Burton Dane Travels

We're traveling through Europe and parts nearby for a year. We'll be posting our pix and adventures here.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Hadrian’s Wall





When the Roman Empire decided the cost for expanding its economic control was too great, it built Hadrian’s wall, two moats, three rubble berms and lots of forts. From here they could watch Scotland’s tattooed, skirt-wearing Picts rant and when the “barbarians” got too close, Romans could trap them against the wall and slaughter them. They never killed the Scottish spirit though.

When the Empire was threatened at home, they withdrew from this area taking everyone and most things with them. They left the forts, walls and buildings made of rectangular rocks. For 1600 years, the locals have been using these to build homes, stables, walls and pubs.

Recently, the locals stopped building with the Roman rocks so that tourists can pay to see them in place. It makes for a lovely walk and nice museums. Not too much said about the Picts, perhaps we’ll hear more further north.

The rocks didn’t go to waste in the pubs, they’re lovely too.


Travel Tips
1) Wild Boar is farm raised, not hunted.
2) Hound is the proper name for “dogs”. A bitch is a female, a dog is a male. They don’t take kindly to people calling them all dogs.
3) Ale is food.
4) Use a Britrail pass to travel. It’s the only reasonably priced item we’ve found here.

1 Comments:

  • At 2:43 PM , Blogger nhaysrd said...

    Hi all,

    We miss you. Happy Birthday Ben.

    We plan to return to Montebuoni next Aug/Sept and will go to the Palio. Do you have the name of the hotel in Siena where you stayed?

    Have fun.

    Lynn and Frank

     

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