammar School on the right

On the next corner is the lot where his own house (Shakespeare's New Place) once stood and where he shuffled off this mortal coil. Continue a bit further though the town and his life and you end up at Holy Trinity Church, where the Shakespeares are buried.

The Shakespeare Family lies buried in the foreground

Will's grave

His real legacy of course is his written works, kept alive by the Royal Shakespeare Company headquarted here. We took the opportunity to see their production of Twelfth Night. Unfortunately, we were both quite tired and had difficulty with the very British diction, so much of the subtlety of the play was lost on us that night.
The whole town is a celebration of his life and works, which you see around every corner. This collage highlights that.

The statue of Will is in the middle. From the upper left corner continuing clockwise: Falstaff, Hamlet, the Avon River  (not the Bristol one), Lady Macbeth, swan sculpture with the RSC Theater behind, and Prince Hal in the lower left corner

One final sculpture and a quotation from the Twelfth Night seems an appropriate place to end this chapter. Part II will pick up from here, en route to Liverpool.

The Jester (1994) by James Butler R. A.