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Monday, 18 August 2014

Zoom In Zoom Out #33

Another weekend away ZIZO from me today.  In fact I have two for you.  We met up with friends from Holland holidaying on the South Coast of England.  We split the distance between our house and their campsite by meeting up at Stonehenge!  It's probably 40 years since Hubby and I last visited and things have changed (several times).  There is a newly opened English Heritage Visitor Centre which explains some of the timelines, artefacts and theories around the stones and has models with "Please Do Touch" signs!

Jimjams - ZIZO #33a - Stonehenge Model

It's a nice detail, especially as you cannot feel the real thing, nor even walk amongst the stones (except by paying extra and booking ahead or joining in with the solstice celebrations).  Instead, regular tourists are driven (or can walk) up to the ancient henge and can then walk around the stones at their own pace, listening to hand-held multi-lingual audio guides.  With millions visiting every year it's important to manage the tourist flow and allow everyone a clear view to take their "selfies" proving that they were there!  I even saw a pair of girls take turns with a selfie-stick ... and wondered why they couldn't just ask each other to take the photo?!?

Jimjams - photo - Stonehenge

I'm glad we had free entry with National Trust membership as the price is pretty steep otherwise.  We took our friends over to Avebury after lunch so that they could get up close and personal with sarsen stones erected around the same time as Stonehenge ... for free!

See that large rock nearest the foot of the path ...

Jimjams - ZIZO #33b - Avebury

... that's us in front of it!  It was quite mind boggling to realise that we were touching a rock of that size that was put there 5000 years ago with nothing but primitive tools and manpower!

I wonder what other spectacles people have zoomed in on with Helena ... check out week #33 here.
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8 comments:

  1. Melissa19 August 2014 at 02:30

    Looks like y'all had a nice trip & you snapped some great photos!

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  2. helena19 August 2014 at 08:49

    I do like museums that invite touching as I do like to look with my fingers! Funny using a selfie stick when with a friend

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  3. Sian19 August 2014 at 15:34

    Nice subject for a ZIZO. I think we finally made it to Stonehenge a couple of years too soon. I'm going to have to persuade everyone back to see the new visitor centre

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  4. Missus Wookie21 August 2014 at 08:28

    Cool ZIZO. We've not seen the new visitors centre - when we go (and with lots of overseas visitors we have been several times) we always go early and then take them to Old Sarem and Avebury.

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  5. Anonymous21 August 2014 at 18:18

    lovely photos(I have been to Stonehenge twice!). And it is amazing to see and wonder at how they did it...

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  6. Lisa21 August 2014 at 19:29

    I've never been to Stonehenge even though I'd love to go! whenever i get back to the uk, I just dont find the time to do anything.... But your photos are great of the ancient stones and yes, it's truly amazing that they are so old. I thought that all the time while I was walking round Pompeii and Rome and they're not even as old!

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  7. Prairie Jill23 August 2014 at 06:15

    Great ZIZO shots. (And I also remember the days when you could walk around the stones at Stonehenge!)

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  8. Lesley G23 August 2014 at 09:11

    Glad you all had a lovely time :)

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