First Stop: Hadrian's Wall
- Built 123 AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian. Possibly an early customs post. Yep, collected taxes and stopped smugglers way back then.
- Construction reflects the power of Romans at the time with fortifications every 5 miles.
- Long sections of wall removed and used for roads, housing, barns.
- Preservation begun by John Clayton & now run by British National Trust.
- Popular for hikers.
- Our guide Tom called out the many wall locations from our coach: "On your right, in 4, 3, 2, 1'"
Vindolanda: White Lawns.
- Roman fortification and active archaeological dig. Cue the "mist". Closest we got to rain in our 16 day trip to England!
- Famous for find of Roman Writing Tablets. Indicated that women could write Latin. Progressive Eh?
- Cold and damp: "Coffee please". This was our lunch stop for the day.
- Today's find: a child's shoe. It was a "happy" day! See the lost "slipper" aka "flip flop" in the museum. Italian chic
- The archaeologist, Chris, has been on site since he was 14. Has Doctorate in Archaelogy. He knows his stuff!