The Island called Britain

Britain is probably the most civilized and comfortable place to live (if you can afford it), but it is also a fascinating country to explore.

Stonehenge, England.

Avebury Circle, England.

Ancient cross, Dartmoor National Park, England.

Few places on Earth are so rich in historical monuments, from the Stone Age megaliths to Gothic cathedrals, from Roman temples to modern architectural surprises.

Reconstructed crannog (Neolithic stilt village), Loch Tay, Scotland.

Stone circle at Castlerigg, Lake District National Park, England.

Guide, Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Some of Britain's museums are among the most interesting in the world, but even small ones in remote villages and estates can be worth a few hours' visit.

Jews, by Jacob Kramer. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

The famous library of The British Museum, London.

Medieval Life exhibit, Warwick Castle, England.

In 2006, my mother and I spent three weeks there, driving around the island, checking out its cities, villages, shores, forests and mountains.

Natural History Museum, Oxford, England.

Ancient Celtic carving, Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Roman mosaic, St. Albans, England.

At a butterfly farm, Landscove, England.

The photos below are from that trip and two brief stops in London in previous years. I hope to visit Britain again sometimes, and add a few more.

At a butterfly farm, Landscove, England.

The Chalk Giant, Cerne Abbas, England. The origin of this ancient image is unknown. The girl on the photo spent half an hour crawling on her knees all over one part of the image and kissing it. Later I found out it was a New Age fertility rite.

Barn owl (Tyto alba), Pont-yr-hafod, Wales.

Britain is a very easy country to get around. Road system in general, and road signs in particular, are very well-designed, especially compared to their somewhat primitive American counterparts. The police doesn't harass people with the state-run "speeding tickets" racket which spoils so much any driving experience in the US. People are friendly to the point of sainthood. Natural landscapes have been terribly screwed up in the past, but many are at least partially recovering now. Wildlife is mostly tame and easy to see. And, of course, the architecture is just wonderful.

Barn owl living in a roadside shed, Pont-yr-hafod, Wales.

Typical country road, Dorset, England.

Part 2: Cathedrals

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