Hemel Hempstead and St. Albans

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Some Pictures for you 😊 Spent my birthday touring Hemel and the surrrounding towns, the home of my Friend Della's Parents. The town itself is a war town created after WWII, so not many very old residential areas, but we did go see Saint Albans Abbey, a very old, very ornate cathedral. Also went and saw a mosaic designed and created by the Romans in AD 180, officially the oldest thing I have ever seen now. They say the mosaic was a part of a house containing over 30 rooms. They have laid out the old city in white chalk on the grass, kind of like a football field. Very Cool. Saw a few other old churches including the church where Della was Christened. Also... learning something new today, Swans are the property of the queen, its illegal to hurt them in any way. Wierd animal to own, but the ugly duckling was a wonderfully inspiring story. I think that is all for now. It is my birthday and I'm having "real" fish and chips for dinner.

Love you all!
Jess

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Photos

Verulamium Museum in St. Albans
Della and Yasmine, my personal tour guides.

Roman Mosaic in St. Albans Park
Circa 180 A.D., said to be the floor of one room in a 30 room house.

St. Michaels Lodge
In St. Albans, near Roman Theatre.

St. Albans Abbey
Cathedral in St. Albans, Hertfordshire. Circa 1077 AD.

Batchwood Hall
House, turned night club some nights. In St. Albans.

View of St. Albans
Looking over the golf course in St. Albans.

Roman Mosaic
Note the "typical flower pattern of Roman Mosaics."

Roman Mosaic
Originally Excavcated in 1931 by Dr. Tessa Wheeler and Dr. Norman Davey.

Furnace Room and Stoke Hole
In room with Roman Mosaic, its amazing that we developed the method for central heating so long ago...

Mural or Old Roman Township
Shows the estimated layout of the old Roman City containing the room with the Roman Mosaic.

Roman Mosaic
(Lengthwise this time!)

An English Duck!
(It has an accent when it quacks!)

Walka like a light man...
They really did look different...

Swan in St. Albans Park
Property of the Queen!

St. Albans Park
Dogs barking at ducks and geese and swans...

Comments

[Stefanie]

the pictures are gorgeous Jess! though, they make me wish I was there even more haha. I am so glad to see you are having a blast!