Travel Goals

1. Climb to Everest Base Camp.
2. Climb Mt Kilimanjaro.
3. Learn to Scuba Dive.
4. Visit every continent.
5. See the Galapagos Islands.
6. Sail down the Amazon River.
7. Climb Ayer's Rock.
8. Ride the Trans-Siberian.
9. Go into space.
10. Go wild at La Tomintina.
11. See the sunrise from Mt. Fuji.
12. Gaze at Borobudor.
13. Visit the Pyramids
14. Safari in East Africa.
15. Go to the World Cup!
16. See Machu Picchu.
17. Join the Century Club.
18. Visit Antarctica.
19. Do development work.
20. See Petra Jordan.
21. Backpack the Eastern Block.
22. See the Northern Lights.
23. Vegas Baby! Vegas!
24. Greek Island hop.
25. Cycle Tuscany.
26. Visit India.
27. Lounge in the Seychelles.
28. See Morocco.
29. Oktoberfest!
30. Caravan across the Sahara.
31. Visit Tibet.
32. Fly first class.
33. Go to Israel.
34. Carnival!!!!
35. Mardi Gras!
36. Cannes Film Festival.
37. Sundance Film Festival.
38. Eat a sushi meal at NOBU
39. Pacific Island hop.
40. Spend a night in the Ice Hotel.
41. See Glacier National Park.

Learn a Foreign Language

Are you planning to travel around Europe? Why not learn Italian or French before you go to maximize your experience.

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A stunning, hour and a half train ride through the English countryside take you to Salisbury, home of the famous Stonehenge. It’s an easy day trip but I found that Salisbury has a lot more to offer and, in fact, Stonehenge is the least impressive part of the town.

Salisbury has been an important site throughout human history. Over 5,000 years ago, Neolithic man was dragging huge stones, weighing up to 55 tons from Wales to Salisbury to build Stonehenge. The area is surrounded by ancient buried mounds and historical artifacts.

While Stonehenge is impressive and still one of the most important historical sites in human history, Salisbury itself is more impressive. Beautifully preserved, this picturesque English country town offers a lot to do and will leave a far more lasting impression on me than Stonehenge.

Originally, “Old Sarum” (as the old town was called) was constructed and used by the Romans and early Saxons as a fortification. With the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, the fort and cathedral were moved to the present day location. The new city never had any defensive walls as it is surrounded by rivers on three sides and located on a hill.

The city has been immaculately preserved. During the German Blitz, Salisbury wasn’t bombed as the Germans used the church as a marker and were under strict orders not to damage it. Around the city one can see Elizabethan, Jacobin, and Victorian style homes all squished together down tiny streets. The town market square is very well preserved and outdoor cafes line the area. (Of course, there is also a church there too.) Modernity has crept in but not at the cost of this scenery. There is a McDonalds and a Burger King but you wouldn’t notice them unless you feel upon them. They don’t stick out like eyesores and are blend quite nicely with the surroundings. Thank God for strict zoning laws huh?

The highlight of this whole trip for me was Salisbury Cathedral. The cathedral was built in 1238 and it still stands, albeit with some adjustments, 750 years later. This huge gothic cathedral is surrounded by grass and cloistered in a little community with a few smaller churches, homes, and other buildings. For all the churches I’ve seen in Europe, this ranks number one.

Inside (no photos allowed), this church is laid out in the traditional cross format with an entrance at one end and the prayer area at the other. Huge ceilings and large stained glass windows adorn the sides and the choir and seating area line the middle. What made this church really special were the tombs inside. The walls are lined with the tombs of dead bishops, kings, and queens. They are beautifully ordained in figures and symbols from the person’s life. In the Trinity, there is a tomb that dates back to 1099. Walking past the tombs of so many historical figures, including some that signed the Magna Carta was breathtaking, especially to a history geek such as myself. The church also houses one of the 4 original copies of the Magna Carta left in existence. Seeing it and the church are both free.

Salisbury can make a great day trip from London but to truly appreciate all the area has to offer it is better to spend a night or two. Walk around this historical town, visit Stonehenge and, it’s little cousin Avesbury, the cathedral, and journey into the country. There is a lot to do in Salisbury and it is a great respite from the chaos of London.

11 Responses to “Salisbury”

1. NomadicMatt on July 22nd, 2008 5:07 pm

   Sorry this did not go into more depth but I didn’t have as much time to write about the history of Stonehenge as I would have liked.

2. Christine Gilbert on July 22nd, 2008 9:20 pm

   I think it was great Matt, I think it was the perfect amount of detail. Great pics too!

3. Mark H on July 22nd, 2008 11:19 pm

   From memory, the Salisbury version is meant to be the best (condition wise) of the four. I think I also saw one in the British Museum (which has a collection of nearly everything!). There is a newer Magna Carta in Parliament House in Australia (not one of the original four, but a copy made some years later, but still in the 1200s) which Australia bought many years ago (no idea who was selling them). It felt special to see this remarkable historic document - most things like this from the 1200s have obviously not survivied the passage of time.

4. Anna on July 22nd, 2008 11:31 pm

   Great webapge Matt! Hope you dont mind - put a link to your blog from my blog. Just started the travel blogging adventure - so any tips are great! ( I sent you an email about how to create webpages, etc)

5. Stevo on July 23rd, 2008 9:59 am

   Great! Your photos are fantastic. I want to go!

   I’ll be in Europe in January, not the best time of year. I’ll add Salisbury to my list of places to visit. It will be a busy three weeks.

6. lakshmi on July 23rd, 2008 12:02 pm

   very fascinating ..thanks for this virtual tour

7. Anthony on July 23rd, 2008 6:58 pm

   Dude, I’m so there. Add that to next year’s potential England/Iceland/Denmark/Spain trip.

8. Will on July 24th, 2008 1:51 am

   Wow…what a beautiful church…and good on ya for respecting the no photos rule. I’ve been to so many churches where people have a blatant disregard and disrespect…gets under my skin.

   A visit to Stonehenge was (still is) on my list of things to do before I die - so last time I was in London, I set aside a day to go…rented a car and ventured out onto the linear parking lot that they call the M-4 (I think)…found I had no tolerance for English traffic and bagged the whole idea. Next time I’m taking the train like you did!

9. NomadicMatt on July 24th, 2008 8:29 pm

   I’m glad you liked it all! It’s a great place!!!!

10. Robin on July 25th, 2008 3:25 pm

    I enjoyed both Salisbury and Avesbury when we were in England. While visiting Salisbury we stayed a bit too long in the evening within the grounds to find that they lock some of the gates of the Close. I’m not sure if they still do that now or not. It turned our walk into a bit of an adventure, trying to find an open gate and wondering if we’d be spending the night on the cathedral grounds.

11. NomadicMatt on July 25th, 2008 4:11 pm

    @robin: That sounds like an awesome adventure! what a great story!

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