{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\cocoartf1038\cocoasubrtf360
\margl1440\margr1440\vieww17540\viewh13620\viewkind0
\pard\tx720\tx1440\tx2160\tx2880\tx3600\tx4320\tx5040\tx5760\tx6480\tx7200\tx7920\tx8640\ql\qnatural\pardirnatural
\f0\fs26 \cf0 Hi!
I'm the Indiana James and welcome to Glastonbury!\ \
I grew up watching movies and hearing legends about King Arthur, Merlin the wizard, the
sword in the stone and the utopia like city, Camelot.
What is truth from fiction?
Where does history begin and mythology end?
What is real?\ \
Here in Glastonbury, England, which is located about 2 hours West of London, England, they
seem to have an interesting mix in of all of the above.
This quaint little city has a small town feeling with its roots buried deep into history, mythology
and religion.\ \
The Abbey of Glastonbury lies in ruins today due to King Henry the VIII's ambition to turn
all of England Protestant by destroying all of the Catholic cathedrals, monasteries and
Abbeys.
But what remains is still impressive.
These massive pillars that inclosed the high altar just make up a third of the entire cathedral.
And in the center is the legendary grave.\ \
King Arthur, who was he?
Was he a man, a myth, a legend?
Most historians now days believe that he was the chief of one of the Norman tribes that
brought great prosperity to this region after the fall of the Roman Empire.
Whatever the story may be, this is where the story all began, this is where it started,
this is the legend of King Arthur.\ \
Does it really matter if some myth got mixed with fact?
"Equality for all throughout the land."
One could argue that this was one of the first areas that the idea that each man was created
equal and that the king or nobility did not have a divine right above others began.
Isn't the idea or the message greater than reality?\
\ Some artifacts though still remain hinting
towards the ancient truth.
\ \
This is so cool.
This is original medieval tiling.
It's beautiful in color and texture.
This covered the entire abbey back in the day.
Its so impressive how it still survived.\ \
Even stories of Lady Guinavere being captured and held for ransom can be seen in the distance.
The Tor of Glastonbury is the only remains of the fortified cathedral where King Arthur
and his knights came to rescue Lady Guinavere from "Prince Malagant" who was holding her
in this tower.\ \
Is this fiction?
We don't know.
But what we do know is that this massive hill use to be an ancient city and before the regional
lands were drained for farming, it was an island city.
Could this have been Camelot?
Maybe, no one truly knows.
\ \
Legends of the chalice, also known as "the cup of christ" , which caught the blood of
Jesus Christ at the crucifixion, is rumored to have been washed out here by St. Joseph
of Arimethea and buried at the source of the spring which now bleeds out a reddish tint
in the water symbolizing the blood of Jesus Christ.
We now know that the abundant source of iron in the ground is what gives the spring its
unusual color.
\ \
Lets see if this water tastes in better than the sulfur water that we had in Bath, England.
This is iron water\'85And it tastes like iron mixed with water.\
\ It is stated in the bible that St. Joseph
of Aramethea brought Jesus to an island in the North when he was a boy.
Could this have been the spot?
Whatever you want to believe, this area has a "Garden of Eden" like atmosphere.\
\ There are even reports that the thorn tree
that grows in this region of England derived from the the crown of thorns that Jesus wore
at the crucifixion and was buried here by Joseph of Aramethea.
Each year, when the tree naturally blooms around Christmas, a section of the thorn and
flower is sent to the Queen of England to display on the royal table.
\ \
Whatever you enjoy, history, religion, myths, legends, quiet little towns, shopping, warm
friendly atmospheres, beautiful scenery\'85This town has them all.
\ \
So what if King Arthur really didn't exist.
It is what he stood for which brought me here.\ \
So what is Glastonbury?
It's a living legend like no other.}