England  is a  beautiful country with many historic things to see from coast to coast. As our time was limited in England, we wanted to make the best of our time and indulge in a day of sightseeing around the countryside. Our first stop was at Her Majesty The Queens residences at Windsor Castle.

The grounds of the palace were beautifully kept, and we even had the opportunity to see Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House. The doll house was the most elaborate child’s toy I have ever seen. The doll house is even rumored to have running water! I don’t have any pictures to show as photography wasn’t allowed. Below is a photo of the area where Her Majesty The Queen stays when she is at Windsor Castle.

The most notable activity to do in England when at a palace is to see the changing of the guard. Once we toured St. George’s Chapel, we walked out into the courtyard just in time to see the Changing of the Guard.

After seeing Windsor Castle and eating a tasty English fish and chips lunch, we headed to Bath, England. Bath is rich with culture. On our way to the Roman Baths, we passed the residence of Jane Austen. I was walking around the town reciting lines from the Pride and Prejudice and my husband was looking at me like I was crazy!

I was most excited about tasting the waters from the Pump Room. To my dismay, the waters were not flowing that day – one of a few days in 2012 the water system would be under construction. Bummer!

I am a big fan of beer, so whenever I see craft beers in a city, I take the opportunity to sit and sample the local ales. As time was limited, I decided to grab a half pint of Bath Ales. The ale was a pleasant treat as we waited for the bus to pick us up and carry us to the our next location – Stonehenge.

Before leaving the morning of our English countryside tour, the morning news called for blustery showers – they weren’t kidding. The rain was coming down hard, and we were unable to hold on to our umbrellas for most of the tour. It was remarkable to see a piece of history up close and personal. This last stop was a fantastic cap to such a beautiful day.