Nov 2012: A steaming ride

it was crisp early morning and I went off on a ride

very quiet but sunny day

riding through brickett wood

stopped for the 1 hour break

the sweat on my hat had frosted over and not sure if you can see it but it started to steam up, lol, most amusing

i head off

riding through these paths, the wet leaves were a bit of a challenge

lovely views

the environs around St. Albans are beautiful

and you can see the sun beams

you feel like taking them up in your arms and wrapping them around you

beautiful indeed

the sun was shining

 

more sunbeams

the forest floor covered with leaves

tall solemn trees

 

riding through woody tunnels

 

it was clear, bracing and a joy to ride

I reach Watford

 

the leaves had dropped off the trees

covering the ground

the grass was all frosty

not a place where I would like to roll around

but the colours were lovely, all different shades.

my usual place to take a break, at the lock

what a lovely bridge

this is my usual bike ride place, next to the canal

with the rising sun reflecting on the cool misty waters of the canal

lovely lovely lovely

Oct 2012: Visiting the old Romans

We wave a goodbye to the cathedral and then move down

Its a lovely evening

and the seagulls are squabbling away as usual

driftwood

A lovely lovely evening

with the evening light falling on the trees

We reach the museum. Its really a lovely building.

Verulamium before the Romans.

 

Its fascinating to see how histories work out. I never really imagined this span of history

with bone fragments, buttons and the like

equipment for horses, wheel parts, etc. etc.

 

How a legionary was dressed

 

this was one of the biggest roman towns around way back then

 

and then the lady Boudicca revolted. It gives a shiver down the spine to remember that I live in the place where all those centuries back, there were huge armies sloshing back and forth, killing and maiming and fighting and and and

Ma Baba wandering the little museum

These extraordinary mosaics were found in the various houses

very well displayed

Nice work, no?

floor mosaics

There’s neptune, I need to speak to you about your daughter, grumbles.

Coins

Temple implements found in the vicinity

 

Theatre stuff. heh. hello!

A statue of Mercury

And Venus.

Hmmm, for a goddess, she isn't that well endowed, eh?

A leather coffin

that’s how the chap looked, his name is Postumus.

He was buried around AD 200. Sleep well, mate.

 

 

Some more Italians..

Some very sad child graves. sighs. not good.

By law, only children older than 40 days could be buried inside the walls of the town, these were graves found outside the walls. Can you imagine? a stony faced father laying his son/daughter down into the grave? these tiny bones are not just calcium, they held the promise of a snatched life, a ton of hopes and dreams and and and. And now they are a display in a museum. Rest in peace.

 

skeletons found during the excavation.

some of the grave goods found

this was a child’s coffin

 

Some toys and figurines.

A diorama of how a roman room and household life could have looked like

 

Another mosaic

 

Some lovely jewellery.

Brooches..

It was getting cold and the day was getting old, Ma Baba were both getting tired. Sometimes I forget that they arent the spry 40 year olds running after me to wallop the tar out of me for being naughty. Nice little Museum. I have to remember to bring the kids here one day