A few ancient rocks, a delicious Guinness, and a historical university

---

After a few delightful days in the city, I made my way to a few sites outside London but a short train or bus ride away. The first stop was Stonehenge. I had heard not to expect much as it is literally just a few rocks piled in a field right next to a busy highway. And while that is certainly true, I actually was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I think what I liked the most was the mystery behind it. They really don't know much about how the rocks got there (the heaviest one weighs about 7 elephants and they all are about 1/3 into the ground), why they used it or where the rocks came from. Luckily, once again, the sun was out but it was a bit windy. The town nearby Stonehenge is Salisbury, which I thought was absolutely adorable. With a river, narrow streets, older women pushing their grocery carts, and castles, it felt like a quintessential British town. I visited the cathedral and it was beautiful, inside and outside. I was greeted three times by tour guides inside the cathedral, including a priest, all of whom asked if I needed assistance or had any questions. With their smart clothes of jackets and trousers, bushy eyebrows, glasses, and salt and pepper hair, they were a very friendly bunch, literally saying things such as "righty-o-then", "cheerio", and "jolly well." In fact, I'd say most of the people I have met in England are very helpful. They might not express it in their face, but everyone, for the most part, has been beyond polite and considerate.

I then headed off to Brighton, a funky university town with a modern feel to it. I met some travelers at the hostel I stayed out, and we managed to find a bar that sold £1 cider (a staple in England apparently). Then I also got to try my first true Guinness outside the states. Guinness makes about 3 different types of the Guinness beer, and the one they brew in the states is very different than the European one. My pint was delicious - smooth but not heavy at all, it felt like silk liquid down my throat. Yum! The next day I relaxed a bit, toured around the city, and then met up with my two friends, Louise and Adam, at their place outside Brighton for dinner. It was great catching up with them, and reminiscing about all the good times we had in Asia.

The last day I took a train to Oxford, which is such a historical and beautiful university. The buildings themselves are all a bland beige color, but the architecture is remarkable, and with the arched doorways and cobble-stone streets, I felt like I was in another time literally. I managed to sneak around a few of the colleges, window browse at the expensive shops and visit a few museums. Today I toured a bit more around London, and this afternoon was the first time it actually really rained for a few hours. I leave tomorrow for Amsterdam to meet up with a few friends. I have only been in England for a week, and hardly have seen any of the country, but so far, I really enjoyed this friendly, historical place.

---