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Stonehenge is one of those things that is a required visit for anyone in the area - you're in Paris, you see the Eiffel Tower; you're in the Vatican, you see the Sistine Chapel; you're in southwest England, you see Stonehenge. Since we finished with Bath earlier than expected, we stopped by Stonehenge on the way to our bed & breakfast. Too many theories exist as to the purpose of Stonehenge; our description extends no further than its construction began in 3000 BC and the tools available at the time were of stone, wood, or bone.

Some who visit Stonehenge disparagingly refer to it as nothing more than a bunch of rocks, which in one sense it is. But similar to most ancient ruins, regardless of its appearance, it remains impressive because it was very important to people so far removed from us in time that we can only guess at its significance. It's almost vicarious respect - rather than evaluate the place based on its current condition and use, we honor its hallowed nature in deference to those who previously knew it as a place of monumental experiences, not unlike visiting a battlefield. But to be able to have that understanding, it is necessary to know how important it was to the people who used it. The audio guide provided by the curators did a good job of giving the sense of awe that the ancients felt during their rituals involving Stonehenge. And the ice cream afterwards wasn't bad either.